AMTRAK NEC: Springfield Shuttle/Regional/Valley Flyer/Inland Routing

Effective next Monday (August 3rd) the Hartford Line will be losing 3 trains each way on weekdays, which will be replaced by dedicated bus runs between the railroad stations that had been served by the cancelled trains. This news was released today! (3 trains each way will remain, plus the extra northbound on Friday)
The notice of the service changes states that this will remain in effect for about a year, up to July 29, 2016.
Weekend service seems to remain as scheduled for now.
Rumors have it that the line will be totally shut down for extended periods (between Friday and Monday) on several weekends during this year of service disruption. Amtrak tends not to give much prior warning for changes on this line as we got less than a week on these major changes.
This "Bustitution" is necessary to allow construction crews to work uninterrupted by passing trains at various times throughout the day.
At the end of all this there should be a double tracked railroad again between New Haven and the south end of Hartford, and from north of the Hartford station to Hayden Station location in Windsor, CT. From what I have heard there still will be only 1 track through the Hartford Station until some decision is made on what will happen to the I-84 highway that is entangled with the railroad alongside or above for about a mile in Hartford.
I imagine that Peter Pan Bus Lines will be seeing a major business increase in the travel market to New York!

Springfield lost three engineer jobs due to the partial shutdown.

CVRA7 wrote: Rumors have it that the line will be totally shut down for extended periods (between Friday and Monday) on several weekends during this year of service disruption. Amtrak tends not to give much prior warning for changes on this line as we got less than a week on these major changes.
This "Bustitution" is necessary to allow construction crews to work uninterrupted by passing trains at various times throughout the day.
At the end of all this there should be a double tracked railroad again between New Haven and the south end of Hartford, and from north of the Hartford station to Hayden Station location in Windsor, CT. From what I have heard there still will be only 1 track through the Hartford Station until some decision is made on what will happen to the I-84 highway that is entangled with the railroad alongside or above for about a mile in Hartford.
I imagine that Peter Pan Bus Lines will be seeing a major business increase in the travel market to New York!

I don't know-- I think the majority of people will probably drive to New Haven and catch a train there, either MN or Amtrak. I don't see the bus being competitive on the Hartford-NY run because of the traffic in Fairfield, Westchester and The Bronx.

What happens to the Vermonter when the line gets shut down? Bus all the way from New Haven, bus bridge New Haven-Springfield or detour over the NECR?

Mr. Ridgefield, according to the website, 54-55, Vermonter, 141-149, Bankers (New Haven's name for that train), and Shuttle 494-495, will continue to operate. Willing to bet Amtrak got "leaned on" by powers that be to continue the Vermonter even though it traverses the Springfield Line during the construction hours.

Here's what is happening according to the latest Amtrak information:
Weekends unchanged for now, but subject to closure 24-28 hours at several times over the next year. (not announced but strongly rumored on the railroad)
Weekdays: trains 141, 148, 55, 56, 475 and 494 will operate, plus 136 on Fridays.
Trains 495,493, 479 southbound and 490, 470 and 476 northbound are cancelled. Bus service will cover the cancelled trains: southbound buses run Springfield - Windsor Locks - Windsor - Hartford then discharge only if passengers aboard are going to Berlin, Meriden or Wallingford. Southbound only, an extra bus run will run from Berlin stopping at Meriden - Wallingford - New Haven, departing these stations up to 30 minutes earlier (to take traffic, local road travel and connections at New Haven into account). Northbound buses show making all stops (I predict that one or more buses will make less than all stops as in the past).
Due to the pace of information provided so far, I would strongly recommend that travelers check with Amtrak a day or two before any planned trip.

Regarding driving to New Haven - good luck with parking there on weekdays as the garage ($18.00 per day I was told) is generally filled by 7- 7:30am, which means parking in an open lot (don't know what the charge is) the far side of route 34. Not a fun walk at night.

Hartford CT yard has one track partial put together with concrete ties. It lies where track two was curt away from mainline and pushed toward CSO yard (East). I watched Vermonter go North as CSO came into yard from the North. Two buses are on hand but did not see any workers per se. I will be away on vaca wouldn't you know when they start building north of Hartford. I'll see it when I get back. I am so glad they are finally laying track.

