sono switch tower museum

This small but informative museum shows just how our railways worked and work today! Next to historic SoNo you can grab lunch and then visit.

2 great guys show you around the museum and explain the history of the place. No entrance fee but they appreciate any donations for the upkeep of the museum. Well worth a visit.

Seeing and experiencing are two different things, but here you do both. We were shocked ONE person performed all three major tasks and could switch fourteen switches MANUALLY in just five minutes; I could barely do one in that time! Eat your Wheaties and wear your track shoes before trying to manage a switch change and then imagine a quarter mile of pipe attached to the other end creating extra weight. Just mind boggling the technology didn't use hydrolics and be sure to ask for the guide who used to actually be the Switch Master; he's fascinating! Do browse the books, especially the kid section, and consider making a donation to this FREE great museum; it's well worth supporting.

The SoNo Switch Tower Museum restoration has saved this important part of our country's industrial heritage, and is a fascinating look-back to the Country's transportation and communications before jetliners and computers. The Tower is easy to miss, tucked into a tiny plot adjacent to the Metro North tracks in downtown Norwalk. Walking up the two long flights of steel stairs leaves you curious about what is inside, but once there, it does not disappoint! During the years when railroads provided transportation everywhere in the US, there were thousands of towers similar to this one, each manned 24/7 by trained and skilled operators. Almost all are now gone, but this one has been restored to excellent condition. The museum volunteers and docents are knowledgeable and informed about the tower's history, and the people who once worked in these important junction control points.The heart of the museum is the huge interlocking machine which controlled the switches and signals in the Norwalk area. It has been restored to working condition so that the operation of the levers replicates exactly how the machine worked, and what safeguards it provided to the railroad. Other artifacts include the old morse-code transmitter, devices to deliver written orders to passing trains, and the original 100 year old electrical control panel for the overhead wires. All of it has been restored to original condition.The museum is NOT suitable to very small children, and if you are looking for a place to bring energetic little kids, take them to the Norwalk Aquarium, two blocks away, instead. But for youngsters about six years and older who are old enough to understand, and be curious about, how things work, this is a great place for them to absorb how machines are designed and operated, and why these towers were important to the nation's development. The staff is patient and informed and happily answers all questions about the tower and how it worked.Added benefit for train buffs is the Amtrak and Metro North trains which pass right next to the tower every few minutes. Great fun for the kids to watch the trains, and be sure to check each one for the red marker lights on the rear.Admission is free, with contributions or donations gratefully accepted, and there is a modest gift shop for anyone interested in buying railroad books or other items. If you or your kids are curious and interested in how things work, make a point to spend an hour or two in this museum.

This was a very nice tour of the old original switch- track train tower. The tour guides are very nice and keep you interested. There is lots to see and it is also hands-on. Train lovers will enjoy this museum!

Want to really upset your kids? Take them to this museum. Because it's totally lame. I mean, give me a break, please. It's not a museum -- it's just a small gift shop underneath a room full of old switch tower equipment. If they called it a "Small but Historicly Preserved Switch Tower Guarded by Some Old Dude who Wants to Sell You a Train Mug," then I would rate this place 5 stars, becasue that's what this place is. AVOID.

The volunteers at SoNo do a great job! An interesting part of railroading history has been well-preserved, and is a must-see while in the area. Good restaurants nearby, friendly and knowledgable volunteers.

The staff was very insightful and its a great place to take kids to see the old time workings of a railroad station. There are alot of stairs to climb but its worth the trip to see this place.

We were having a Norwalk Day a few years ago. We had just parked in Sono and we wanted to do something memorable with the boys related to what they were into at the time. We visited the SoNo switch tower Museum. After climbing up the small staircase we entered into the both where the switch tower controller did his very important job. Amazing. No sleeping on this job. It was very interesting as well as intimidating. You had to be very strong to move the levers that controlled the destination of the trains. A very important task but at that time ...job.

I live right down the street and popped in for a quick look. The place is really neat and the guides are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about switches and train history. Everything from throwing switches to how they communicated with trains, and more. The guides spend lots of time answering questions and explained everything. Very cool if your into trains. And its free - donations only.

Step back in time and see railroading of yesterday. Great for kids of all ages. Nice gift shop too. Leave a donation to keep these railfans' dreams alive.

We left the aquarium to get some real food when we walked past the switch tower museum. I took my two young kids up and the guide at the top of the tower did a great job explaining what it used to do. While we were up there we watched a few trains go by. The kids even got to throw a few switches and then got little pieces of paper saying they were qualified to operate the switches. When done at the top we got to see the mechanism on the second floor and there is a small gift shop on the bottom floor. Take cash to buy something or make a donation. They don't take credit.This is a true gem and was so neat to stumble upon. All the guides were friendly and knowledgable. You could spend an hour here talking and taking it all in or you could really see it all in 10 minutes if you wanted to. The tower is only open from 10-5 Saturday and Sunday from May until October.

The museum was closing for the day and wasn’t able to spend much time in the museum. It looked very interesting and the admission was free. You will not spend much time in the museum but when in South Norwalk (SONO) it is worth a visit.

Kind of interesting to see how the railroad used to run, but you should be able to complete the entire tour in 5 minutes or so. This is not really a stand alone attraction.

a good Armstrong experience! Hello Tim Shields! Nice view of the ROW.