Shore Line Trolley Museum
The Shore Line Trolley Museum is located in East Haven and is dedicated to preserving and operating historic trolley cars. The museum operates a part of the old “F” trolley route of the Connecticut Company that provided service from downtown New Haven through East Haven into Branford. The line was extended from Pine Orchard to Stony Creek from 1907 until 1937. Passenger service began on July 31, 1900, and ended on March 8, 1947. The museum took over the operation of the line immediately, making it the oldest continuously operating suburban trolley line in the United States. The museum’s line and collection have been recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.
The museum’s collection features over 100 trolley cars, some of which date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Visitors can see a range of trolley car types, including open and closed cars, interurban cars, and rapid transit cars. Many trolleys have been meticulously restored to their original condition and are fully operational. The museum also contains memorabilia from the trolley’s heyday, including nearly 100 vintage transit vehicles, almost 30,000 photographic images, over 4,000 books and documents, and about 1,000 small artifacts such as tokens, hat badges, and ticket punches.
One of the museum’s highlights is its trolley line, which takes visitors on a ride through scenic countryside along the Branford Electric Railway’s one-mile stretch of track.
Hours vary seasonally.
17 River St, East Haven, CT 06512, USA
203-467-6927
