Remnants of Niantic River Rail Bridge in Museum

It’s not news that the Niantic River rail bridge is complete, as trains switched to the new bridge in September, but those of us who lived through all that racket for the past three years and with no known ribbon cutting in the near future, may be missing a sense of closure. 

Worry not. Parts of the bridge have been donated by Amtrak to the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum for preservation. Also, the towns of East Lyme and Waterford got pieces of the bridge and with any luck those soon will be on display. 

Amtrak’s website says the remnants that were donated include “the control house, lengths of chain, a sprocket and the original builder plate. The towns of East Lyme and Waterford also acquired lengths of chain and other parts of the original bridge for preservation. Before its replacement, “Old Nan” operated safely for 105 years and was used daily by Amtrak Acela, regional, commuter and freight trains.” 

East Lyme’s First Selectman Paul Formica told reporters at Railway Age, ‘The Town of East Lyme is proud to have been a partner with Amtrak during the past three years and is thrilled with the replacement of the old bridge. The new railroad bridge along with the renovation of the Niantic Bay Boardwalk and Cini Park are world class and will significantly improve and enhance regional travel by both rail and water. This area will be enjoyed by the region for generations to come. Great job Amtrak!’ 

For those of you feeling nostalgic, here’s an old photo of the bridge catalogued by the Library of Congress.

And here's the full history of the bridge and the project.