HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS
SIMSBURY TODAY
Steam train and riverboat are portals to past By Shayaan Khan Special to Today Magazine
A soon-to-be 6th-grader, Shayaan Khan lives in Simsbury with his parents HAVE YOU EVER been on a train? Even if you have, I bet you might not have been on a 100-year-old steam train. Or have you ever been on a steamboat? I got to visit a place where I could ride both. It inspired me to learn more about these historic pieces of technology. I got to know how the steam engine works and originated, why the Essex steam train was built, who William Gillette was, and a lot more. My favorite part of the visit to Essex Steam Train & Riverboat was to see what it was actually like to be on something so old and related to so much history. I felt like I was in the past when the train was in its prime time. “This steam train is 100 years old to the day,” said the conductor.
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The Steam Train The Essex train is a rather interesting contraption. It worked smoothly for something so old. Quite different from your average car — noisy, yes. I could barely talk with my family. I liked the conductor. He was funny. At one point, he said, “The train tracks are not round and we need to go the other way — I want everybody to get out and push the train!” The travelers erupted with laughter. Luckily, we did not have to push an old locomotive. Another funny incident was when the conductor said, “We have a flat tire!” I shouted, “Trains cannot have flat tires!” Again, as if on cue, the train erupted with laughter. The Riverboat Next, we headed to the dock where the riverboat would pick us up. I was quite excited to board the riverboat, and we sat on the lowest of the three levels. I got to learn about the Connecticut River’s largest island, Selden Neck. After a while, my family and I went to the topmost level because it had a beautiful view. Soon I could see Gillette Castle, named after William Gillette, who was an actor, playwright and stage manager. Did you know that William played a part as Sherlock Holmes and starred in two silent films? The water looked very deep and I loved the cruise. History The steam engine is one of the biggest breakthroughs in modern science, with endless possibilities. Steam engines are rather simple machines. Water is boiled, which produces steam, which pushes pistons making the engine run. The steam engine took hold during the Industrial Revolution. Traveling across long distances became easy with either the steamboat or steam train. They seem slow today, but back then they were the fastest means of transportation. The Essex steam train’s history began on July 17, 1868, when a successful businessman named James C. Walkely was given permission to make a railroad from Hartford to Old Saybrook. On Aug. 24, 1871, the train was open to the public. Financial trouble hit the railroad in 1876. On July 1, 1880, the Hartford & Connecticut Valley Railroad took control of the line. After World War I, the quality of automobiles improved, so less people used the railroad. In 1961 New Haven fell into bankruptcy. The Valley Railroad’s last trip was in March 1968. Soon the railroad was given to the state of Connecticut. On July 29, 1971, after much work from volunteers, the first trip of the new River Valley train steamed from Essex to Deep River, and has been steaming ever since. The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat cruise taught me a ton — what an amazing portal to the past! + Shayaan Khan contributed a cogent article to our June 2020 edition: “COVID-19 in the eyes of a 9-year-old” • www.TodayPublishing.net/digital-editions