Connecticut's Thomas The Train Rides
Published: January 6, 2026
By: Adam Burns
If you’ve got a Thomas fan in the family (or you’re raising a future railroader), springtime in shoreline Connecticut has a can’t-miss date: Day Out With Thomas at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat. For 2026, the tour stop at Essex brings Thomas (and Percy, too) to the historic Valley Railroad for a full day built around a timed train ride, photo ops, and a festival-style lineup of activities designed for kids—and honestly, pretty fun for grownups who appreciate classic railroading scenery.
Mark your calendar—Day Out With Thomas 2026 at Essex Steam Train runs on:
- April 25–26, 2026
- May 2–3, 2026
Those two weekends are typically the sweet spot in New England: cool, comfortable weather, green starting to return, and a great time to pair the event with a day exploring Essex and the Connecticut River Valley.
What Day Out With Thomas is (and why it sells out)
At its core, Day Out With Thomas is a “choose-your-departure-time” experience centered on a real train ride pulled by Thomas—a life-size event engine built for the tour. Your ticket time reserves your ride window, but the broader experience is meant to be enjoyed as a half-day or full-day outing, with activities spread around the station grounds so families can arrive early, play, explore, snack, and then ride (or ride first and linger afterward).
At many tour stops, admission generally includes:
- A train ride with Thomas
- Photo opportunities (often including Sir Topham Hatt)
- Live entertainment
- Activity stations and family lawn games
- A pop-up gift shop featuring exclusive Thomas merchandise
Because it’s timed-ticketed and capacity is finite, these weekends tend to book quickly—especially the mid-morning and early afternoon departures that work best with nap schedules and travel time.
What to expect on the day at Essex
1) A timed ride—plus plenty to do beyond the rails
Day Out With Thomas is designed so your scheduled ride is the anchor, not the entire day. Plan to arrive with enough breathing room to park, orient yourself, and enjoy the stations and entertainment. Essex’s own guidance for their Thomas weekends has emphasized arriving early and enjoying the activities around your departure.
2) Thomas (and Percy!) at Essex in 2026
The 2026 tour listing for Essex notes “Also Featuring Percy,” which is a big deal for kids who have moved from “Thomas-only” to the wider Island of Sodor universe. Depending on the specific program that year, Percy may appear as an additional ride option and/or as a featured engine for photos and interactions—either way, it adds extra excitement (and often extra demand).
3) Family-friendly pacing
Most families find the day goes best in one of two rhythms:
- Ride-first strategy: Take your train ride early, then spend the rest of the time on activities, shopping, and photos.
- Play-first strategy: Arrive early, do activities first, then ride late morning/early afternoon when everyone’s warmed up.
If you’re traveling with toddlers, the ride-first plan can be helpful—you knock out the “must-do” before anyone gets tired. If you’ve got older kids, play-first often builds anticipation and keeps the energy high.
A quick spotlight on the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat
Day Out With Thomas is a special event, but the location is a destination all on its own.
The experience starts at the historic Essex Station
Essex Steam Train excursions begin at the historic 1892 Essex Station and operate on a scenic, narrated route through classic Connecticut River Valley towns like Deep River and Chester.
The signature ride: train + riverboat
The attraction’s best-known outing is its Steam Train & Riverboat experience—often described as the only steam train and riverboat connection in the country—pairing a vintage train journey with time on the Becky Thatcher riverboat (seasonal operation generally runs May through October).
Even if your Day Out With Thomas visit is focused on the kids, it’s worth noting for later: Essex is one of those places many families return to when they want the “classic” excursion without the Thomas crowds.
A preservation mission with real history behind it
Essex Steam Train & Riverboat operates under the Valley Railroad umbrella with a mission centered on keeping Connecticut’s mechanical and transportation heritage alive through operating steam and diesel locomotives, passenger equipment, and the facilities that support them.
And the “heritage” part is literal: Connecticut granted a formal lease to the Valley Railroad Company in 1970, and after extensive volunteer-led restoration, the first train of the new Valley Railroad steamed from Essex to Deep River in 1971.
That continuity—decades of rebuilding, operating, maintaining, and interpreting historic equipment—is what makes the site feel like more than a quick amusement ride. It’s a living railroad.
Bottom Line
Day Out With Thomas 2026 at the Essex Steam Train runs April 25–26 and May 2–3, and it’s a perfect “first big train event” for kids—timed rides with Thomas (plus Percy), lots of hands-on fun, and the bonus of being hosted by one of New England’s most iconic heritage rail operations.
If you’d like, I can also format a short sidebar for your site (quick facts box with dates, location, ticketing note, and a “plan your visit” checklist) to drop alongside the article.
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