CT Railroad Museum Celebrates Restoration Of Plow After Vandalism

THOMASTON, CT — The Naugatuck Railroad is celebrating the restoration of a historic snow plow damaged by vandals last year, and will formally unveil the equipment on Connecticut Open House Day.

The Russell Snow Plow will be on display at Thomaston Station on Saturday, June 8, according to a statement. The restoration required nearly a year of fundraising as well as several weeks of work by volunteers at the Railroad Museum of New England.

The restored plow has been freshly repainted in its original colors and once again bears its original number, Maine Central Railroad 70.

“We’re excited to showcase the hard work our volunteers did to bring Maine Central 70 back to life,” Orion Newall-Vuillemot, manager of Passenger Operations at the Naugatuck Railroad, said in a statement. “We’re extremely grateful for the donations we received to support this effort, as well as the ongoing support of our excursion passengers, whose ticket purchases allow us to preserve and restore historic railroad equipment.”

The plow was vandalized twice in recent years. Museum officials have said the repairs would cost $15,000 plus $2,000 for upgrades to security.

The plow was built in 1936 by the Russell Snow Plow Company of Ridgeway, Pennsylvania, for the Maine Central Railroad. It was sold to the Green Mountain Railroad Corporation in 1981, and purchased by the museum in 1996. The plow was one of the first pieces of equipment to join the museum’s collection in Thomaston, according to the statement.

Featuring air-operated “wings” that can be extended or retracted to push snow off the tracks, Maine Central 70 lacks its own power and is pushed by a locomotive.

The plow remains in active service, and the Naugatuck Railroad continues to use it to clear its main line after heavy snowfall.

The plow was damaged during the early morning hours of May 5, 2023, when vandals sprayed graffiti on it and used a rock to break a window in the operator’s cupola.

This incident made restoration of the plow a more urgent priority. In addition to individual donations toward the restoration, the museum hosted a special “Night on the Naug” rail photography event that raised about $3,500 for the cause. Plans are underway to offer the event again this summer.

In addition to the plow unveiling, the Naugatuck Railroad will be running excursions throughout the day on Saturday to celebrate Connecticut Open House Day. Trains depart from both Thomaston Station and Fascia’s Chocolate Factory in Waterbury, and coach tickets for a round-trip ride are $10.

Passengers will have the option for a layover at either location. In addition to displays of historic rolling stock, Thomaston Station will have a bounce house and inflatable obstacle course. Fascia’s Chocolate Factory is offering free mini-tours, food trucks, and vendors, and a “Make-A-Bar” activity.

For more information on Connecticut Open House Day trains, click here