Danbury and Norwalk Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Fairfield County Railroad |
| Founded | 1836 |
| Defunct | 1886 |
| Fate | Absorbed by Housatonic Railroad |
| Headquarters | Danbury, Connecticut , United States |
Area served | Danbury to Norwalk, Connecticut |
Key people | Eli T. Hoyt (president from 1850), Edwin Lockwood (president from 1864), Roswell Pettibone Flower (president from 1873), James W. Hyatt (president from 1881), F. St. John Lockwood (president after Hyatt) |
| Products | Passenger and freight rail service |
| Parent | Housatonic Railroad (from 1886) |
The Danbury and Norwalk Railroad, initially incorporated in 1836 under the name Fairfield County Railroad, operated independently between Danbury and Norwalk, Connecticut from 1852 until it was absorbed by the Housatonic Railroad in 1886. Its original rail corridor continues to serve as the Danbury Branch of the New Haven Line, managed by Metro-North Railroad today.
Fairfield County Railroad, 1835-1850
The Fairfield County Railroad was chartered in May 1835 with the objective of linking Danbury to Long Island Sound, aiming to alleviate the city’s geographic isolation. Yale professor Alexander C. Twining conducted surveys of multiple potential routes and advocated for a path tracing the Norwalk River, passing through Norwalk and South Norwalk, and terminating at Belden's Point on Long Island Sound. Although this alignment was longer in distance, it reduced overall travel duration to New York City by minimizing water transit segments.
Originally planned as a horsedrawn railroad—a significant improvement over the existing unpaved toll roads—the line was expected to shorten travel time from half a day by stagecoach to approximately three hours using rail cars. Financial difficulties prompted consideration of extending connections northward from Danbury along the Housatonic River. E.H. Broadhead surveyed a proposed 70-mile route linking Danbury to the Western Railroad at West Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
In 1836, the Housatonic Railroad was chartered in Bridgeport, offering Danbury an opportunity to invest $100,000, which was declined. The Housatonic Railroad proceeded with construction along Broadhead’s surveyed route, bypassing Danbury.
1850-1852
On May 29, 1850, the charter for the Fairfield County Railroad was renewed and renamed as the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad, appointing Eli T. Hoyt as president. Construction commenced on the surveyed route connecting Danbury with Norwalk and linking to the New York & New Haven line at South Norwalk.
Work began in autumn 1850 under Beard, Church and Company from Derby, Connecticut. Progress moved from south to north, closely following the Norwalk River to maintain gentle grades. This riverside routing occasionally led to flooding events—in 1853, 1854, and notably 1955—that temporarily disrupted service. Early infrastructure demanded frequent maintenance.
Construction subcontractors were engaged; in Wilton, Charles Cannon employed numerous Irish laborers who relied on hand tools without explosives. The railroad officially opened on February 25, 1852, providing two daily round trips—one mixed freight and passenger train and one passenger-only service—with an initial dividend payout of 5.25%.
The railroad dramatically cut travel time from Danbury to New York City to what previously took only to reach South Norwalk by stagecoach. Henry Banks, formerly a stagecoach driver, became the first passenger conductor and was noted for his lively announcements.
1853-1872
Due to profitability stemming from limited competition, an additional passenger round trip was introduced. However, in 1862 the Norwalk Horse Railway Company, spearheaded by Edwin Lockwood, began operating between South Norwalk and Norwalk city center, drawing passengers away.
In response, D&N modified its tracks in April 1862 to accommodate horse-drawn carriages between Norwalk (Wall Street) and South Norwalk but discontinued this service by 1863 because the horse railway offered more frequent runs at lower fares.
Edwin Lockwood assumed presidency of D&N in 1864; his family were significant shareholders. Attempts to establish a Danbury-Brookfield line were thwarted by competition from the New York, Housatonic & Northern Railroad (NYH&N), which launched operations in 1868 and briefly connected with D&N during its construction phase.
In 1869 construction started on a demanding four-mile branch extending from Branchville to Ridgefield, which opened on July 1, 1870. In early 1872 work began on a branch line from Bethel to Hawleyville intended to link with the Shepaug Valley Railroad, Housatonic Railroad, and eventually with the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad.
Plans envisioning D&N as part of a New York-Boston corridor ended following financier LeGrand Lockwood’s death in 1872.
1872-1886
By 1873, the railroad operated a fleet of six locomotives powered by coal, consisting of three newly built engines and three that had been converted from wood fuel. On June 18, 1873, Roswell Pettibone Flower assumed the presidency. Despite economic downturns, the railroad maintained its infrastructure diligently and focused on modernizing current routes rather than expanding its network. Iron rails were gradually replaced with 56-pound steel rails, while iron remained in use primarily for yards and sidings. By 1879, all passenger cars had been upgraded to feature air brakes.
