A timetable of the Central New England and Western RR Co., of June 30,1890, shows 8 trains on week days out of Hartford. It also shows a Day Express Train with Pullman buffet parlor cars Boston to Harrisburg, Pa., without change, via the Poughkeepsie Bridge Route. This train left Boston at 8:00 a.m., arriving in Harrisburg at 12:10 that night. It also shows a train leaving Boston at 5:45 p.m. for Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, with Pullman buffet and sleeping cars, arriving at Washington at 11:20 a.m. next day. These trains ran from Boston to Northampton via the Boston and Maine (former Central Massachusetts RR) and from there to Simsbury via the N Y, N H & H, then to Campbell Hall and the connecting road, via the C N E & W.

Later in the 90's this railroad was known as the Philadelphia, Reading and New England RR. In the summer of 1898 they put out a very interesting book, consisting of over 175 pages, showing many beautiful pictures of the wonderful scenery for which this road is noted.

There was also through passenger service between Winsted and New York via Millerton and the Harlem Railroad. The C N E must have had better luck than the N Y & N E when it came to arranging thru service over the Harlem from Brewster to New York.

The building of the Poughkeepsie Bridge was one of the most wonderful engineering feats of that period. It gave, up to the time the Hell Gate Bridge was completed, the only all rail line to western connections. At the present time, thousands of tons of freight are hauled daily over this bridge. It was double-tracked about 1917 or 18, and later, when the bridge was strengthened on account of heavier engines being used, the tracks were gauntleted.

The first train over Poughkeepsie Bridge was on December 29, 1888. It was hauled by engine No. 10. We wonder what people of that date would say if they could see the big trains that cross that bridge today.

At Millerton and Boston Corners, when trains of the N D & C and C N E railroads wanted to cross the Harlem RR. a large gate was swung across their track. All Harlem RR trains had to make a know nothing stop at these points. This arrangement was in effect for a number of years after regular service on the old N D & C and C N E railroad had been discontinued. One summer a robin built a nest and hatched her young on the gate at Boston Corners and was not alarmed when the gate was used.

The portions of these old railroads still in operation are as follows:
Maybrook to Hopewell, Beacon and Hopewell, Hartford and Griffins,

Canaan and Lakeville. All of the remainder of these famous railroads have been abandoned, but, the memory of the 100% railroad men who worked on them will never be forgotten.