This hour: the origin of the Connecticut Valley Railroad . Author and historian Max R. Miller takes “along the valley line” -- sharing stories from the railroad’s past. But first: on the heels of last month’s devastating Amtrak derailment in Washington state -- a look at what lies ahead for the nation’s aging transportation infrastructure .

The history of sugar is a complicated one. Once available to only the rich and powerful, sugar now shows up in everything from cereals and soups, to cigarettes and body scrubs. It is known to both have medicinal qualities and to contribute to a variety of health problems.

A decision that could change the way Connecticut’s only nuclear plant sells its power is expected in the coming weeks. Now, dozens of legislators are using the state’s recent cold snap as evidence the Millstone Power Station needs to stay online.

Some would say we're living in a golden age of awkwardness. We recognize it in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Girls , and Silicon Valley . It's in Buzzfeed gif-ticles , and those old reruns of Seinfeld. Let's not forget Holden Caulfield, Owen Meany and Winnie the Pooh .

This week, Governor Dannel Malloy called for a ban on "bump stocks" -- devices that can make semi-automatic weapons fire like machine guns. Pfizer announced plans to end research into treatments for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases -- and they announced several hundred layoffs including at their facility in Groton.

The town of Simsbury is debating whether it will formally appeal a massive solar project. At issue is a decision reached by the Connecticut Siting Council last month.

Syria is in its sixth year of civil war, and hundreds of thousands of Syrians have been killed in the conflict. This hour, we talk about the medical crisis in Syria. Doctors are among those who’ve been targeted by the Syrian government. Many have left the country.

In the days after the 2016 elections, President-elect Donald Trump tweeted, without evidence, that millions of illegal voters robbed him of the popular vote. To that end, the Trump administration established the election fraud commission last year, who were tasked with finding proof of widespread voter fraud nationwide. Now, that commission has been scrapped.

The Goldwater Rule was put in place by the American Psychological Association in 1964. It says it's unethical for psychiatrists to give a professional opinion about public figures they have not examined.

Across New England, freezing temps and blizzard conditions marked an unforgiving start to 2018. This hour, we consider the factors underlying this extreme winter weather -- including the role of global climate change.