New Haven Line

New Haven Line
     New Haven Line

New Haven-bound M8s pass through Port Chester, NY
Overview
Type Commuter rail line
System Metro-North
Status Operating
Locale New York City, Westchester County, New York, Fairfield and New Haven counties, Connecticut
Termini Grand Central Terminal
New Haven – State Street
New Haven – Union Station
Stations 30 main; 17 branch; 1 seasonal
Services 1 main line; 3 branches
Daily ridership 112,000[1]
(33.891 million annually)[2]
Operation
Owner Connecticut DOT
(within Connecticut)
Metro-North
(Westchester County, New York)
Argent Ventures
(New York City, leased to Metro-North)
Operator(s) Metro-North
Character 4 track main line (3 tracks east of Milford)
single track branches
Technical
Track length 74 mile main line; branches 7.9, 23.6, 27 miles each
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrification 12,500V (AC) overhead catenary north of Mount Vernon East
700V (DC) third rail south of Pelham
At the Mill (Rippowam) River crossing, Stamford, Connecticut, about 1908
Train at Stamford, CT

Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line runs from New Haven, Connecticut southwest to Woodlawn, New York. There it joins the Metro-North Harlem Line, where trains continue south to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan.

The line is owned by Metro-North from Woodlawn to the New York-Connecticut border. From the state line to New Haven, the Right-of-Way is owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT). From west to east in Connecticut, three branches split off: the New Canaan Branch, Danbury Branch, and Waterbury Branch, all owned by CDOT.

In addition to Metro-North trains, Amtrak's Northeast Regional and Acela Express use the line between New Rochelle, New York and New Haven, Connecticut. Shore Line East, a commuter service operated by Amtrak for CDOT, also operates over the New Haven Line from its normal terminus at New Haven with limited express service to Stamford with a single stop in Bridgeport.

Contents

History

Early history

The rail line from New York to New Haven was completed by 1849, and commuters started using the trains soon afterward.

The Great Blizzard of 1888 blocked the rail line in Westport, between the Saugatuck and Greens Farms stations. It took eight days to restore service, as snow was dug out by hand.[3]

In the early twentieth century, the line was electrified and steam locomotives were replaced.[3]

The line was part of the the New York and New Haven Railroad — after 1872, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad — which had trackage rights over the New York Central Railroad's New York and Harlem Railroad into Grand Central.

End of New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad

Penn Central, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the states of New York and Connecticut agreed on November 25, 1969, that New York would buy its section of the line and Connecticut would lease its section as far as New Haven.[4] The acquisition took place on January 1, 1971, and included the three branches.[5]

After Penn Central went bankrupt, the Consolidated Rail Corporation took over operations, until Metro-North was formed in 1983. Metro-North undertook to rebuild the railroad, upgrading signalling, tracks, ties, roadbeds, and rolling stock.

Over the Years

Over the years, some stations have been abandoned or closed, and some characteristics of the line have changed. The Columbus Ave station in Mt. Vernon, NY was closed in the Penn Central era due to its proximity to Mt. Vernon station and the expense of converting it to high-level platforms. It had previously been a transfer station to the overhead viaduct station of the New York, Westchester and Boston Railway; an impressive ruin remains and is easily visible from passing trains. Other stations abandoned along the mainline include Devon, at the junction of the Waterbury Branch, and Norwalk, replaced by South Norwalk.[6] The changeover from catenary to third rail was moved from Woodlawn to just west of Pelham in the early 1990s. There is an abandoned coach yard just east of Port Chester station.

The New Haven's Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad, diverging from the main line below New Rochelle, ran local passenger service to the Harlem River Terminal in the South Bronx until 1931, and has several abandoned stations.[7][8] It was a major freight route for the New Haven to Queens, where it interchanged with the Long Island Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad. Three new stations are proposed along this route as part of Metro-North's Penn Station access study (see below).

Some fatal train accidents have occurred on the line. One occurred at the Norwalk River bridge in Norwalk, Connecticut on May 6, 1855. Another occurred in Westport, Connecticut in 1895, and another in that town on October 3, 1912.[3] Another fatality occurred in August 1969 on the New Canaan branch.