CVRA7 wrote:Regarding driving to New Haven - good luck with parking there on weekdays as the garage ($18.00 per day I was told) is generally filled by 7- 7:30am, which means parking in an open lot (don't know what the charge is) the far side of route 34. Not a fun walk at night.

If someone is going to drive to New Haven, they may as well drive the extra 3 exits on 95 and go to West Haven & take Metro North - ample parking on weekdays and only $6. (Free after 5pm and weekends.) That garage at Union Station is a complete ripoff. I haven't parked there for a full day in ages but I do think the last time I parked there it was in the neighborhood of $18. The parking lot up the street isn't much cheaper either.

NHHS Facebook page

Hartford Line Takes Significant Step Forward! CTDOT Gears Up for Expanded Rail Service.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is announcing that on Monday, August 3, 2015, Amtrak will begin a substitute bus operation for certain morning and evening New Haven to Springfield Amtrak shuttles. The busing is necessary to accommodate construction of a second track as part of the New Haven – Hartford –Springfield (NHHS) Rail Program. The start of major track construction marks a significant milestone toward the launch of enhanced Hartford Line rail service. The addition of a second track will allow for an increase in service from the current six round trip trains per day to 17 round trips per day south of Hartford and 12 round trips per day north of Hartford.
The busing of Amtrak shuttles will occur Monday through Friday and last for approximately one year. The following Amtrak shuttle trains will be bused to and from New Haven Union Station and Springfield Station:
Shuttles from New Haven, Connecticut to Springfield, Massachusetts: #490 (8:40 a.m.), #470 (10:30 a.m.) and #476 (5:20 p.m.).
Shuttles from Springfield, Massachusetts to New Haven, Connecticut: #495 (7:10 a.m.), #493 (10:30 a.m.) and #479 (7:25 p.m.). Buses will depart from Lyman Street.
Buses destined for New Haven will depart Berlin, Meriden and Wallingford 20 minutes earlier than the respective train schedules. Otherwise, there will be no change in schedule, stops or connections. Amtrak passengers will board the bus at their respective stations and proper busing signage will be placed on buses and Hartford Line Stations. Additional Amtrak station service personnel will be on site in New Haven and Springfield to answer questions, as well as to direct passengers to their appropriate bus during this transition. In addition, announcements will be made on Amtrak trains traveling north from New York City to Hartford Line stations.
For more information on this busing operation, contact Amtrak Customer Service at 1-800-872-7245 or visit http://www.amtrak.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
Read the full press release here: http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?A=1373&Q=569004" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Wow, that's a long term shut down/bustitution.

Good progress towards a revived inland route.

To sum up, one late afternoon shuttle 494/475 runs each way, plus the Vermonters, plus the direct NEC trains to and from Springfield. Three trains per day each direction, plus buses for the cancelled shuttles. I wonder what Amtrak will do with the equipment that's freed up.

After dodging traffic jams on the Mass Pike this afternoon I can hardly wait for resumption of the Inland Route. Where there are traffic jams, trains will be popular.

Now if only Ma could find money to restore 2 main tracks from Springfield - Worchester then the inland route would become very important. Especially if the shore line is blocked for some reason.

west point wrote:Now if only Ma could find money to restore 2 main tracks from Springfield - Worchester then the inland route would become very important. Especially if the shore line is blocked for some reason.

MassDOT has the funding source (2013 gas tax hike was earmarked for Inland uogrades) F-line may correct me but my sense is that all the gas tax projects can't happen at once for cash-flow reasons and some planning on the double tracking (like what class of speed to build it to) is still being worked out.

Jehochman wrote:Three trains per day each direction, plus buses for the cancelled shuttles. I wonder what Amtrak will do with the equipment that's freed up.

how many train sets does the shuttle need now, aside from the one for 494/495? Is a second train set going to have to stay anyway as to protect?

2nd train set needed for weekend service that is going to be running as presently scheduled. May allow for a little more PM especially on locos.