EAST WINDSOR, Conn. — Vandalism of the most vindictive kind is victimizing folks at the Connecticut Trolley Museum, as a group of young men are terrorizing the tracks, risking the safety of guests and volunteers.
As an open air, living history experience, the Connecticut Trolley Museum has dealt with occasional trespassers for years. But they say it’s never been this frequent, or this dangerous.
“Don’t people have better things to do?” asked Don Nordell, a volunteer at the Connecticut Trolley Museum whose family founded the museum back in 1940.
“They are trying to hurt people,” added the museum’s executive director, Gina Maria Alimberti.
For generations, Connecticut’s iconic trolley museum in East Windsor has enthused, entertained and educated the public about a by-gone era of transportation. They’ve been riding the rails with precision and passion. The all-volunteer nonprofit is a museum literally on the move.
“We have enough trouble keeping up with all the regular maintenance we have to do without having to worry about picking up after somebody who is causing trouble,” remarked Nordell.
That trouble was recently caught on camera. Four young men are seen on surveillance video trying to obstruct the tracks with a solid iron cart. According to the museum, the same group of young men have returned every weekend to break equipment and steal tools.
“It’s very disappointing that someone would even think about doing something like that, that could endanger people and destroy trolleys,” remarked guest Gary Tomlin, who traveled to explore the museum from Pennsylvania.
The incidents have occurred under the cover of darkness and even in broad daylight. On Aug. 7 at 10 a.m., volunteers performing their routine visual inspection saw nothing out of the ordinary until the first trolley departed with guests aboard.
Don Nordell was the train motorman at the time.
“Forty-five minutes later, we took the public out and when we got out to station seven, somebody had dragged a tie across the rails," he said.
A tie, or a giant wooden plank meant to stabilize the tracks from underneath, was lying on top.
“It would have derailed the car if we hadn’t recognized it,” said Nordell.
The Connecticut Trolley Museum has filed a police report. Drones and K9 police dogs were used to identify points of entry that the teens may be using to gain access. The museum’s executive director gave the troubled teens two choices - get arrested… or get involved.
“They should come back and volunteer their time and help us and really learn what the museum is about and our mission,” said Alimberti. “Maybe if they know more about it, they’ll feel it because they are helping out and will understand that this impacts us.”
Since the trolleys are over 120 years old, if something breaks or is vandalized, finding the part to fix it isn’t easy or cheap. You can support the museum and their mission by donating.
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Matt Caron is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at mcaron@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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