History

The Air Line State Park Trail is named for the Air Line Railroad which once connected Boston and New York City by way of New Haven in the late 1800s. After the closure of the line, the land was deeded to the state of Connecticut and eventually repurposed with assistance from town employees and volunteers in communities the Air Line passed through. Today, the Air Line Trail follows the rail bed of the abandoned railroad, allowing visitors to experience the same wonderful views of Eastern Connecticut that made the railway famous.

The Air Line Trail follows the railbed of the former Air Line Railroad which was built to connect Boston and New York City in the shortest distance possible — as if by a "line" drawn through the "air" via the city of New Haven. The section that passes through Lebanon was known as the New Haven, Middletown and Willimantic. It cost $6,000,000 and opened in 1872. The railroad climbed from Middletown to East Hampton, and then went over the Lyman Viaduct, a spectacular 1,100 foot long iron trestle over a deep and wide gorge. The railroad then continued on through North Westchester and Turnerville (Amston) in the southern part of Hebron. The line passed along the boundary of Lebanon and Columbia before dropping steadily down the Ten Mile River valley to Willimantic. The final portion of this section was completed in 1873.

Air Line Trail
Train over Lyman Viaduct (photo via DEEP)

The Air Line is remembered for its fast express trains which entered service in 1884 with the New England Limited. This was succeeded in 1891 by the White Train, popularly known as the Ghost Train, made up of gleaming white coaches trimmed with gold. The parlor cars' interiors were finished in mahogany and furnished with velvet rugs, silk curtains, and upholstered plush chairs. The Ghost Train was as much a spectacle as a mode of transportation. The train's schedule was so well advertised that people came from miles around to wait at stations or crossing to see it go by. The fast express was replaced in 1895 by the Air Line Limited. Over time, use of the Air Line declined as passengers and shippers opted for the Shore Line Route. Eventually, the line was shut down completely.

The decline of the Air Line route came about when passengers and shippers began to prefer the Shore Line Route. 

The Air Line railway between Amston and Willimantic played an important role in Lebanon life throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It not only increased the volume and speed of sending farm products and other freight to market, but also encouraged personal travel. The railroad provided transportation to the cities as well as better mail service for Lebanon residents. Since there were no local high schools at that time, children boarded the train to attend high school in Willimantic. During the summer months, the railroad brought a huge influx of city people to the country for vacations. Many local farm families boarded these summer visitors for the extra income. The railway made possible the start of the resort business which once flourished on Williams Pond.

The Air Line rail corridor was deeded to the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in 1975. In 1996, the DEP proposed the rehabilitation of the railbed as a multipurpose trail and linear state park. It is expected that eventually the Air Line trail will fully connect the towns of Willimantic, Lebanon, Hebron, Colchester and East Hampton and link to the East Coast Greenway, a multi-purpose trail which proposes to connect east coast cities from the Canadian border to Key West, Florida.