Exploring the CT Trolley Museum and Firetruck Museum in East Windsor, Connecticut
What is now the Connecticut Trolley Museum first began in 1940 after the Hartford/Springfield rail line that was built in the early 1900s shut down. The rail line was created to bring people to work in the mills in the Rockville area and students back and forth to school. The line lost its popularity as buses became the primary mode of transportation in the area and was torn up in 1926. In 1940 three men purchased the property and remaining train cars to preserve the history of the area, and as their collection grew, they decided to open a museum. By 1948, the museum staff and technicians started operating cars for the public. Today, the museum is mainly run by enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers.
The Trolley Museum has dozens of passenger cars, freight cars, service cars, and locomotives from around the country, dating back to the 1860s, in its collection. Many of the cars are on display and visitors can even explore some of them firsthand. There’s also a large collection of equipment and plenty of activities to keep kids entertained. The highlight of any visit is surely the 20 minute ride aboard one of the trolleys in the museum’s collection.
The Connecticut Fire and Motorcoach Museum, opened in the 1970s, has the largest collection of antique fire fighting apparatus in New England. The collection includes 16 fire apparatus (dating all the way back to 1926!), 8 motorcoaches and lots of firefighting related equipment, photos, and memorabilia. Many of the apparatus are still in rotation for parades and special events! The museum is located in the building behind the Trolley Museum and admission is included with a ticket to the Trolley Museum.
Travel Tips:
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Eight Ways to Explore the Trolley and Firetruck Museums:
- Make sure kids grab a scavenger hunt and “I Spy” worksheet from the Visitor Center to complete while touring. There are also postcards with the history and stats of many of the train cars on display.
- Take a 20 minute, three mile trolley ride from Warehouse Point to Wells Road in Rockville aboard one of the restored (and heated!) trolleys. Count the station stops and street crossings while on a trolley ride. Guests can take as many rides as they like during their visit.
- Complete a daily craft like making your own conductor hat inside the Main Gallery.
- Read the gallery displays which include exhibits such as “how to move a streetcar and how to plug a streetcar”. There’s a large map featuring the routes of the Hartford and Springfield Street Railway.
- Climb aboard some of the trolley cars and electric traction vehicles in the Main Gallery.
- Check out the model rail layouts in the Main Gallery. Compare your knowledge and memory of modern day examples with 19th and 20th century artifacts like lanterns, mechanical equipment, wheel barrels, and even a ticket booth.
- Play pretend on the 25 foot wooden train display located outside the Visitor Center.
Bonus: Leave time to head out back and check out the Connecticut Fire Truck Museum. There are exhibits featuring several operational fire trucks (used each year for parades and special events) dating back to the early 20th century, fire alarms, and uniforms and equipment. Each fire truck on display has a placard explaining the mechanical details and service history.
Looking for other adventures in northern Connecticut? Check out our features of the Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine, New England Air Museum, and our City Guide to Hartford.
Disclosure: Our family was given a media pass to explore the museums; all opinions expressed are my own.
