A large part of the fun I have with CTMQ is seeking out the unknown. Ahhh, Connecticut I love you when you fulfill the expected national stereotype. Most switch towers have been torn down in the name of progress and really, the term progress is apt here so these remaining reminders provide a glimpse into the not-too-distant past. (Yvonne stuck with the non-museum Patrick Baker & Sons religious store instead.). Fairfield Academy and Old Barn Exhibit, 122. Golden Age of Trucking Museum, Defunct 14. The. 77 Washington Street, South Norwalk, Norwalk, CT, United States, 06854. They don't take credit. New Haven Galleries (1 of 4), 181. 3 floors to explore. Directions to Greenwich, CT, and Stanton House Inn. When done at the top we got to see the mechanism on the second floor and there is a small gift shop on the bottom floor. The Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies, 202. Hours: May-October, Saturday and Sunday 12pm-5pm And while up in the tower, theres a decent chance an Acela or Amtrak train will rumble by below. The guides spend lots of time answering questions and explained everything. And the Sono Switch Tower Museum is one of the last remaining relics of American rail's glory days. Contact: (203) 246-6958 http://www.westctnrhs.org info@sonotower.org These are the prices: Admission is FREE! Railroads used towers to house the mechanism of switching trains from one track to another back in the day. 6 and up Arboreta, Gardens & Greenhouses, Labyrinths, Trees & Plants, IX. All rights reserved. Connecticut Norwalk Sono Switch Tower Museum Opening hours Manage this page The daily opening times of Sono Switch Tower Museum in Norwalk Source The following overview lists the visiting hours for Sono Switch Tower Museum in Norwalk. Street, South Norwalk, CT. Norwalk (Google Maps location) Get new content delivered directly to your inbox. Historic Carousels and Curious Public Art, 44. Destroying the myth that there is nothing to do here, Magazine/Book Editors, Please enjoy the entire site, aside from a bite of the worlds most expensive chocolate, II. They also housed the mechanism for You Dont Know What a Switch Tower Is? Dont believe me? Well, aside from a bite of the worlds most expensive chocolate across the street or perhaps a wooden shoe fitting next door? Welcome to your new site! Check Your Inbox, Weve Sent You Instructions On How To Reset Your Password. The SoNo Switch Tower Museum is one such museum. It was very interesting as well as intimidating. Engineers would pick up and drop off notes at the switch houses using this long pole sort of like a modern day Grabber that the elderly use as they whizzed on by. Stanton House Inn This unique museum offers a look into the history of the railroad industry, from its humble beginnings to its heyday. Nevertheless, if you're in the area and have an interest in trains, drop by - it is interesting, and the volunteers are very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Operated by the Western Connecticut The docents were passionate and informed about the history of railroading in the US. The interlocking is not only a landmark in the history of safe railroading, it is a landmark in the history of the computers that all of us now use everyday. I speak from experience living with one! Keep exploring the many things to do in Norwalk, CT! It looked very interesting and the admission was free. Its one of those semi-success stories of downtown revitalization through an infusion of cash, credit and yuppie-ism. The origination of the switching technology is a fascinating story and one that led to important advancements throughout industry. While we were up there we watched a few trains go by. Impossible? It was no exaggeration. What hotels are near the SoNo Switch Tower Museum? If youre looking for even more explorations into history while in SoNo, a few historic locations nearby include: This 1868 house is a great place to check out. SoNo Switch Tower Museum 4.5 43 reviews #8 of 29 things to do in Norwalk Speciality Museums Visit website Call Write a review What people are saying " Closed until May " Mar 2022 We wanted to visit since the website says it is open on Sundays, but the gate is locked and there is a sign indicating the facility doesn't open until May 2022. of the railroad switch tower. CT Audubon Society Center at Pomfret, 112. Bottom line there is more than enough to do within easy walking distance for one and all. I suppose youre still wondering what this museum is even celebrating, huh? The SONO Switch Tower Museum tells the great history They also housed the mechanism for changing