Operations

Passenger

Main Line

New Haven Line trains primarily use Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) consists (M2s, M4s, M6s and M8s). The line is operated primarily in two zones: an "inner" zone from Grand Central Terminal to Stamford, CT; and an "outer" zone from Stamford to New Haven.

Trains from the outer zone generally run local, making most stops from New Haven to Stamford and then express to GCT. Trains from the inner zone generally originate in Stamford, running local and making most stops. Passengers heading from one zone to another can make cross-platform interchanges at Stamford.

During peak hours, trains generally run in shorter, express zones, making limited stops as they fill faster, with some overlap in start and end stations to allow for intra-zone transfers for those traveling locally. Trains will begin and end their runs at intermediate stations within their zones, and then run express to Grand Central.

All New Haven Line electric trains change over between third rail and overhead catenary between Mount Vernon East and Pelham, at normal track speed.[9] Inbound trains to Grand Central Terminal lower their pantographs in this area, while outbound trains raise them; the third rail shoes stay in the same position both in and out of third rail territory. Both catenary and third rail overlap for a quarter of a mile between Mount Vernon East and Pelham to facilitate this changeover.

Branches

Branch lines generally operate as their own zones, with the first main line station as a terminus rather than Grand Central, providing transfers to other main line stations or Grand Central. During peak hours some of these trains will run express on the main line through to Grand Central, but generally remain as local service on the branch itself.

With the exception of the electrified New Canaan Branch, branch lines use train consists powered by diesel locomotives. Some main line trains will occasionally use diesel equipment in revenue runs for positioning or due to equipment shortages.

The New Haven Line is unique in Metro-North as the only line with operating branches. The New Haven Railroad, Metro-North's predecessor, had an extensive branch network in Connecticut, including a branch off the Danbury Branch at the appropriately named Branchville, CT to Ridgefield, CT; another branch off the main line for freight at Bridgeport known as the Berkshire (a never used bridge spans the Merritt Parkway in Bridgeport that would have accommodated this branch under potential reactivation scenarios), and the Maybrook line which connected the Waterbury Branch with the Danbury Branch, with several branches of its own.

Sports special services

Yankee Stadium

Yankees – East 153rd Street station opened on May 23, 2009. Although it is a Hudson Line commuter station, it offers New Haven and Harlem Line commuters game day direct service on weekends and after night games on weekdays, and shuttle service (during peak periods) from Harlem – 125th Street station. The Yankee Stadium station is the third non-New Haven line proper station accepting New Haven line customers, including 125th St and Fordham station.[10]

Meadowlands Game Day Service

The Train to the Game service on the New Haven line to the Meadowlands Sports Complex operates only for Sunday 1 pm NFL games. The first game scheduled was on September 20, 2009 when the New York Jets hosted the New England Patriots, following a successful test of trains in non-revenue service on August 23.[11] Train service for NFL games continued in 2010.[12]

The service is operated using New Jersey Transit (NJT) equipment under an operating agreement between NJT, Metro-North, and Amtrak. NJT equipment is required as its electric locomotive power is capable of running under the various catenary systems over three separate railroads using different power supplies. The program is only being offered for the early afternoon games so that the NJT equipment can be moved back in place for service during the Monday morning rush hour.[13]

The service makes limited stops on the New Haven line and uses the Hell Gate Line to access New York Penn Station and Secaucus Junction station of NJT.[14] At Secaucus, riders transfer to a shuttle on the Meadowlands Rail Line. Stops currently scheduled are New Haven, Bridgeport, Fairfield, Westport, South Norwalk, Stamford, Greenwich, Rye, Larchmont, and Penn Station.[15]

Excursions

Metro-North occasionally runs excursion trains, or farewell and fan trips over portions of its predecessor's historic territory, or its own territory which is no longer in revenue service. A recent trip in the Fall of 2008 ran north of Danbury at the end of the Danbury branch to Kent, CT. An earlier trip in 2004 ran over the Beacon line from Danbury. The 2004 trip used FL-9 locomotives owned by CDOT.

