Jeff Smith wrote: ↑Wed Sep 25, 2019 11:21 amHaving lived in D'Bury, that was always my thought. CT has shown a willingness to spend on rail, but I'd rather see other services first, such as an extension to New Milford, or instra-state service Waterbury to New Haven, or Hartford, and a permanent Devon Transfer. Even New London service north.
Yes, we have a huge backlog of projects on mostly existing lines, or modest extensions of existing lines (like the New Milford extension that runs into HRRC). There are a number of missing stations, stations that need rebuilding, and heck, I'd electrify Danbury before I'd build a line from Danbury to Southeast.
The whole concept of building from Danbury to Southeast is also misguided, as a good portion of that traffic from CT are people who live out in the exurbs in places like New Fairfield and Ridgefield and wouldn't go to Danbury anyway. Improving Danbury service for people in Danbury and along the line is the better plan.
Waterbury-New Haven service is an interesting idea. A permanent Devon Transfer would allow some trains to take that route, as well as connections from Waterbury Line trains that end at Devon Transfer to New Haven Line trains to New Haven. That combined with the Barnum station in Bridgeport would add more Metro-North and Amtrak service to those areas, as well as de-congest that whole section of railroad. All much more affordable and much higher priority than this crazy Danbury-Southeast idea.
DutchRailnut wrote: ↑Thu Sep 26, 2019 7:49 pm
Last I heard was only way CDOT gets to run on HRRC is, if they buy the entire railroad at fair market value plus 5 years of last earnings.
Time to start eminent domain proceedings. While HRRC is making life miserable for everyone else involved with them, G&W/P&W/CSOR/NECR has been rebuilding and improving rail lines like crazy.