ESSEX, Conn. — The saying goes: It takes a village. And that is so true at the Essex Steam Train.
Kevin Dodd controls a locomotive that is 100 years old and weighs nearly 82 tons -- that’s all part of a day's work.
Dodd, an engineer and the president of the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, has a job that stands out, running three different locomotives for thousands of visitors who ride the rails every year. The Essex Steam Train remains a top tourist destination throughout the state.
"There is a huge uniqueness to what we do here,” Dodd said. "It’s not just me, you have a whole orchestra of people here that make the music.”
Dodd noted that it takes a village to keep their trains on track, from mechanics to conductors to engineers. Joseph Cassineri, who will be a UConn Senior in the Fall is also a conductor at the Essex Steam Train.
"At base, this is just a hunk of metal but to the people that run it, it is just so much more than that – it’s something you don’t see every day anywhere else," Cassineri said.
Dodd, who began working at the Essex Steam Train in when he was 21 years old in 1985 added that, while Christmas is a marquis time to visit, his team stays busy throughout the year.
“We have more than 2,200 train departures a year,” said Dodd. “It’s the best job in the world.”
The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat is always looking for volunteers, to learn more click here.
Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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