Shared Trackage

Although the New Haven line shares track with the Harlem Line in the Bronx, it only makes one stop along this line at Fordham station due to an 1848 agreement with the Harlem line's predecessor railroad the New York Central. This agreement granted the New Haven predecessor New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad trackage rights over the Harlem line to Grand Central Terminal, but limited the service they could provide in the Bronx to discharge service only (i.e. no boarding revenue passengers).[16] This agreement continues in its present form due to the operating agreement between Metro-North and CDOT.[17] While the New Haven line's one stop in the Bronx is at Fordham, from 1848 until the 1920s that stop was instead at Woodlawn.[18]

Operating Agreements

The New Haven line is operated in Connecticut under an agreement between Metro-North and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT) in which costs for main line operation are shared (costs for branch service are borne 100% by CDOT). The current ratio is 65% CDOT and 35% Metro-North.[19]

Control Points/Signals

The New Haven main line and New Canaan branch use Automatic Train Control, or ATC, in conjunction with Cab Signals, a safety feature used in routing trains, keeping safe distances, and moderating train speeds.

Track interlockings are governed within Control Point boundaries, or CP's. The New Haven line is unique in that the CP's are known (informally) by nicknames for their region. The following is a partial list of nicknames:[20] The numbers reflect milage from Grand Central, with the "2" signifying the New Haven Line; the Hudson Line has no preceding number and the Harlem Line uses "1."

CP212: VERN
CP215: PELL (Pelham)
CP216: SHELL (New Rochelle Junction)
CP217: E. SHELL (E of New Rochelle)
CP223: PIKE (Harrison)
CP229: GREEN (Greenwich)
CP230: COB (Cos Cob)
CP232: SELLECK
CP233: W. STAM (W of Stamford)
CP234: STAM (E of Stamford)
CP235: GLENBROOK
CP240: WEST WALK(W of Norwalk)
CP241: BERK (E of Norwalk)
CP244: SAGA (Saugatuck R)
CP248: SASCO
CP255: PORT
CP256: PECK (Pequonnock R)
CP257: CENTRAL
CP261: DEVON (Housatonic R)
CP266: WOODMONT
CP271: WEST RIVER
CP272: NEW HAVEN
CP273: FAIR ST
CP274: CHAPEL ST

The interlocking at "Shell" and "E. Shell" was recently upgraded to allow Amtrak trains to cross-over the main line faster and in a more orderly fashion. As a result, the tracks in New Rochelle station were rearranged so that Amtrak boards only on the outbound platform.[21]

Signals on the New Haven line had once been mounted on the catenary bridges; these were replaced throughout the 1980s and into the late 1990s with wayside "dwarf" signals at track level along the right-of-way.[22] The Danbury and Waterbury branches remain "manual block" territory, i.e. without signals. A long-standing plan to install signalization known as Centralized Traffic Control, or CTC, on the Danbury branch is in the works as of 2009.[23]

Traction power substations

The New Haven's traction power system was originally constructed to operate at 11 kV, 25 Hz, using power supplied by the Cos Cob Power Station 41°01′47″N 73°35′46″W / 41.029631°N 73.596015°W / 41.029631; -73.596015 (Site of Cos Cob Power Station (Demolished)). The power station was shutdown around 1986 and Metro North converted the traction power system to 60 Hz operation. Traction power is converted from utility supplied 115 kV (single phase) to 27 kV (single phase with center tap) which is distributed using an autotransformer system.[24] Power is supplied to the catenary at 12.5 kV, 60 Hz.

New Haven Line traction power substations
Milepost Name Coordinates
14.0 Fulton Ave 40°54′41″N 73°49′42″W / 40.9114°N 73.8283°W / 40.9114; -73.8283 (Fulton Ave Substation)
16.6 New Rochelle 40°54′25″N 73°47′23″W / 40.90694°N 73.78972°W / 40.90694; -73.78972 (New Rochelle Substation)
30 Cos Cob 41°01′49″N 73°35′48″W / 41.030233°N 73.5967°W / 41.030233; -73.5967 (Cos Cob Substation)
33.0 Stamford 41°2′52″N 73°32′15″W / 41.04778°N 73.5375°W / 41.04778; -73.5375 (Stamford Substation)
40 Norwalk 41°05′53″N 73°25′10″W / 41.098185°N 73.419527°W / 41.098185; -73.419527 (Norwalk Substation)
41 East Norwalk 41°06′09″N 73°24′28″W / 41.102525°N 73.407882°W / 41.102525; -73.407882 (East Norwalk Substation)
59.2 Devon (Stratford) 41°11′53″N 73°7′34″W / 41.19806°N 73.12611°W / 41.19806; -73.12611 (Devon Substation)
72.3 New Haven 41°17′18″N 72°56′17″W / 41.28833°N 72.93806°W / 41.28833; -72.93806 (New Haven substation)

