Harmony Railway at Harmony Products

By Jenn Lombari

Take a ride into the pines on the one and only Harmony Railway. Located in scenic Chepachet, RI, the Harmony Railway is a ‘labor of love’ created by Chepachet native, Russ Gross. Located on the same beautiful land since the 19th century, the Gross Family Farm has produced many specialized products over the years - small dairy, woodlot, vegetable farm, and orchard, but one thing that has always stayed the same is the natural beauty of the land. Scheduled to open last year around Memorial Day, COVID-19 hit and Gross experienced many delays including labor and materials. With great anticipation, he was able to open the doors in November 2020. Despite the pandemic, Harmony Railway opened to a very enthusiastic public. Because it was an outdoor activity, people were able to social distance and the train has been rolling ever since.

The train runs on diesel and holds a maximum capacity of 18 people, one per seat. However, children and smaller adults can easily sit two per seat. The builder made it so that each seat can hold a maximum of 350 lbs, making it easy to accommodate adults and children. The train was built in Texas by a private railroad company. The train engine and cars were shipped up from Texas on a 48 foot tractor trailer. The track was engineered and laid entirely by Russ, himself, a train enthusiast since he was a young boy. To be able to pull this off has been a dream come true. He estimates that for each 100 feet of track laid, he walked back and forth the equivalent of ten miles. So his labor of laying the half mile track was equal to about 260 miles on his feet; approximately the distance from Chepachet to Augusta, ME. The present track configuration was planned to make use of the naturally existing beauty of the property, while disturbing as little as possible. Harmony Railway will be able to make changes to the present route in the future, as the entire property consists of many more acres to be enjoyed. In the future, the plan is to extend the route and incorporate a water feature that is on the property. A steam engine is also something Russ hopes to acquire.

In keeping with tradition, when you want to ride on a train, you need to purchase a ticket!

The gift shop/retail store, Harmony Products, doubles as a ticket counter and souvenir shop. Inside, you will find many train themed items to complement the other items in the shop. Harmony Railway Teddy Bears are available for purchase and they make great gifts. These cuddly and adorable bears come dressed in a train conductor outfit and are super soft. They also come as raccoons, dogs, and other animals. There are 12 local artisans who share their items on consignment. Here, you will find a collection of everything from handmade jewelry, designer tapestry bags, artsy t-shirts, handcrafted wood items, and a variety of original artwork.

Additionally, there are several retail vendors, notably, USDA certified maple syrup from New Hampshire, organic gourmet cranberry items from Cape Cod, and a local favorite, Nettie’s Kettle Corn! Owner and Engineer, Russ, wears many hats and is the apiary expert, tending to multiple beehives on the property. These beehives are home to about 350,000 bees and provide them with fresh honey that is also sold in the gift shop. The bees supply the shop with hundreds of pounds of honey for customers to enjoy. Honey is extracted and bottled several times per year. It is a passion that is very time consuming and a lot of work, but delicious and especially rewarding.

There is no shortage of handmade soaps and lotions, either. You could shop for yourself, coworkers, family, friends, and then for yourself, again! How thoughtful and unique to curate an entire gift basket for someone made up entirely of locally constructed items. Toys and teddy bears, candy of all kinds, food, clothing, wellness products… gift certificates are also available. And why not grab a train ticket for that gift basket while you are there?

The Gross family encourages you to take a few moments from your hectic days and visit them with the entire family. “Exhale, enjoy, and embrace a little old fashioned magic.”