By Steam
Bring your guests back in time. Have your dinner reception aboard our
1920’s Pullman dining cars while enjoying the Connecticut River coastline.
Train Cars
Great Republic
The Great Republic is a unique parlor car with 34 individual swivel seats. It was built by the Pullman Company and used on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad’s “Yankee Clipper” train between New York City and Boston. It was acquired by the Valley Railroad in 1991 and placed into revenue service in 1994.
Wallingford
The Wallingford was built in 1927 by the Pullman Company and used in service on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad’s “Merchant’s Limited”. It was used as a first class Parlor Car on the Steam Train until 1994, when it was reconfigured as a dining car for the Essex Clipper train.
Meriden
The Meriden was built by the Pullman Company in 1924 and was originally named Plymouth. It ran on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad’s “Merchant’s Limited”. The car was purchased and restored by the Valley Railroad as a 54-seat parlor/dining car for the Essex Clipper train.
Goodspeed
Originally named the Dacosta, this 28-seat parlor car was built by the Pullman Company in 1927. The Valley Railroad purchased the car from a tourist railroad in Ohio in 1988. However, it was left in storage for decades, finally undergoing a total restoration in August 2013. Once restorations were complete, the car was put into service on the Essex Clipper train. It was renamed Goodspeed in 2016.