Freight Service

Freight service over the New Haven line is operated by a variety of Class I railroads and short line railroads based on operating agreements negotiated with either Metro-North or CDOT. These operators include CSX Transportation, Providence and Worcester Railroad, and the Springfield Terminal Railway.[25]

Local freight stops include Marval Industries in Mamaroneck, NY, which includes two "exempt" (school buses and trucks are not required to stop) rail crossings on Fenimore Road and some minor "street running" of rails along Railroad Way.[26] This siding is served by a CSX local approximately once a week at night. Other sidings served by CSX are Ring's End Lumber in Darien, CT, and a long industrial siding east of Milford, CT. Providence & Worcester trains can be seen running a seasonal stone train along the New Haven line bound for Long Island.[27]

There are several disconnected and abandoned sidings along the line as well, including one in New Rochelle, NY just west of Shell interlocking, and one just east of Larchmont station that served a freight house. There are also many active, dormant, and disconnected or abandoned sidings along the branch lines, as well as freight service operated on freight-only lines being considered for renewed passenger service.

Station stops

State County Town/City Milepost Station Fare Zone Connections
New York New York Manhattan 0.0 Grand Central Terminal/GCT 1 NYC Transit: 4 5 6 <6> 7 <7> S trains; M1, M2, M3, M4, M42, M101, M102, M103 buses
4.2 Harlem – 125th Street 1 NYC Transit: 4 5 6 <6> trains; M1 (northbound), M35, M60 to LaGuardia Airport, M98, M100, M101, Bx15 buses
Bronx Bronx Hudson Line splits at Mott Haven Junction
6.0 Yankees – East 153rd Street
Limited - Game Day Only		 Surch NYC Transit: 4 B D trains; Bx6, Bx13 buses
Melrose and Tremont stations are bypassed
8.9 Fordham
Limited		 2 NYC Transit: B D trains; Bx1, Bx2, Bx9, Bx12, Bx12 Select Bus Service, Bx17, Bx22, Bx34, Bx41, Bx55, BxM4 buses
Bee-Line: 60, 61, 62 buses
Botanical Garden, Williams Bridge, and Woodlawn stations are bypassed
Harlem Line splits at Woodlawn Junction; former power change
Westchester Mount Vernon 14.0 Mount Vernon East 12 Bee-Line: 7, 40, 41, 42, 53, 54, 55 buses
Power change from third rail to overhead catenary
Pelham 15.1 Pelham 12 Bee-Line: 7 buses
New Rochelle Northeast Corridor joins line
16.6 New Rochelle 12 Amtrak Northeast Regional
Bee-Line: 7, 30, 42, 45, 60, 61, 62, 66 buses
Larchmont 18.7 Larchmont 13 Bee-Line: 60, 61, 70, 71 buses
Mamaroneck 20.5 Mamaroneck 13 Bee-Line: 60, 61 buses
Harrison 22.2 Harrison 13 Bee-Line: 5, 61 buses
Rye 24.1 Rye 14 Bee-Line: 61, 75, 76 buses
Port Chester 25.7 Port Chester 14 Bee-Line: 13, 13B, 61, 76 buses
CT Transit Stamford: 11A, 11B buses
Connecticut Fairfield Greenwich 28.1 Greenwich 15 Norwalk Transit: Greenwich Commuter Connection
CT Transit Stamford: 11 buses
29.6 Cos Cob 15
30.2 Riverside 15
31.2 Old Greenwich 15 CT Transit Stamford: 11, 24 buses
Stamford 33.0 Stamford 16 Amtrak Acela Express, Northeast Regional and Vermonter
Shore Line East
CT Transit Stamford: All routes
Greyhound Uconn Shuttle
New Canaan Branch splits
Darien 36.2 Noroton Heights 16 CT Transit Stamford: 42 bus
37.7 Darien 16 CT Transit Stamford: 41, 42 buses
Norwalk 39.2 Rowayton 16
41.0 South Norwalk 17 Norwalk Transit: 10, 11, 12, Commuter Connection buses
Danbury Branch splits
42.0 East Norwalk 17 Norwalk Transit: 8, 11 buses
Westport 44.2 Westport 18 Norwalk Transit: Jesup Green shuttle, S2, S3, S4, IL, N, PF buses
47.2 Green's Farms 18 Norwalk Transit: G1, G2 buses
Fairfield 48.9 Southport 18
50.5 Fairfield 18 GBTA: 2, Coastal Link buses
Fairfield Metro Center
(under construction)
Bridgeport 55.4 Bridgeport 19 Amtrak Northeast Regional and Vermonter
Shore Line East
Coastal Link; GBTA: All routes except 14
Greyhound bus
Stratford 59.0 Stratford 20 GBTA: 11 buses
New Haven Milford Waterbury Branch splits
63.2 Milford 20 Milford Transit: 2, 3, 4 buses
CT Transit New Haven: J7; Coastal Link buses
New Haven 72.3 New Haven – Union Station 21 Amtrak Acela Express, Northeast Regional and Vermonter
Shore Line East
CT Transit New Haven: Commuter Connection PM dropoff, Union Station Shuttle, J, S buses
Greyhound bus
74.0 New Haven – State Street
Limited weekday service		 21 Shore Line East
CT Transit New Haven: Commuter Connection AM pickup, D, F, G, Q, Z buses
line continues as the Northeast Corridor

