While up visiting the Flower Bridge, I had to stop and snap a few photos of the former Simsbury Railroad station. The old locomotive and caboose were out back.
Rich's PedalPoint
Biking
Monday, August 18, 2025
Friday, August 15, 2025
Airline Trail (Chaplin to Pomfret)
Today I decided to head north on the Airline Trail starting from where I had turned around back in 2023 and ride up to Pomfret. I didn't get started until late afternoon but it was nice and sunny and not brutally hot (for a change!).
At The Start
I started in the middle of nowhere near Chaplin. The reason? This spot was close to where I rode to and turned around on a previous airline trail ride back in 2023. Details >
Ths was the site of the Hampton Train Station![]() |
^ Source: Tyler City Station |
Nice scenery!
At Pomfret
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Informative!! |
Where I turned around
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Stonework |
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Thursday, July 24, 2025
Rhode Island Rail Trail
Today I decided to take a break from mountain biking and road biked instead. I drove up to the rail trail that crosses Rhode Island and started at Summit and rode all the way to Anthony. It was sunny and hot but there was a breeze.
Summit
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The paved trail ends here at Summit |
Coventry
Anthony Mill
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I turned around here |
Sunday, July 20, 2025
Westerly Rhode Island - Train Station
While vacationing nearby, a visit to the train station was of course for me a "must do"!
Station History - Details
In 1912–13, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad constructed the present station as part of a curve straightening project. The station building was in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, as were several other New Haven Railroad stations built around the same time. Resembling the “great house” of a Mexican hacienda with its arcades and roofs of Spanish tile, the looks out of place in the cool climate of Rhode Island, but is representative of a period in American architecture when designers felt free to draw on a myriad of inspirations from across history and cultures. Interest in the country’s colonial Spanish ties was strong due to the admission of Arizona and New Mexico as states that same year.Amtrak closed the Westerly ticket office on October 1, 2016, ceasing all ticketing and passenger assistance services. The building was reopened on August 17, 2018; the waiting area serves as an art gallery and is open on certain days of the week, and for special events.
Under state law, when state funds are used to construct or rehabilitate a building, 1% of the total funds must be devoted to the creation and installation of public art. Therefore, the station site received a new sculpture at the corner of Canal Street and Railroad Avenue. Designed by local artist Kam Ghaffari, it incorporates three smooth granite boulders that recall the town’s former quarries and carving workshops.
Further Info
Amtrak - Great American StationsSunday, June 29, 2025
North Bloomfield Greenway and the Farmington Canal Trail
Today I was jonesin' for a railroad-related trek so I headed up to Tariffville with my road bike to ride a couple of rail trails.
North Bloomfield Greenway
This short 3 mile trail starts where the still active railroad ends in North Bloomfield and ends up right in Tariffville. The weather was sunny and a bit hot but it was a pleasant ride. Much of the trail follows the old Connecticut Western Railroad.
The Ride
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Start |
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Slight descent |
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Former Carpet Mill |
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Return |
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Railroad Remnant |
Railraoad History
Lunch
Farmington Canal Trail
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Like most rail trails' it was pretty flat! |
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Start |
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Ensign-Bickford Company Sign An interesting place - See Links Below - |
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Yep - thee was a Nike missile site here! |
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Nice shady section |
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End of the line |
Related Info
The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail was built on former New Haven and Northampton Company (NH&N) railbed, which was constructed along the route of the Farmington Canal in Connecticut. It was later absorbed by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.I rode a section of the southern part back in 2021. Post >