In 1880, the company purchased property in Redding, Connecticut, to promote it as a summer vacation spot aimed at increasing passenger numbers. The timetable consisted of three passenger trains and one freight train traveling each direction on the main line, along with three trips servicing the Ridgefield Branch. The Shepaug Valley Railroad managed operations on the Hawleyville branch.
A commuter rail service was introduced between Bethel and Danbury to serve factory employees working near the Danbury yard. In 1881, James W. Hyatt took over as president from Flower. Initiatives began to construct a rail line connecting South Norwalk to Belden's Point, facilitating direct ferry links to New York City and other destinations along Long Island Sound. This new pier commenced operations on July 4, 1882, leading to a surge in traffic with trains running around the clock. Hyatt was soon succeeded by F. St. John Lockwood. The enhanced pier significantly increased the railroad’s value, culminating in its lease by the Housatonic Railroad as the Danbury & Norwalk Division on October 1, 1886—eight years after Housatonic’s original proposal.
1886 and later
Following management changes under the Housatonic Railroad, steel rails replaced iron tracks on the stretch between Hawleyville and Bethel. Train routes were altered to serve Wilsons Point instead of Bridgeport, which resulted in yearly increases in division traffic. After losing its direct New York City access, the New York and New England Railroad redirected its traffic through Wilsons Point as well. The Housatonic Railroad officially leased the D&N starting July 21, 1887.
Around 1891, the Long Island Rail Road partnered with the New York and New England Railroad to launch the Long Island and Eastern States Express, a service linking LIRR’s Oyster Bay Branch via ferry at Belden's Point to the D&N line continuing to Hawleyville for connections toward Boston.
On July 21, 1892, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (NYNH&H) acquired control of the Housatonic Railroad and subsequently leased then fully absorbed the Danbury & Norwalk line through stock transactions. NYNH&H later merged into Penn Central in 1969. Beginning January 1, 1971, Connecticut leased passenger and freight operations on the Danbury Branch to Penn Central.
Between 1976 and 1983, Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail), established by federal mandate, provided services under a state contract; Conrail ended passenger service in 1983 and discontinued freight operations by 1993.
Currently owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, freight transport is handled by Providence and Worcester Railroad since 1993 alongside a newly reestablished Housatonic Railroad. Since Metro-North Railroad’s inception in 1983, the D&N functions as Metro-North’s Danbury Branch within the New Haven Line system.
Main line
South to North
| Stop | Type | Opened* | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilsons Point (NH RR station) | Station | July 1882 | Transfer point at pier for ferries bound for Oyster Bay, NY. |
| South Norwalk | Station | 1848 | Connected with NY&NH until 1872; thereafter part of NYNH&H. |
| Norwalk/Wall street | Station | 1852 | Commonly referred to as "Wall Street." |
| Winnipauk | Station | 1852 | Situated approximately 0.7 miles south of present-day Merritt 7 station. |
| South Wilton | Station | 1852 | Known as "Kent" until 1886; occasionally called "Hopkins." |
| Wilton | Station | 1852 | Original depot relocated for office use at intersection of Rt. 7 and Rt. 33. |
| Cannon/Cannondale | Station | 1852 | Initial depot destroyed by fire in 1891; replacement structure remains active and listed on NRHP. |
| Georgetown | Station | 1852 | Served major freight client Gilbert and Bennett wire company. |
| Branchville/Ridgefield (prior to branch opening) | Station | 1852 | Junction point for Ridgefield branch line. |
| Sanford | Flag stop | 1852 | Later renamed Topstone. |
| Redding | Station | 1852 | |
| Bethel | Station | 1852 | Origin of Hawleyville branch established in 1872. |
| Danbury | Union station | 1852 | Served as interchange with New York and New England Railroad and Housatonic Railroad. |
* Opened after remainder of line in 1852.
Ridgefield Branch
Inaugurated on July 1, 1870, the Ridgefield branch extended from Branchville along the main line. It featured a primary terminal station located in Ridgefield, accompanied by two flag stops at Florida and Cooper. Train consists generally included two cars: a passenger coach and a combined car handling baggage, express shipments, and mail, with additional freight cars attached when necessary. Facilities at Ridgefield comprised a single-stall engine house alongside a turntable. Passenger transit ceased in 1925, although freight services persisted until the NYNH&H discontinued the branch in 1964. Subsequently, this route was transformed into the Ridgefield Rail Trail.
Hawleyville Branch
The Hawleyville branch contained one siding and an interchange point at Hawleyville connecting with the New York and New England Railroad, serving as a supplementary link to the Danbury interchange. This junction provided access to the Housatonic line running between Bridgeport and Massachusetts, as well as the Shepaug Railroad leading to Litchfield. The NYNH&H terminated operations on the Hawleyville Branch in 1911, making it one of the earliest lines to be closed by the company.