Mile 33: Moosup, Connecticut
A combination of the 1890s Kent and Moosup quadrangles showing the station locations between Coventry and Moosup

Moosup is one of my favorite places along the Hartford, Providence, and Fishkill/NY&NE. There's quite the diversity of current state of the line- in some places it is open rail trail, in others it is obliterated, in others it is overgrown. There's two impressive bridges, one of which is open to the public, and the community is interested in their history.

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Looking towards Sterling across the Barber Hill Rd crossing in Moosup
 Looking towards Sterling across the Barber Hill Rd crossing in Plainfield. In the summer and fall of 2023, the State of Connecticut has been doing major work in the Sterling area to upgrade the trail. West of here, in the eastern part of Moosup, the trail has been paved for some time (12/2023.)
Another view of the Barber Hill Rd crossing, still looking east. This is the beginning of the older pavement on the Moosup section
 Another view of the Barber Hill Rd crossing, still looking east. This is the beginning of the older pavement on the Moosup section of the Moosup Valley State Park Trail(12/2023.)
A view on the eastern part of the paved section with the river
 This section of the trail offers great views of the Moosup River. This is looking east (12/2023.)
Looking west towards Moosup
 Looking west towards Moosup, with a nice river view (12/2023.)
A small rock cut close to the village of Moosup
 A small rock cut close to the village of Moosup (12/2023.)
Looking west as the line enters downtown Moosup from the east
 Looking west as the line enters downtown Moosup from the east in a winter view (12/2023.)
Looking west towards Moosup along the paved section of the Moosup Valley Trail
 Asimilar view, slightly closer to the downtown, in summertime mode (9/2023.)
A view from the trail of the historic mill operated by the Rogers Corp
 A view from the trail of the historic mill operated by the Rogers Corp (12/2023.)
Approaching the eastern bridge over the Moosup River from the east
 There are two Moosup River bridges. This photo is approaching the eastern bridge over the Moosup River from the east. This bridge is open to the public as part of the Moosup Valley State Park Trail. This photo is from September, 2023
A view of the underside of the eastern Moosup River Bridge
 A view of the side of the eastern Moosup River Bridge (9/2023)
The underside of the Eastern Moosup River Bridge
 The underside of the eastern Moosup River Bridge (12/2023.)
Crossing the Eastern Moosup River Bridge from the East
 Crossing the Eastern Moosup River Bridge from the East. The white structure visible through the bridge straight ahead is the modern Cumberland Farms gas station, which we will use to oritent ourselves later (9/2023)
The eastern builders plaque on the eastern Moosup River bridge retains the "of New York" but is missing most of the "American Bridge Company" name
 The eastern builders plaque on the eastern Moosup River bridge retains the "of New York" but is missing most of the "American Bridge Company" name (9/2023)
On the Eastern Moosup River Bridge
 On the Eastern Moosup River Bridge (9/2023)
On the Eastern Moosup River Bridge
 On the Eastern Moosup River Bridge (9/2023)
A closeup of the western side of the eastern Moosup River Bridge. This is looking east.
 A closeup of the western side of the eastern bridge, looking east towards Sterling (9/2023)
The builders plaque on the western side of the eastern bridge retains the "American Bridge Company" but is missing the "of New York."
 The builders plaque on the western side of the eastern bridge retains the "American Bridge Company" but is missing the "of New York." (9/2023)
At the beginning of the Moosup River Valley State Park Trail, looking east at the eastern bridge across the Moosup River
 At the beginning of the Moosup River Valley State Park Trail, looking east at the eastern bridge across the Moosup River (9/2023)
Pivoted 180° from the previous photo, looking towards Moosup
 Pivoted 180° from the previous photo, looking towards Moosup. From this point forward until the western bridge, the right of way is very difficult to trace. Two of the landmarks we will use to orient ourselves with vintage photos are visible, the steeple of Moosup United Methodist Church, and the modern Cumberland Farms Gas Station (9/2023)
A 1911 (or earlier) view of Moosup United Methodist Church, tracks are in front
 This postcard for the Moosup Methodist Episcopal Church (now Moosup United Methodist Church) bears a 1911 postmark. The tracks are clearly visible directly in front of the church. It was postmarked in Moosup and addressed to a person in Natick, RI, and was thus probably brought the 23 miles east to Natick on these same tracks.
A vintage postcard of Moosup Methodist Church
 This is a later postcard of the Moosup Methodist Church (now Moosup United Methodist Church.) It was published by Wm. Bellavance, Inc of Moosup, Conn. It is undated and unpostmarked, but a plaque in the foyer of the church says that the clocks, not visible in the first image, were placed there in the 1920s in celebration of the church's 50th anniversary. In this image a building, now gone, is between the church and the tracks. The crossing lights appear relatively modern.
Moosup United Methodist Church, as it appears in 2023
 Moosup United Methodist Church in July, 2023. Note that there is no visible remanent of the tracks, the building to the left of the church is gone, and a large parking lot with a couple of stores, a Dunkin Donuts, and a storefront church is present. The enterance to the Moosup Valley State Park Trail is barely visible behand the Dunkin' Drive through sign
Looking East Along the ROW through the Cumberland Farms Gas Station
 This image, shot in October, 2023, is looking east along the ROW from the Cumberland Farms parking lot. Moosup United Methodist Church is visible behind pump 5
Looking towards depot site, 2023
 This is image is turned 90° from the previous one. The previous one faced east along the railroad, this faces north. The most important object in this scene is the tenemant building in the middle of the image. It will be in the next vintage image as well, and can help us find the site of the depot (10/2023)
The survival of that one tenemant building shows us where the depot was
 The survival of that one tenemant building shows us where the depot was. It can clearly be seen behind the windmill in this otherwise unrecognizable photo. Undated, published by the Rhode Island News Company, Providence, RI and the Leipzig Berlin Dresden Litho-chrome company of Germany.
The eastern side of the western Moosup River bridge, looking west.
 The next visible sign of the railway is the western bridge over the Moosup River. This marks the beginning of a 3 mile stretch, all the way to Plainfield, where the right of way is extant but abandoned and closed to the public. This trestle simply ends at the eastern abutment- there is no grade here to connect it to. This is on the east bank of the river looking westward(10/2023)
Looking east from the west bank of the Moosup River
 This is the western Moosup River Bridge in November, 2023. I am on the west bank of the river looking eastward.


