THOMASTON, Conn. — Former 20th Century Limited observation car Hickory Creek and New York Central tavern-lounge car No. 43 will return to Connecticut’s Naugatuck Railroad for a series of upcoming holiday excursions including this year’s Northern Lights Limited and Santa Express trips.
Tickets for those trips are now on sale; information is available at the Railroad Museum of New England website.
This is the second year the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey has loaned the two cars to the Naugatuck Railroad for its excursions.
“Our most important goal is to educate the public about rail travel, and we do that by immersing folks in the history aboard our train cars,” URHS executive director Kevin Phalon said in a press release. “Last year our partners at Naugatuck Railroad allowed us to give that experience to thousands more people in a whole new region. We can’t wait to do it all again this year.”
Hickory Creek, built by Pullman in 1948, and No. 43, built by Budd in 1947, will come to the Naugatuck after the completion of the URHS season of 48 scheduled Hudson River Rail Excursions, as well as a Valentine’s special and the upcoming trip to Chicago in September to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Hickory Creek’s first trip on the 20th Century Limited [see
“United Railroad Historical Society announces …,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 11., 2023].