Rolling stock

Electric

Since the main line and the New Canaan Branch are equipped with 12.5 kV 60 Hz overhead catenary, as opposed to just the 750V DC third rail of the Hudson and Harlem Lines, different rolling stock that can operate off either power system runs on the New Haven Line. This rolling stock, originally produced by the Budd Company in two batches (144 in 1972–73 and 100 in 1975–77) was initially branded as the M2 Cosmopolitan with later versions being made on license by Tokyu Car (model M4, 1988) and Morrison-Knudsen (model M6, 1993). Cosmopolitans can be easily spotted by their red stripe along the side, the presence of pantographs on the lead cars in each set, and a dynamic braking grid on the roof.

M2s operate in married pairs, differentiating them from their predecessor equipment of Pullman Standard and 4400-series washboard MU's (retired since the late 1970s and early 1980s). M4s and M6s also operate in triplets, with the middle "D" car not having a cab. Many M2s were reconditioned to extend their useful life beyond the expected 25 years (as of 2009 most are over or approaching 35 years old), undergoing a Critical Systems Repair (CSR) progam.

To replace its aging M2 fleet and increase its total fleet size, Metro-North and CDOT have undertaken to purchase from Kawasaki Rail Car an initial order of 300 M8 EMUs. The initial order consists of a "base order" of 210 and a "first option" of 90 cars. This order is estimated to cost $760 million. The base order cost is to be split as per the CDOT/MTA operating agreement 65/35 respectively.[19]

Although the cost sharing is to conform with the operating agreement, due to Metro-North's capital budgeting process Metro-North will initially only pay the first $100 million of the order, and CDOT will pay the remaining $660 million. Metro-North will bring its contribution to its required 35% upon passage of its 2010–2014 capital budget. Until then, CDOT will retain title to any rail cars which exceed its 65% share.

M8s are similar to the M7As running on the Harlem and Hudson lines. They each have two single-leaf doors on each side and a full-width operator's cab, eliminating the so-called "railfan" windows at the front and rear of each train and restricting passenger's ability to walk between car pairs.

