Darienite (https://darienite.com/page/8)
Being a train conductor seems like a simple, boring job: collecting tickets, opening and closing doors, reminding people to keep their feet off the seats. Yawn.
But there’s a lighter side to the job, as I wrote a few years ago, based on former conductor Michael Shaw’s great book, “My Rail Life” after he retired from a 36 year career on the New Haven line. He clearly loved his job. And he swears these stories are true.
Here’s Realtor Deirdre McGovern’s report on Darien and Rowayton-area real estate from Oct. 2 to 9, 2025:
Being a train conductor seems like a simple, boring job: collecting tickets, opening and closing doors, reminding people to keep their feet off the seats. Yawn.
Here’s Realtor Deirdre McGovern’s report on Darien and Rowayton-area real estate from June 19 to 26, 2025:
Darien TV79 is moving up the dial this month as Optimum cable TV does a major shuffle of its channels.
The new channels will be 1310 for the Darien TV79 (town government) channel and 1305 for the Blue Wave station, which also covers Board of Education meetings. The switch will be made Aug. 21.
Two thieves were seen stuffing garbage bags with merchandise at the Lululemon athletic apparel store in Noroton Heights on Monday, Aug. 4, but the vehicle they fled in was stopped and the suspects were arrested, police said.
A revised paving schedule, showing when certain roads in Darien will be repaved, was issued Thursday by the town Department of Public Works.
The department also announced work on
Andrew J. Wainacht “Andy” of Darien passed away peacefully at home on Aug. 8 after fighting through a long illness. He was 89.
Continuing our summer reprise of some older columns, here’s an update on memories of years past…
This week marks the 56th anniversary of the grand-daddy of all rock festivals … Woodstock. I was in my teens the summer of 1969, but couldn’t get off from my job to join the swarms of rock fans.
But I did see most of them. That summer I was as a “temp seasonal” toll collector on the Tappan Zee Bridge, joining Westchester and Rockland counties across the mighty Hudson River.
Here’s Realtor Deirdre McGovern’s report on Darien and Rowayton-area real estate from July 31 to Aug. 8, 2025:
As predicted, fares are going up on Metro-North rides in Connecticut by 5% starting Sept. 1 with another 5% hike coming next July.
Peter Eric Ruhlin passed away surrounded by family on July 27, 2025, on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He was 64.
Mary Lopiano passed away July 28 after a brief illness. She was 79.
Allison A. Gallagher, 66, of Darien passed away peacefully at Greenwich Hospital on July 7 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Quinn Martin Fatherley, 58, passed away unexpectedly on July 13, 2025, at home in San Ramon, California.
William Vincent “Vin” Burke, husband, father, grandfather, and (as he would have you know) “giant” of broadcast news, passed away peacefully at his home of 43 years in Darien on July 29, 2025, at the age of 85. The cause of death was complications from dementia.
Robert Evans Woods Jr. died peacefully on June 29, surrounded by family. He was 77.
How would you feel if your usual means of commuting went on a summer vacation?
Riding the ancient Danbury branch of Metro-North is hard enough, but now it’s going to be shut down for two weeks, the trains replaced by buses from Aug. 1 to 17.
Neville Rodgers Mulock recently passed away. She was 87.
The Interim Superintendent of Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jennifer Falcone has been appointed director of elementary education, Interim Schools Superintendent Eric Byrne announced.
Remember when commuting was fun because you could listen to the radio?
Marjorie Lawlor Cassidy, a longtime resident of New Canaan, Block Island, and Vero Beach, Florida, passed away peacefully on July 12 in Darien at the age of 96.
Schellenger, Charles W. “Spike” Schellenger passed away on July 10. He was born May 11, 1930 in Philadelphia and passed away July 10, 2025 at the age of 95.
Diane Adelaide Steinle (née Hoeffer) passed away on July 7, 2025 after suffering a stroke in May. She was surrounded by her family’s love and in the most peaceful care at the Jack Byrne center. She was 78 years old.
Here’s Realtor Deirdre McGovern’s report on Darien and Rowayton-area real estate from July 10 to 17, 2025:
First Selectman Jon Zagrodzky went to Darien Train Station on Thursday, July 10, to talk with the state Department of Transportation construction team at the site.
The project has been delayed from the original mid-August completion of work on the east side (northbound side) to mid-October, with full completion of the work on both sides of the tracks now expected in May 2026, Zagrodzky said.
Sorry. You’re too late. You missed your chance: the deadline has passed for offering “public comment” on the upcoming fare hikes on Metro-North.
Not that anything you might have said would have made a difference to the inevitable: a 5% fare hike on Sept. 1st of this year and another 5% jump in July of 2026. But don’t blame the railroad or CDOT.
Here’s Realtor Deirdre McGovern’s report on Darien and Rowayton-area real estate for the two weeks from June 26 July 10, 2025: