An Amtrak New Haven-Springfield shuttle crosses the Enfield Falls Canal and prepares to cross the much longer bridge over the adjacent Connecticut River. The circa-1829 canal was built to circumvent rapids on the river, and today's town of Windsor Locks gets its name from the locks used to raise/lower boats on the canal. The construction of this railroad in 1845 put an end to the financial viability of the canal.
With double tracking, CT Rail, a new regional service, and restoration of Springfield Union Station, the Connecticut Valley line has become once more an exciting place for train watching.