trains from one track to another. Try your hand at throwing the levers, just as the tower operators did for 88 years. Youll like it if: You can climb three steep flights of stairs Staff was very friendly and helpful. How this fail-safe arrangement works is brilliant in its conception. Take cash to buy something or make a donation. SoNo Switch Tower is a preserved switch tower in Norwalk, Connecticut, in the United States. No charge, donations keep the place running. These towers were staffed by operators who would manually operate the switching of the tracks by throwing giant levers in the tower. It has slightly over 5.000 inhabitants, and is part of the Verbandsgemeinde Zweibrcken-Land. You will not spend much time in the museum but when in South Norwalk (SONO) it is worth a visit. The following two paragraphs (railway interlocking are the same as the museums switches) are from the foreward to , The Classic Railway Signal Tower, written by Bill Withuhn from the Smithsonian: You have done more than any man living to save human life. So said King Edward VII, when he was the Prince of Wales, to one of the key inventors in the story of the railway interlocking, John Saxby. 7. The SoNo Switch Tower Museum is one such museum. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. We were having a Norwalk Day a few years ago. UConn Greenhouses and EEB Collections, 91. Problem While Recovering Password, Please Try Again Later, First Name Should Not Be More Than 50 Characters, Last Name Should Not Be More Than 50 Characters, Problem Reseting Your Password, Please Try Again Later, Keyword Is Restricted, Please Try Another Keyword. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. Choo-choo. This unique museum offers a look into the history of the railroad industry, from its humble beginnings to its heyday. Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate, 184. Accidents at such places were becoming alarmingly frequent. It shows how far steam power and transportation technology have come since the 19th century. For much of its history, towers lined the train tracks at major intersections. about a 10 minute walk. Everything from throwing switches to how they communicated with trains, and more. The museum has a webcam that allows visitors to watch trains pass by the tower on the Northeast Corridor; its popular among online railfans. SONO Switch Tower Museum is located in the fully restored 1896-built Highland Package Store Beer Can Museum, Defunct 1: The Museum of American Political Life, Defunct 4: National Shaving and Barbershop Museum, Defunct 5: The Frank Chiarenza Museum of Glass, Defunct 8: Somers Mtn Museum of Natural History and Primitive Technology, Defunct 9: The Winchester Center Kerosene Lamp Museum, Defunct 11: Menczer Museum of Medicine & Dentistry, Defunct 13. And its free - donations only. Click Here for Details Click Here to Donate to the SONO Switch Tower Museum! When youre nearing the end of a day-long CTMQ day of museuming, what could be better than a decidedly quirky little museum to put that pep back in your step? Operated by the Western Connecticut Youre going to publish a post today. Greenwich, CT 06830 That work was fundamental: guarding the safety of speeding trains on complex routings, where the danger of collisions was ever-present. Norwalk (Google Maps location) Vernon Railroad Depot Outdoor Museum, 204. Museum is a short walk fromthe Maritime Aquarium. But it is the rare museum that is entirely unique in and of itself. No sleeping on this job. The SoNo Switch Tower Museum offers a unique look into the history of the railroad industry, but its just the start of a CT day trip to Norwalk. After climbing up the small staircase we entered into the both where the switch tower controller did his very important job. Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism Gallery, 177. The Norwalk Museum (CTMQ visit here), the Maritime Center (CTMQ Visit here) And great restaurants as well. Rhineland-Palatinate (/ r a n l n d p l t n t,-l n d-/ RYNE-land p-LAT-in-it, -lnd-, US also /- n e t /-in-ayt; German: Rheinland-Pfalz [anlant pfalts] (); Luxembourgish: Rheinland-Pfalz [nlm pflts]; Palatine German: Rhoilond-Palz) is a western state of Germany. Visiting the SONO Switch Tower Museum will be a fun, enjoyable, and interesting experience. They gladly take donations to help preserve and maintain the property. