Shore Line Trolley Museum

The Shore Line Trolley Museum in East Haven, Connecticut, holds the extraordinary distinction of being the oldest continuously operated suburban electric railway in the United States, having operated without interruption since March 9, 1947 — the very day the Connecticut Company ended its final streetcar service and the museum’s predecessor association took over the line. The museum’s 1.5-mile section of historic track through the coastal landscape of East Haven forms part of the original Branford Electric Railway, and the entire property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Branford Electric Railway Historic District. The collection of nearly 100 vintage transit vehicles is the third-largest collection of electric railway equipment in North America, with a particular focus on Connecticut and New York City transit history. Meticulously restored open-bench summer cars, New Haven closed vestibule cars, rapid transit elevated cars, and interurban coaches carry passengers on unlimited rides throughout the day. Visitors can explore the historic car barns, walk through the restoration shop, and examine dozens of vehicles representing the full spectrum of American electric transit from the 1870s through the 1940s. Special events include Easter Bunny rides, Halloween Pumpkin Patch excursions, Santa trains, and the beloved Museum in Motion operating days when the full collection takes to the rails.