Connecticut has a lovely heritage railroad called the Valley Railroad, better known as the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat. The company is well known for its signature train and boat excursions and its acclaimed onboard dining experience, the Essex Clipper Dinner Train. It is one of Connecticut’s most popular tourist attractions.
Their most popular offering, though, is the North Pole Express, the company’s Christmas train experience. The North Pole Express is renowned for its live musical rendition of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus. Each child gets a small gift from Santa Claus to commemorate the occasion. The event is so popular that even A-listers such as Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively and their kids have gone to the North Pole by train with us.
As we know, the infamous COVID-19 pandemic greatly disrupted the world we live in. Restrictions were in effect across the country and the world, limiting our contact with others. The railroad was unable to run the North Pole Express that year, forcing the management team to get creative. What was their solution? Run the dinner train instead!
When I read about the Holiday Dinner train offering, I knew that I had to take advantage of it because it would disappear once it was safe to run the North Pole Express again. That afternoon I logged on to the Essex Steam Train’s website and secured two tickets for the event.
I had originally planned to go with a nice young lady I had a crush on. Unfortunately, she backed out the day before, claiming she didn’t feel safe around other people. That was fair, but it guaranteed that we would never ride the dinner train together. But I digress. My dear mother volunteered to join me for a holiday dinner on the rails after I told her that I had been stood up.
An Evening with Mom
On the afternoon of the dinner train ride, Mom and I both cleaned ourselves up and put on formal wear. The dress code for the dinner train is business casual, after all. I think we both looked pretty good. I was sure to wear a festive tie for the occasion.
We left my parents’ house at around 3 o’clock and arrived at Essex Station about 45 minutes later. When we arrived, I immediately noticed that a display train had been set up on one of the tracks. The display train consisted of a steam locomotive, a flatcar with illuminated reindeer on it, plus two coaches. It was a charming sight to behold.
Essex Station was decorated with lights, garlands, and wreaths, brightening up the evening as the sun went down. The dinner train itself was waiting on the main track, with diesel locomotive 0902 at the front. Behind the locomotive were three dining cars, the Meriden, the Wallingford, and the Goodspeed. The kitchen car Colonial Hearth was at the rear of the train. It made for quite a sight, a true throwback to the golden age of railroading.
We checked in with the host on the station platform and waited patiently for the train to start boarding. Shortly afterward, an announcement came over the PA system that the train was boarding. The Conductor punched our tickets, and then we climbed aboard and found a table. With a cry of “All aboard!” and a blast of the whistle, we were rolling into the night.
Dinner on the Rails
As the train left the station, the uniformed waitstaff began making their rounds to take drink orders. A lovely young lady named Sara took our drink orders. Mom ordered chardonnay while I ordered an IPA. Sara also verified our dinner orders, which were placed online. I had ordered the fish, while Mom ordered the turkey. Mom and I touched glasses when our drinks arrived.
The train passed alongside marshlands and marinas as it traveled up the line. Just about all the marina docks were empty for the winter and many shrink-wrapped boats were up on shore. In my mind, the boats resembled icebergs, albeit much smaller than real ones. There was very little wildlife out in the marshes. I’m sure that most of the birds had migrated south by then.
Dinner came to us in four courses. The first course was a small but delicious plate of fruit. I happily ate the first course down with a fork and knife, as did my mom. Dinner was off to an excellent start, we agreed. The staff were doing a great job, and the food was tasty so far.
The second course was a salad, filled with mixed greens, small tomatoes, and croutons. The dressing was already applied, which we didn’t mind, and we both thoroughly enjoyed our salads.
The main course followed the salads. My plate featured a marinated steak that was cooked perfectly, along with mashed potatoes and green beans. My mom’s plate was a traditional holiday meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. We dug in and savored our respective meals, enjoying every bite.
At the end of the meal, dessert was served. This evening, dessert was a helping of apple cobbler with a scoop of ice cream. It was the best apple cobbler I have ever tasted! The dessert chef did an exceptional job preparing it.
After a two-and-a-half-hour train ride complete with dinner and drinks, the train returned to the station, and we departed. We returned to the real world with full bellies and a feeling of satisfaction. I thanked the Conductor for a job well done as we disembarked.
The Trip in Review
Because this ride took place during COVID restrictions, all the staff were wearing matching masks that read “Essex Steam Train and Riverboat” on them. The guests were also masked, except when they were eating. To be fair, masks were mandated on trains then, but it did make the experience a bit unusual compared to when I rode the dinner train before the pandemic.
Many of the guests were wearing festive attire, and more than a few were wearing Christmas pajamas. I understand why, which is because, on the North Pole Express, children are invited to wear pajamas. Many of the adults also wear pajamas on that ride to get into the holiday spirit. While not my choice of attire for the dinner train, the pajamas reminded me to be a child at heart when riding trains.
All the staff, both at the station and aboard the train, were neat, courteous, and professional. Everyone involved, from the stationmaster to the train crew to the waitstaff to the chefs, did a phenomenal job at making this a worthwhile event. While I know they wish the North Pole Express was running, the holiday dinner train made up for it.
Overall, this was a unique holiday experience, one that I would ride again if it’s ever brought back. I know that is unlikely, as the cars that make up the dinner train need to be used on North Pole Express trains. Still, it was worthwhile. I recommend the Essex Clipper Dinner Train to anyone looking for a dining experience on the rails.
There you have it, folks. A review of the Essex Clipper Holiday Dinner Train. If you enjoy my content, be sure to subscribe to the blog, and let me know in the comments what else you would like to read about.
As always, thanks for reading!