M8s have the additional capability of running east of New Haven and along the Hell Gate Line west of New Rochelle to Penn Station over the former Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad. In order to run east of New Haven, the M8s are equipped with Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES) as required by Amtrak. In order to run from New Rochelle to Penn Station, the cars will be equipped with third rail shoes that can operate on both over and under running third rail systems. Third rail will have to be extended in Queens for the M8s to overcome a gap between suitable catenary (Amtrak's catenary supply changes in Queens to a non-compatible system) and the third rail utilized by the Long Island Railroad.[28]

Originally, delivery of the first six cars for testing was to be in July 2009, but was delayed until December 2009 for varied reasons such as design revisions and production delays. The contract allows for additional options for CDOT of an additional 80 cars, which may be used for Cafe Cars or for use on Shore Line East at CDOT's sole expense. Procurement of more than 380 cars would require additional authorization (PA 05-4 JSS provides funds to acquire at least 342 rail cars at slightly under $900 million).

The CSR program was modified in 2008 as the delivery of M8s neared. Currently cars who underwent CSR earlier in the program were undergoing additional renovation. Funding was identified in the MTA's 2010 capital program to continue the CSR program if the M4 and M6 cars are not retired. The M2's are slated for retirement as sufficient numbers of the Kawasaki-made M8s enter service and alleviate current equipment shortages.[29]

Diesel

As with the Harlem and Hudson Lines, diesel-powered trains are driven by dual-mode Genesis P32AC-DM and BL20-GH locomotives, paired with Shoreliner coaches. While some peak-period trains operate directly to and from Grand Central Terminal with Genesis P32AC-DM dual-mode locomotives only, most New Haven Line diesel-only territory is operated as shuttle service between Danbury and S. Norwalk; and Waterbury and Bridgeport, respectively.

The BL20-GH engines replaced the aging FL9s and F10s in branch service. The BL20-GHs also replaced leased P40s which CDOT had leased from Amtrak and used in branch service. These P40s can still be seen on the New Haven line in CDOT livery used on SLE consists as CDOT exercised a purchase option in 2008.

Pool Service

Rolling stock used for Metro-North diesel service is in pool service, meaning that diesel consists feature both CDOT-owned red-striped and Metro-North-owned blue-striped coaches operating on any of Metro-North's three lines, along with diesel power in either Metro-North or New Haven paint schemes.

Planned Facilities

West Haven/Orange

As of 2009, a new station in West Haven has begun site clearance involving demolition of a former industrial site, with a design plan due in July 2009, with construction to begin in 2010 and a potential completion date of 2012.[30] Funding is anticipated in 2010 of $103 million. The station will include a 3,000sf building and 700 car parking garage.[31]

Plans are also being discussed to build an additional station in Orange. The stretch between Milford and New Haven, passing through those two municipalities, is the longest on the New Haven Line currently without a station.

The South Central Regional Council of Governments commissioned a study, issued in April 2005, that showed that stations in both municipalities would be viable, but favoring West Haven.[32] The Transportation Strategy Board made a similar recommendation.[33] Gov. M. Jodi Rell later included money for both in the state budget, with West Haven again given priority.[34] Whether a station will actually be built in Orange was not certain as of May 2009.

Fairfield

A third Connecticut station in Fairfield is currently under construction and nearing completion as of 2010. It will be called Fairfield Metro.

Georgetown

A station planned for Georgetown, CT on the Danbury Branch has been temporarily shelved. A station in this area was abandoned earlier.

New Haven Rail Yard

A new rail car facility to accommodate the new M8 cars is being built in New Haven. Although the project itself is not controversial, the building of it is. Originally estimated at $300m, the facility is now expected to cost in excess of $1B.[35]

Expansions/Studies

Danbury Branch Study

Although not yet past the Draft Environment Impact Statement stage, a study on enhancing service on and extending the Danbury Branch would include additional stations in North Danbury (Federal Road), Brookfield, and New Milford.[36] The draft EIS is due before the end of 2010, and the final EIS by summer, 2011.[37] The Spring 2009 Update for the first time held out the possibility of extension all the way to Pittsfield, MA, the original route of the New Haven Berkshire Division. Trackage rights would have to be negotiated with the Housatonic Railroad, who own the line beyond Danbury to New Milford.

