No. 40 re-entered traffic last year and appears in fine condition although it was cold in the yard on this occasion

Closer view of No. 40, formerly of the Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad

Tender end view of No. 40

The Valley Railroad logo closely resembles the ornate design used on New Haven diesels and electrics as well as latterly on the tenders of the Hudson 4-6-4 of the 1400 series

Right-hand side view of No. 40 in shade

No 97, A product of Alco's Cooke works in Paterson, NJ, latterly owned by the Birmigham and Southeastern shortline railroad in Alabama, runs up the yard passing No. 40

No. 97 rumbles past running round its train

The next few pictures were taken of the 2 p.m. departure from Essex

A lower angle of view emphasizes the chunkiness of the 2-8-0

Crossing the multiple level crossings just north of Essex station, with rather a lot of street furniture

Clearer view as the Alco 2-8-0 passes

'Going away' shot

The open car and the Pullman regularly form the northmost two cars of the train

On the right is former Knox & Kane Railroad No. 58, a 2-8-2 built by Tangshan Locomotive & Rolling Stock Works in July 1989 (construction number SY1658M) and purchased by the Valley Railroad on October 10, 2008 at the liquidation auction following a fire at its home shed

The Chinese mikado has been stripped down for rapid restoration and is intended to be restored to as near a New Haven J-1 2-8-2 as possible, with the never-before used number of 3025

Valley has its Thomas (under wraps when not in use) but it also has its little red caboose, run on special weekends

The heavyweight passenger cars come mostly from the Lackawanna and Central New Jersey systems

Study in contrasting ironwork

1920s commuter cars recreate the period of the railway very well

Valley Railroad is definitely a preservation as well as a tourist railway. They can have little use for luggage cars but preserve them anyway

The heavyweight Pullman car at Deep River

Box-car at Deep River station

The caboose tails off the train as it leaves Essex

Maine Central boxcar at Essex