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, 90. $$ - $$$ American Vegetarian Friendly Vegan Options, $$ - $$$ American International Vegetarian Friendly, $$$$ American Steakhouse Gluten Free Options, $$ - $$$ Latin Mediterranean Spanish, Points of Interest & Landmarks Lighthouses. And its really pretty cool. Charles Ives Birthplace Museum. The Norwalk Museum (CTMQ visit here), the Maritime Center (CTMQ Visit here) And great restaurants as well. SONO Switch Tower Museum occupies an ancient, 19th-century switch tower. In fact, there is another exhibit at the museum entitled, Metro-North at 25, celebrating the commuter rail line that brings all the billionaire hedge-fund managers in Fairfield County to their Manhattan offices these days. Accidents at such places were becoming alarmingly frequent. The kids even got to throw a few switches and then got little pieces of paper saying they were qualified to operate the switches. Historic 1890s New Haven Railroad switch tower, features the only Armstrong switch lever machine in Connecticut. The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museumwas once owned by LeGrand Lockwood and Charles Drelincourt Mathews. SONO Switch Tower Museum occupies an ancient, 19th-century switch tower. Vehicle registration. The tower remains open as a museum operated by the Western Connecticut Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. It was originally constructed in 1896 by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (The New Haven) to control switches at the junction between the New Haven Line and the Danbury Branch. Website Accessibility Policy | Privacy Policy, https://stantonhouseinn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/logo.jpg, The museum offers a unique look at the railroad industry, Things to do nearby to the SoNo Switch Tower Museum, This 1868 house is a great place to check out. Whether you prefer boutique style or larger, more traditional lodging options, Norwalk has a few options nearby. You can edit this page by clicking on the Edit link. And it has been restored and filled with beautiful artifacts that were popular at the time, making for a truly immersive experience! Peter Greenwood Glass Blowing Studio, 153. EVERY museum in the state has SOMETHING new and unique. It also covers the history of how essential railway operations were managed and developed. Sorry! The tower also featured a model board that showed the exact location of each train. Free to visit but gave a donation! It is three stories high, but only about 20 feet wide. CT Agricultural Experiment Station at Lockwood Farm, 182. You go to the 3rd floor where all the switch levers are that controlled all the train switchesamazingour guide was passionate and actually operated the switches in the summers in his youth. Artifacts line the walls and a few tables here too; old books, old lights, an old Hancock air whistle but the coolest thing was (what I call) an old note-catcher. more. I cant think of anything more Yuppie than this, right across the street from the Switch Tower Museum: Seriously. Theyd give instructions to the switch towers as to where they were heading so they knew which switches to throw. Towers were used by railroads to control areas of track, preventing trains from crashing. Sono Switch Tower Museum is a museum in Norwalk in United States. I took my two young kids up and the guide at the top of the tower did a great job explaining what it used to do. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. 6 and up Salisbury Association at the Academy, 201. All rights reserved. Historic 1890s New Haven Railroad switch tower, museum features the only "Armstrong" switch lever machine in Connecticut. A large part of the fun I have with CTMQ is seeking out the unknown. Local favorites lining Washington Street include: Theres sure to be something that piques your interest along Washington Street many with patio seating on nice days. Youll be able to understand what life was like for its past owners and discover the local lifestyle from the turn of the century. PS. Here are some tours and tickets near Sono Switch Tower Museum, including discount cards & passes, skip the line tickets and tickets to events & activities in Norwalk. Since the advent of better computers and technology, the interlocking switch system has gone away. We had just parked in Sono and we wanted to do something memorable with the boys related to what they were into at the time. Cost: Free (Donations encouraged) It was only fitting I took the train to So Norwalk train station to visit SoNo Switch Tower Museum. 