***This is private property and I was granted access by the owners. Please do not enter private land without permission***
The western Moosup River Bridge, Looking East from the West bank
 This is the western Moosup River Bridge in November, 2023. I am on the west bank of the river looking eastward.


***This is private property and I was granted access by the owners. Please do not enter private land without permission***
Under the western Moosup River Bridge, looking west
 This is the western Moosup River Bridge in November, 2023. I am on the west bank of the river looking westward.


***This is private property and I was granted access by the owners. Please do not enter private land without permission***
Looking out at the top of the western Moosup River Bridge from the western side.
 This is the western Moosup River Bridge in November, 2023. I am on the west bank of the river looking eastward at the top of the bridge.


***This is private property and I was granted access by the owners. Please do not enter private land without permission***
The State of Connecticut Bridge number for the western Moosup River Bridge, 09908R
 The State of Connecticut Bridge number for the western Moosup River Bridge, 09908R. It is still on the state inventory of rail bridges, and can be seen, for example, here: Railroad Bridge Management Program on page 84.

***This is private property and I was granted access by the owners. Please do not enter private land without permission***
A view of the western bridge under construction
 An historic view of the western Moosup River bridge during its construction, courtesy of James Mortimer. He points out the the Moosup United Methodist Church is visible just at the end of the trestle in this photo.
Crossing Plainfield Rd, looking west
 After crossing Plainfield Road at a wide enough diagonal that the roadbed runs nearly parallel to the road for a ways afterward, we are greeted with our first example of the state owned roadbed that is totally abandoned and off limits to the public. The right of way runs parallel to Plainfield Rd up to about the location of Backus Plainfield healthcare center, when the road starts to curve north and the railroad continued straight. I don't know why this section isn't added to the Moosup Valley Rail Trail State Park- it would be a valuable car free route between Moosup and Plainfield. The western bridge and right of way in Moosup village could continue to be bypassed by local roads. (12/2023.)
Looking east along the HP&F/NY&NE roadbed where it crosses under the Connecticut Turnpike
 Looking east along the HP&F/NY&NE roadbed where it crosses under the Connecticut Turnpike. This view, from September, 2023, was whilst a utility project was ongoing and materials are stacked on the otherwise abandoned right of way.
Looking west along the HP&F/NY&NE roadbed where it crosses under the Connecticut Turnpike
 Looking east along the HP&F/NY&NE roadbed where it crosses under the Connecticut Turnpike. The disused underpass is clearly visible. The Connecticut Turnpike (I-395 today) opened in 1958 whilst the tracks into Moosup weren't abandoned until 1969 (according to locals) and thus the tunnel did see use for about a decade. The abandoned roadbed continues towards Route 12, where I continue to discuss it on my Plainfield page (9/2023.)

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