The Canaan Depot dedication will be held Saturday 7/28/2018 at 11 am

[Steve Casey]

Here is an update from John Lannon <info@canaanrailroaddays.com> on some things going on at the Depot.

The Canaan Depot dedication will be held Saturday 7/28/2018 at 11 am as part of the annual Railroad Days celebration. Peter McLachlan and Lee Beaujon will be speaking about working at the depot. Lee was brought up in Canaan and his dad took him around the area to see the trains in action. He is the last ex depot man left  and has spent his long life celebrating the Central New England Railroad and Canaan.  Peter worked for the New Haven Railroad as an engineer. He had the chance to work with many older ex CNE men who would tell him about the railroad. He also worked the Housatonic Line running passenger and freight trains and ran the last passenger train to Pittsfield and the last train on the Lakeville branch. Peter has many slides he took while working and will show these as well.  He also ran the last steam powered train out of Canaan during the 1968 Railroad days.
       In addition we have Geoff Knees who worked in the early 1980's clearing the railroad of trees and rebuilding track that had washed out over the 10 years of it being abandoned by Penn Central who took over the New Haven on January 1, 1969. He has a CD of his experiences on the Railroad and will share them with us.
      Last we have a chance to celebrate the depot which was built in 1872 as a Union station connecting the then Connecticut Western Railroad and the Housatonic Railroad. It worked as a depot for a century with a restaurant that served some of the best apple pie going and connected people far and wide.

[John Springer]

Steve,
You forgot to mention that I am the only engineer that Peter let smoke cigars in his car. Of course I wore my Thomson jumper while I drove Peter’s car. This came about when I would outlaw at Danbury on SENH and Peter recrewed me I took his car to New Haven so he just had to get in and drive home. So now you have some more history.
SJ

[Steve Casey]

Thanks, John!  Should we bring some cigars to the event and say that they are a gift from you?  Maybe we should get some chocolate cigars for us non-smokers!

[John Springer]

As you know Steve I love chocolate!
SJ

[Steve Casey]

Change of location of the event:
We are still giving the talk on Canaan, the CNE and other railroad topics this  Saturday, July 28 at Lindells Hardware which is on rt 44 about 1/4 mi west of the depot. Should be starting at 11am. Hope you can make it, Peter Maclaughlan will be speaking about the last runs at Canaan for Pittsfield and the Lakeville Branch, Geoff Knees will talk about getting the row ready to run after being shutdown by Penn Central for 10 years and Dick Paddock will talk on the iron industry in the area.

It looks like the depot official opening is further delayed until fall.

Look forward to seeing you. 
Joe Mato