Seventh Sister Railway
Gillette's Railway
One of William Gillette's passions was trains. He is even noted for saying, "some folks were born with a silver spoon in their mouth; me, a locomotive". Upon creating his castle estate, Gillette had tracks laid around the property as well as two trains that he could use to bring guests around the grounds. Trestle bridges, tunnels, and more unique features still dot the estate as part of the "Railroad" hiking trails.
One engine was a steam engine and the other was a special type of electric engine. Both resided at Lake Compounce, a theme park in Bristol, Connecticut, for some time after Gillette's death. Visitors to the park could ride the train as part of their visit.
On October 5, 2007 after extensive restoration work, the electric engine was returned to the castle. The Friends of Gillette Castle was responsible for organizing the restoration after numerous fundraisers were held to raise money for the work that needed to be done.
The train is now on display for the general public within the Visitor's Center.
Gillette and his train at "Grand Central Station" - Courtesy of the Connecticut State Library
Hike The Seventh Sister Railway
The breathtaking journey that Gillette brought
his friends along is still available to visitors, even though
travel upon the train itself is no longer possible.
The State of Connecticut has a digital map available of
these trails; use the button below:
