Brian in the office. Valley Railroad Engineer Brian Messinger keeps a sharp eye on the track ahead as he takes Valley Railroad Mikado #40 and Santa Special #4 north through the Deep River s... (more)

On a bitter cold afternoon, crew is tending to Vale #97 before the next Holiday train ride.

The Old Soldier. Valley Railroad Consolidation #97 emerges from the Essex Locomotive Servicing Facility on a late fall afternoon in 2018, as her crew prepares her to make 3 North Pole Expre... (more)

The Essex Yard Shuffle. Valley Railroad Mikado #3025 hauls an 8-car train of heavyweights out of the Essex Yard in the late afternoon sun in what looks like the first North Pole Express of ... (more)

North to Chester. Valley Railroad Mikado #40 takes the second, sold-out, Santa Special of the day north across Chester Creek, heading for North Chester, just about a mile and a half further... (more)

NPE-1, the first of 9 trips. It's just past 3PM and the first of 9 North Pole Express Trips out of Essex is heading north to North Chester behind Valley Railroad Mikado #3025, seen here pas... (more)

Run Number 6....and it's only 1PM. Engineer Brian Messinger holds the final note of his crossing whistle until his locomotive's drivers are squarely in the crossing at Old Deep River Road, ... (more)

North Pole Express: Making a Living with Steam. The Valley Railroad's New Haven Mikado #3025 glows just a bit in the waning sunlight, as she takes the first of the evening's sold-out, North... (more)

The day after Christmas doesn't mean the end of North Pole Express trains at the Valley Railroad in Essex, Connecticut. Trains continue typically until the 28th of the month, running four trains ... (more)

The Connecticut Valley Railroad, also known as the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat runs a number of Christmas trains each season. On weekends during the season, the railroad is running trains for mo... (more)

The Connecticut Valley Railroad, also known as the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat runs a number of Christmas trains each season. On weekends during the season, the railroad is running trains for mo... (more)

The Connecticut Valley Railroad, also known as the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat runs a number of Christmas trains each season. On weekends during the season, the railroad is running trains for mo... (more)

The Connecticut Valley Railroad, also known as the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat runs a number of Christmas trains each season. On weekends during the season, the railroad is running trains for mo... (more)

The Connecticut Valley Railroad, also known as the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat runs a number of Christmas trains each season. On weekends during the season, the railroad is running trains for mo... (more)

The Connecticut Valley Railroad, also known as the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat runs a number of Christmas trains each season. On weekends during the season, the railroad is running trains for mo... (more)