Amtrak's Gunn on CT track ownership

Apparently Mr. Gunn was on TV last week -- does anybody know whether he said anything about ownership of the New Haven Line west of New Haven -- currently owned by CDOT and Metro-North?

Even if he said something there is nothing he can do about it.
and if he did do something about it he is faces with a 60 mile long maintenance headace that will cost billions.
If he leaves it with MTA he just runs his trains at incremental cost.
The Bush plan basicly wants to do what MNCR/Conndot are already doing for years, maintaining their own instate trackage.

If the Amtrak re-organization proposal goes thru, I wonder if CT would also get the Inland Route to Windsor Locks?

That area generates a fair amount of commuter traffic which might be attractable to the train lines, assuming good (MetroNorth contracted) service

AMoreira81 wrote:Would Metro-North want to do service to Springfield, however, and as it is now, do they have the equipment to do so? (I do believe if the IIBs from WOH were modified with the proper equipment, they could be used, but there would be the problem of motive power to push-pull the trains, and I am not sure if the MTA could get rights into Massachusetts (Springfield).)

Maybe. I figured CT wouldn't want the stretch from Windsor or Enfield into Springfield, that's why I didn't mention it.

I suspect that if CT was willing to put up the bucks, MetroNorth would be willing to discuss a level of service. Getting CT to put up the bucks, however...

...is like trying to extract wisdom teeth! It isn't pretty! ConnDOT wants to do things on the cheap, or dump as much of it on the riders as possible (ConnDOT has the highest commuter rail fares in the country).

THIS IS NOT THE MBTA FORUM.

ANY FURTHER MENTION OF THE MBTA OR THE DOWNEASTER AND THIS THREAD IS LOCKED.

KEVIN
Forum Moderator

Where is MBTA or Downeaster mentioned in this thread??? It seems to be about CTDot and the MTA to me.

The moderator removed about 8 post that had nothing to do with the subject.
Thanks for getting us back on course.

Hey I got a question... There is rumors floating around that Amtrak will give up the Shoreline East service by October. Where did they come from ?

I don't think Amtrak wants the SLE and it does not make sense for them to run commuter trains. They should concentrate on the intercity service. The contract I believe is about to run out with CDOT very soon. Fafooey what is ACRE?

Amtrak used to be in the business of running commuter operations under contract (I think they also ran MBTA ops for a while). I want to say that I read somewhere that Amtrak is getting out of that business permanently, but I cannot cite a source since I don't recall where I read it.

ACRE is the Association of Commuter Rail Employees, a union that represents several crafts at MN:

Assistant Stationmasters
Conductors, Brakemen & Assistant Conductors
Locomotive Engineers
Power Directors
Signalmen
Rail Traffic Controllers
Yardmasters

Nester

MNCR will not operate SLE as of October, SLE just extended the Amtrak contract for a period of 6 months minimum.

The current projected date of MNR takeover of SLE service is 02 Jan 2006. Many items (including approval of both state legislatures) must take place before this date can become real.

Jim