Waterbury Branch Thread

Ridgefielder wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 8:04 pmNot to go OT but-- are the passenger counts at NRO really that negligible? I've picked up Amtrak there plenty of times and there seem to be a healthy number of people detraining/entraining. It's not like it just serves New Rochelle itself-- there are over 400k people in the southern tier of Westchester County towns for whom NRO is the most convenient place to catch an NEC train.

Amtrak already stops at Bridgeport, but not during rush hour due to the side platforms. With Barnum Station, they will be able to stop whichever trains they want to. The combination of Barnum Station and Devon Transfer would open up a lot of capacity for MN at Bridgeport.

Looking at the track arrangements at Bridgeport, STM and SoNo, nothing should ever be turned at Bridgeport, the track arrangement just doesn't support it. There is probably demand for at least a train or two a day from Waterbury to STM, just like SLE used to do, but logically most of the Waterbury trains that go out onto the NHL should turn at SoNo. Currently, only Track 6 works for this, but with one more crossover, Track 5 would as well. With Devon Transfer, most Waterbury trains should just stay on the branch, with a train or two a day to STM, a few to SoNo, and a few to NHV.

Did I hear that the Farrel Brass plant in Ansonia is permanently closed now? I love the pics fans take in that area and made a trip through town last fall. What an interesting place. If the building is permanently kaput, are those intra-plant bridges being removed?

It seems a lot is happening on the Waterbury branch. New dual mode locos for future expanded service to NY, new rail cars, new Derby-Shelton Station Multimodal ctr, High platforms at every station, New Naugatuck station development, New Waterbury Station. Does anybody have any news or updates for these projects?

I believe the new CT Rail Plan had something on it.

https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DOT/docum ... 221130.pdf

Page 189:

...and completion of rail station accessibility improvements, such as the addition of high-level platforms on the Waterbury Line.

Above link page 135:

Metro-North Railroad – Waterbury Line Modernizing the Waterbury Line includes design and construction of high-level platforms for five stations (Derby-Shelton, Ansonia, Seymour, Beacon Falls, Naugatuck) and the conversion of the former baggage room at Waterbury Station to a customer waiting area (Figure 3-10). It also includes the rehabilitation of four bridges north of Waterbury Station. These improvements build on the recently completed signal upgrades and the addition of new sidings. CTDOT is also in the process of developing a master plan that evaluates opportunities for service extensions, higher frequencies, and the construction of the new rail yard.35 Together, these improvements will address gaps in service, improve safety, and increase accessibility.