88 years on the job without a vacation! Some model switch towers. Finnish-American Heritage Society Museum, 269. Phone: (203) 869-2110 White Memorial Conservation Center Nature Museum, 152. And Ill bet youll get even more curious when I tell you that out of the 14 or so spots we (Rob, Yvonne and I) hit this day, Rob declared the SoNo Switch Tower Museum his favorite. The docents were passionate and informed about the history of railroading in the US. Sherwood Island State Park Nature Center, 176. The tower features the state's sole 'Armstrong' motor. All prices are displayed per age group or reduced rate group. Dont worry if you havent given it a name yet, or youre feeling overwhelmed. Wallace Barnes and Barbara Hackman Franklin Art Gallery, 98. And today, this museum offers more than just historical artifacts. I suppose youre still wondering what this museum is even celebrating, huh? They also housed the mechanism for changing trains from one track to another. changing trains from one track to another. Freebies: A list of movies with trains in them, SoNo Switch Tower Museum Towers were used by railroads to control areas of track, Switch Towers Wiki The volunteers love their jobs and share their extensive knowledge of the early and current rail lines. The line of towers from Grand Central Terminal included: The 68-lever Armstrong machine was a feature of the 1880s-built tower. Wethersfield Museum at Keeney Memorial, 18. the mechanism of switching trains from one track to another. And the Sono Switch Tower Museum is one of the last remaining relics of American rails glory days. Middletown Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, 97. at the SONO Switch Tower Museum. A tower operator would operate this mechanism by throwing levers that were connected to Menczer Museum of Medicine & Dentistry, 13. Rockfall Foundation & Col. C.S. While not as well known as other cutesy nicknames like WeHo, SoHo or TriBeCa (West Hollywood, South of Houston St. in Manhattan and the Triangle Below Canal Street Sheesh, you people need to get out more), SoNo certainly has its charms. Food & Drink? Old State House & Museum of Curiosities, 39 & 42. You can also directly book your discounted online ticket for the Sono Switch Tower Museum here, if available. Artifacts line the walls and a few tables here too; old books, old lights, an old Hancock air whistle but the coolest thing was (what I call) an old note-catcher. You get to move the switches, watch the lights and ring the alarms. Railroads used towers to house the mechanism of switching trains from one track to another back in the day. Sherman Museum of Jewish Civilization, 157. You wont like it if: You cant. SoNo, for all you non-Nutmeggers, refers to the revitalized section of Norwalk towards the southern end (i.e., "SOuth NOrwalk"). Read our. (Yvonne stuck with the non-museum Patrick Baker & Sons religious store instead.). Find out everything you need to know and book your tours and activities before visiting SoNo Switch Tower Museum. Take a step back in time at the SoNo Switch Tower Museum and learn about the Golden Age of Railroads. In fact, part of the allure of the museum is that visitors can pull the very same Armstrong levers that moved switches and signals on the Main Line for 88 years and its not easy. Tremaine Gallery at the Hotchkiss School, 195. We wanted to visit since the website says it is open on Sundays, but the gate is locked and there is a sign indicating the facility doesn't open until May 2022. The interlocking is not only a landmark in the history of safe railroading, it is a landmark in the history of the computers that all of us now use everyday. A Porsche-like showroom for MacLaren baby strollers. Ballard Institute & Museum of Puppetry, 37. You get to move the switches, watch the lights and ring the alarms. East Granby Historical Society Museum, 248. What Type Of Location Are You Collecting? SoNo Switch Tower Museum 4.5 43 reviews #8 of 28 things to do in Norwalk Speciality Museums Visit website Call Write a review What people are saying " Closed until May " Mar. Going down a flight of stairs to the 2nd floor, we were able to see the massive gears that the levers turned, which in turn moved track up to a mile away (note I have no idea how accurate that statement is. It's a good hour for the whole tour. Website. The SONO Switch Tower Museum tells the great history of the railroad switch tower. We visited the SoNo switch tower Museum. Brookfield Nature Center and Rock Museum, 130. 