and high profits. In 1862 the Norwalk Horse Railway Company was formed with Edwin Lockwood as president. This company would connect South Norwalk with Norwalk. This would take revenue away from the railroad. The response of the D&N was to compete. To make its track suitable for horse-drawn carriages, boards were placed between tracks. In April 1862 operation between Norwalk (Wall Street) and South Norwalk started with small cars. The next year, nine steam or horse-drawn trains would run between these two stations. But by 1863 the horse railway was operational and was a major success. Higher frequencies, lower fares and more stops were pleasing the public. The D&N withdrew its service quickly thereafter. In 1864 Edwin Lockwood, uncle of LeGrand Lockwood, became president of the D&N. The Lockwoods, natives of Norwalk, were major stockholders in the railroad`. A line from Danbury to Brookfield was considered. It would have given the D&N an important connection. But another railroad was already organised to build along the right of way needed by the D&N. The New York, Housatonic & Northern was opened between Danbury and Brookfield in 1868. During construction there was a connection between the D&N and the NYH&N, but it was torn up after construction finished. In 1869 construction of the branch from Branchville (formerly Ridgefield) to Ridgefield started. The 4 mile branch was very difficult to construct due to the steep climb needed to reach Ridgefield. On June 25, 1870 the first trains started running, and the official opening was held on July 1, 1870. In Spring 1872 a branch between Bethel and Hawleyville was started. It allowed for connections with the Shepaug Valley Railroad, Housatonic Railroad, and eventually the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad once it was completed through Hawleyville. There were plans in which the D&N would be a link in a railroad connecting New York and Boston, but these died with LeGrand Lockwood, the nephew and financial backer of Edwin Lockwood, in 1872. 1872-1886 In 1873 the railroad was now running six locomotives, which all were running on coal. Three of them were new and three were converted from wood. On June 18, 1873, Roswell Pettibone Flower became president of the railroad. Even through the depression the railroad was kept into good shape and investments were being made. The railroad remained a very modern one. Plans for further extensions were put aside, and focus was on