Enhancements to the Danbury Branch being studied also include re-electrification of the branch (the branch was electrified from 1925–1961), additions of passing sidings, realignment and/or super-elevation of track to eliminate or alleviate curvature and enhance speeds, and installation of automated train control signalling. The signal system is under construction as of summer 2010, the other elements of the proposal are under study.

Earlier versions of the study examined service to Newtown and Brewster along the Beacon/Maybrook line as additional branches off the Danbury Branch. These options were not recommended due to limited ridership potential vs. additional cost.[38]

Penn Station Access

Also being studied is access to New York Penn Station over the Hell Gate Line of the Northeast Corridor, owned by Amtrak. Trackage rights and union agreements would have to be negotiated for this service. Commuter service over this line, formerly the Harlem River Branch of the predecessor New Haven, ended in 1931. New stations contemplated would be at Co-Op City, Parkchester, and Hunts Point.

This project was dormant from approximately 2002 to 2009, but an environmental assessment has been announced by Metro-North that will be completed by 2011. The study will be in conjunction with ongoing studies for the best uses of Penn Station. The study advances a single option of full (both peak and off-peak) service to Penn on the New Haven and Hudson Lines. Separate options for off-peak service are still being considered separate from the study as implementation could take place with existing infrastructure and equipment.[39]

Service would not likely begin until the opening of Long Island Rail Road's East Side Access to Grand Central Terminal. In a limited form, it will take place with the Jets/Giants game day service to the Meadowlands, although it is not intended as service to Penn.[40]

New Haven Hartford Springfield

CDOT is currently studying initiating service between New Haven and Springfield. This service may or may not be operated by Metro-North as a branch of the New Haven line; however, since the Right of Way is owned and operated by Amtrak, and Amtrak already operates SLE, it may be likely that they would also operate this enhanced service. Options for service would be assuming the identical Amtrak operation using the same stations, adding stations, adding passing sidings or double-tracking the line.[41]

Waterbury-Bristol-New Britain-Hartford

As of February 2009 legislators in the state capital were discussing service on an old New Haven passenger line that ceased passenger service decades ago known as the Highland Line, part of the original New England Railroad, also known as the Central New England Railway, both eventual subsidiaries of The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.[42]

Currently, this is a freight only line operated by Pan Am Railways. Station stops would include two in Bristol, as well as in New Britain, between Waterbury and Hartford. Next step is a preliminary scoping study, which would be followed environmental studies. [43]

As with the New Haven Hartford Springfield line, the operation may or may not be a Metro-North extension of the Waterbury branch.

Tappan Zee Bridge / I-287 Corridor

The NYS Dept. of Transportation, Metro-North, and The New York State Thruway Authority are conducting a study and related environmental reviews concerning a replacement for the 50+ year old Tappan Zee Bridge. Proposals for a replacement bridge include options for a commuter rail line which would branch off Metro-North's Port Jervis Line at Suffern and connect via transfer to the Pascack Valley Line and connect directly with its Hudson Line across the Hudson River. This would provide a potential one-seat ride from Rockland and Orange counties to Westchester and Manhattan.[44]

One of the alternatives (Alt. 4A) being considered would be full-corridor commuter rail operated by Metro-North and extending from Suffern and the Hudson Line directly to the outbound (towards Stamford) New Haven Line in Port Chester, sharing trackage or Right of Way to Port Chester station. A transfer to the Harlem Line would be available in downtown White Plains. Several stations are contemplated across various alignment options, either at street level or in tunnels.[45] If full-corridor commuter rail is not selected, other options connecting the Tappan Zee Bridge to the New Haven line using mass transit include light rail and bus rapid transit. The operators of these alternatives has not been determined, but as Metro-North is a heavy commuter rail operator, it would likely not operate these services.

