“History of the New Haven Railroad from Steam to Electric” exhibit open from July through August
The Avon Historical Society announces the new exhibit in the History Corner of the Avon Free Public Library is entitled, “History of the New Haven Railroad.” Located on the first floor of the library at 281 Country Club Road in Avon, CT, it is curated by retired RR employee and historian Rick Abramson. It is available for viewing through August.
Rick Abramson began a 44-year railroad career beginning in February 1968 on the New York, New Haven & Hartford RR in Devon, CT and retired in September 2012 as Superintendent of Operations and Supervisor of Locomotive Engineers for The Housatonic Railroad in Canaan, CT. In those 44 years, along with the New Haven and Housatonic, he worked in various capacities for Penn Central, Amtrak, Connecticut Central, NY Cross Harbor RR, and the New York & Atlantic RR. His big goal was to become a locomotive engineer which he eventually achieved. Along with working for the real railroad, he is also an avid modeler of the New Haven RR on the HO scale.
Earlier this year Abramson gave four presentations at the Avon Library on various modes of 19th and 20th century transportation to a very enthusiastic audience. This exhibit is a follow-up to those presentations. On display in the History Corner are several of Abramson’s model trains with full descriptions, posters, artifacts, and more. As a more than 50-year modeler of all modes of transportation, trains are the most personal having had a career on the railroad.
Photos attached are of a 1943 poster showcasing New Haven’s new electric locomotives, a brochure featuring New Haven’s new steam locomotive in 1937, and an equipment trust plate from a New Haven electric locomotive in 1955. These are just samples of the types of items on display through August during regular library hours.
Photos courtesy of Rick Abramson.
