Over the past few weeks I’ve posted quite a few of the stations on the Waterbury Branch, so I figured I would hop back over to the Danbury Branch. As I’m sure you’ve noticed these station tours don’t go in any particular order, it just based upon which stations I’ve happened to photograph. I’ve started both the Waterbury and Danbury branches, and I still have quite a few stations left to do, especially on the main line. And of course, that is when I hope I’ll get a chance to ride one of the new M-8’s.
Today we’ll take a short visit to the Danbury station, the terminus of Metro-North’s service on the Danbury Branch. Although the tracks continue further north, Metro-North does not operate beyond here, though making stations in Northern Danbury, Brookfield and New Milford has been proposed. Danbury station is located 65 miles from Grand Central, and has a platform that will accommodate three train cars.
Slightly more interesting than the more modern Metro-North station is the original Danbury Union Station, which is now occupied by the Danbury Railway Museum. The station, built in 1903, is known for being in the movie Strangers on a Train. Metro-North stopped using the station in 1993, and in 1994 restoration began. The restoration on the station was completed in October of 1995.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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That is THE place to park whenever they do fireworks in downtown Danbury. They launch them from the yard. Free front row seats!
A far cry from 30 years ago when there were BIG holes in the roof of the old station and only a corner room was opened for ticket sales. It was heated in winter, at least. I’m surprised that ridership didn’t go to near zero after the nearby Harlem line was electrified to Southeast and its schedule became reliable.
Glad to see the old station carrying on.
The link to the Danbury Branch Study no longer works which I guess shows how far along the project to extend the line has gone. It gets brought up by politicians every few years. The most recent study and talk of the local tracks is using existing track that runs east west between Danbury and Brewster and launching a single ride and/or connecting ride to NYC using the Harlem line. Going to NYC from Danbury a far larger number of people travel to Brewster and Southeast stations than use Danbury proper.
If that was ever built they should add more parking and a station to the commuter lots along exits 1 and 2 in Danbury along the border. There is already a shuttle bus at peak hours to Brewster station and there have been hundreds of housing units built already in that area. The western side of Danbury is continuing to be developed and will for years to come.