Pictures

  • Bridge over Housatonic River, Bridgeport, ca. 1904

  • Bridgeport station, 26 April 2006

  • Green's Farms station, Westport

  • Westport-Saugatuck station

  • East Norwalk station

  • Swing railroad bridge, Norwalk

  • Swing bridge in Norwalk, longer view

  • South Norwalk station, New Haven bound side

  • Stamford station

  • Cos Cob station

  • Arch Street bridge in Old Greenwich

  • Riverside station and Riverside Avenue bridge

  • Train at Noroton Heights in Darien

  • Crossing of Mill River, just east of Stamford station

  • June 6, 1911 wreck in Fairfield

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Metro-North's new passenger yard and facilities in New Haven DW Jacobs Retrieved 2007-09-08
  2. ^ Total monthly ridership State of Connecticut official site Retrieved 2007-09-03
  3. ^ a b c Westport Historical Society, interpreteve plaque, Westport Historical Society Museum, Carriage House, read September 30, 2007
  4. ^ [1] Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society 1969 chronology
  5. ^ [2] Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society 1971 chronology
  6. ^ Station Reporter web-site: New Haven Line
  7. ^ Brennan's Abandoned Stations web-site
  8. ^ Rich Green's NYC Area Track Map
  9. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh-MG7NFpQA
  10. ^ Metro-North New Haven Line Yankees-153rd Timetable
  11. ^ Economopoulos, Aristide (2009-09-13). "Meadowlands trains-to-game show potential of regional rail". The Star-Ledger. http://blog.nj.com/njv_guest_blog/2009/09/meadowlands_trainstogame_show.html. Retrieved 2010-01-09. 
  12. ^ http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/SchedPDF_vWEB_Brochure.pdf
  13. ^ "Introducing Metro-North Service to Meadowlands Football Games" (Press release). Metro-North Railroad. 2009-09-17. http://www.mta.info/mta/news/releases/?en=090917-MNR35. Retrieved 2009-10-12. 
  14. ^ Metro-North Train to the Game web-site
  15. ^ Metro-North Meadowland Schedule
  16. ^ Train Jotting web-site: Fordham Road
  17. ^ Inner City Press "Bronxites Are Excluded from Metro-North Trains, As Congestion Pricing Looms" March 30, 2008
  18. ^ Station Reporter web-site: Harlem Line
  19. ^ a b Connecticut Summary of Major Provisions of Connecticut/Metro-North Rail Car Purchase Agreement
  20. ^ Riche Green web-site/New York area track map
  21. ^ Railroad.net Metro-North Forum: Topic on New Rochelle Interlocking
  22. ^ Railroad.net Metro-North Forum: Topic on Wayside Signals
  23. ^ Railroad.net Metro-North Forum: Topic on Danbury Branch Signalization
  24. ^ Sutherland, et al. Analysis of Harmonics, Flicker and Unbalance of Time-Varying Single-Phase Traction Loads on a Three-Phase System, Paper No. IPST05 - 091. Retrieved 12/26/2010.
  25. ^ Connecticut Rail Map
  26. ^ Google Maps link
  27. ^ Rail Freight In Connecticut Today
  28. ^ Railroad.net Forum: M-8 Cars
  29. ^ Railroad.net Forum: M-Series
  30. ^ [3] Conn Post "Plans on track for West Haven railroad depot" 6/8/2009
  31. ^ New Haven Register 9/18/2009 Train station funding on track
  32. ^ [4] Regional Transit Development Strategies Study, Strategies Evaluation Report, April 2005. See page 68 et seq.
  33. ^ Report & Recommendations of the Connecticut Transportation Strategy Board See page 129
  34. ^ "$11M set for Metro-North stations in W. Haven, Orange," New Haven Register, August 29, 2006
  35. ^ Station Stops website 4/15/2008
  36. ^ Danbury Branch Phase II Alternatives Analysis/EIS
  37. ^ Danbury Branch Improvement Study Spring Update 2009
  38. ^ HVCEO Regional Transportion Plan 6-1: RAIL PASSENGER SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN
  39. ^ Metro-North Press Release #36 dated Sep. 8, 2009
  40. ^ MTA Penn Station Access Study
  41. ^ New Haven Hartford Springfield Rail Commuter Rail web-site
  42. ^ New Haven Railroad Historical and Technical Society resources
  43. ^ Commuter rail would make two local stops Bristol Press February 20, 2009
  44. ^ Tappan Zee Bridge Site
  45. ^ Tappan Zee Bridge Replacement Alternative 4A

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