77 Washington Street, South Norwalk, Norwalk, CT, United States, 06854 . It was also referred to as the Rhenish Palatinate (Rheinpfalz). Each guide is sticky a volunteer. You had to be very strong to move the levers that controlled the destination of the trains. UConn Public Art Collection (8 of 30), 128. Youll also get to see some of the amazing machinery that made this mode of transportation possible. #4 in Norwalk #39 in Connecticut That work was fundamental: guarding the safety of speeding trains on complex routings, where the danger of collisions was ever-present. The SoNo Switch Tower Museum should be a part of you day in Norwalk. Just happened to walk by and a sweet lady said its free if you would like to come inand so happy we did! 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It then became part of the newly formed federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Did you know that the busiest railroad tracks in the United States connect Boston and Washington, D.C.? Destroying the myth that there is nothing to do here, Magazine/Book Editors, Please enjoy the entire site, aside from a bite of the worlds most expensive chocolate, 12. As far as top-rated bed and breakfasts near the museum, youll have to look a bit farther. (We did visit later.). Roosa Master Diesel Fuel-Injection Pump, IXX. Yale University Collection of Musical Instruments, 85. SoNo Switch Tower Museum Historic 1890s New Haven Railroad switch tower, museum features the only "Armstrong" switch lever machine in Connecticut. towers were staffed by operators who would actually operate the switch Some model switch towers. New Pond Farm Indoor Learning Center, 230. All Rights Reserved. (Donations are appreciated). It was so named because it required strong arms to operate the manual switches using hundreds of yards of connected piping. Its within walking distance of the SoNo Switch Tower Museum. By the 1860s and 70s, trains were running both in the United Kingdom and in the U.S. on growing networks of track, with increasing numbers of rail junctions and crossings of one rail line by another. Going down a flight of stairs to the 2nd floor, we were able to see the massive gears that the levers turned, which in turn moved track up to a mile away (note I have no idea how accurate that statement is. Wherever you decide to stay, youll be sure to find excellent accommodation for your trip! The following two paragraphs (railway interlocking are the same as the museums switches) are from the foreward to , The Classic Railway Signal Tower, written by Bill Withuhn from the Smithsonian: You have done more than any man living to save human life. So said King Edward VII, when he was the Prince of Wales, to one of the key inventors in the story of the railway interlocking, John Saxby. So, No? The museum was closing for the day and wasnt able to spend much time in the museum. As far as top-rated bed and breakfasts near the museum, youll have to look a bit farther. These Heckenaschbacherhof, Contwig: See traveler reviews, 5 candid photos, and great deals for Heckenaschbacherhof at Tripadvisor. Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy, 116. Great for kids of all ages. Food & Drink? Look a bit farther away for great options if youre wanting a mix of historic heritage along with modern amenities and convenience. The sentinel of the railroad, the speeding trains watchman, and the railroaders guardian angel when danger lurks the interlocking signal tower has been called all of those things, and with justification. And seeing this stuff in action is even cooler. 2022 We wanted to visit since the website says it is open on Sundays, but the gate is locked and there is a sign indicating the facility doesn't open until May 2022. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right. Pease Museum of Natural History, 154. Contwig is a municipality in Sdwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany. This page will soon be updated with the history of The building itself is quite unique. Okay, okay Here goes: This switch tower was a vital part of our industrial and railroading history. Its a fun little place and one that used to be rather crappy and run down. EVERY museum in the state has SOMETHING new and unique. More Links Here It has been preserved as a museum. Soon, this page will be updated to include information about visiting South Norwalk, CT and the Museum. Norwalk is a very cute town too. This little museum is an enthusiasts mecca. Nice gift shop too. While there commuter trains past by. Okay, okay Here goes: This switch tower was a vital part of our industrial and railroading history. The SoNo Switch Tower Museum is one such museum. And its the only Armstrong switch lever machine left in Connecticut. Mystic Seaport; Museum of America and the Sea, 28. June 13, 2009, [If you're interested in railroading stuff in Connecticut, check out my Railfan Depot page here.].
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