Railroad Museum of New England/Naugatuck Railroad Company

• The Railroad Museum of New England/Naugatuck Railroad Company adventure is a 20-mile round-trip scenic train ride through history, passing old factories, through a state forest, along the Naugatuck River and across the face of a dam.
• This amazing ride through history begins at the historic 1881 Thomaston Station.
•  Riding the vintage train coaches allows someone to see a side of the Naugatuck Valley that just can't be seen from a car. The ride along the Naugatuck River hugs the river's edge, passing through state forest lands. This is juxtaposed with the industrial heritage of Waterbury's brass mills, where thousands of men and women toiled daily in the "Brass City." The journey is completed with a view from the spectacular Thomaston Dam, the only railroad in North America that crosses the face of a dam. It is suggested that people make time to tour the displays at the depot and explore the charming village of Thomaston.
• Special events include the Chocolate Decadence Tour, Easter Bunny Express, Pumpkin Patch Train Rides and all the December Santa trains including Santa Express and Northern Lights Limited.
• Tour time is 1.5 hours. Frequently asked questions can be accessed here. 

The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, Essex

•  The Essex Steam Train and Riverboat ride is a 12 mile, 2.5 hour adventure, journey through a valley the Nature Conservancy called "one of the last great places on earth." The experience begins with a train ride through the picturesque countryside. Then, passengers board a riverboat for a cruise along the Connecticut River, passing local landmarks including Gillette Castle, Goodspeed Opera House, and the Haddam Swing Bridge along the way.
• The Essex Steam Train offers unique access to several coves and preserves, immersing passengers in an onboard eco-excursion. A camera is a must for this journey. At Deep River Landing, the steam train ride ends and the riverboat excursion commences aboard the multi-deck, Becky Thatcher riverboat for a relaxing 1-1/4-hour cruise along the Connecticut River before returning to Essex Station via steam locomotive.
• Schedules and fares can be accessed here. 

Summary Of Our Early Findings Relevant To The Goals

• Our initial hour of research was spent confirming information availability and then providing two train experiences in Connecticut. We can confirm that there is plenty of information, but we were unable to find anything surrounding bakeries selling train-shaped cookies, but we also understand that this was just a suggestion. To be clear, there are bakeries that have a train themed name, but they do not appear to bake things in the shape of a train. However, we will continue to look for quirky and unusual things, and not just the mainstream train ideas, especially surrounding restaurants and bakeries.
• Please select one or more of the options provided in the proposed scoping section below.