Connecticut Trolley Museum

Local Street Railway History

The trolley ride that visitors enjoy during their visit to the trolley museum follows the path of the Hartford & Springfield Street Railway's Rockville Branch. The following is a brief history of the railway and the trolley park that was located not far from the museum.

Hartford & Springfield Street Railway

The Hartford & Springfield Street Railway was a high-speed interurban electric railway system running between the namesake cities that started operation in 1901 with the merger of a few smaller street railway companies. The system was made up of some forty miles of track, connecting the local street railway systems of Hartford and Springfield with branches extending from Thompsonville to Somers and Warehouse Point to Rockville (built in 1902 and 1906 respectively).

The main line on the east side of the Connecticut River was completed in 1902 and began with the connection of the Hartford Street Railway Company at East Windsor Hill and ran north along the east side of the river through Warehouse Point, Enfield, Thompsonville to the Massachusetts State line where it connected to the Springfield Street Railway.

The main line on the west side was initially planned in 1897, however it wasn't until 1904 when it was completed. The route began at the connection with the Hartford Street Railway system in the town of Windsor, extending along the west bank of the river through Haydens, Windsor Locks, and Suffield to the connection with the Springfield Street Railway.

The Hartford & Springfield was a very important piece of the electric railway system in New England. It was not only the link between the upper and lower Connecticut Valley, but it was also the only link between the entire street railway network of southern and northern New England. This connection allowed travelers to travel between New York and Boston by trolley.

Trolley service was discontinued in 1926 as the company went into foreclosure due to mounting debt. All assets were transferred over to the Hartford & Springfield Coach Company.