Hartford Line CtDOT New Haven-Springfield - NHHS (Before Launch of Service)

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

Springfield Line doesn't have any onerous vertical clearance restrictions, so lease power can be literally anything that has capability for a non-convoluted cab signal + ACSES install. Even stuff that has never been deployed in this neck of the woods before, like F59PH's. Since the T's inoperable Screamers don't have cabs or PTC either some fresher power dispersals from Metrolink or GO (if 480V is doable) probably have better shot. They won't have a problem finding something serviceable on the aftermarket.

Cab cars are going to be a bigger problem. The T's stored units need an upgrade from ACSES I to ACSES II firmware for the Springfield Line's and New Haven Line's new PTC installations. The existing installs are 16 years old and more or less at rated component replacement age, so there's probably little to no cost savings as they'd need completely new signal equipment any which way in order to transact to a new railroad. The T may have also picked over a lot of the stored cabs for spare signal units to feed the residual fleet. The units held on the Cape for possible Cape Flyer repurposement don't travel in ACSES I territory on the Old Colony Lines, so they're fair game to raid for parts. They'll need upgrade anyway if they're still operating when the Old Colony gets ACSES II in a few years.

I'm almost certain MARC has already taken its scrap bids on the MARC IIA fleet and has only held over a few for conversion to additional bike cars...so those are already past-tense. The IIB's were the ones loaned out to SEPTA during the Silverliner V outage, not any stored IIA's. And they need the IIB's back at home to backstop the fleet when their Kawasaki bi-level midlife overhaul program starts soon. IIB's aren't going to be available for short-term lease.

I honestly can't think of anyone else who's got spare flats. NJT has purged nearly all stored Comets, the Constitution Liners still rotting in NHV aren't FRA-compliant anymore without self-defeatingly costly overhaul, and nobody else has a new procurement scheduled that's going to displace any old 48-inch boarding coaches on timetable anywhere near next 12-24 months.

[R36 Combine Coach]

I honestly can't think of anyone else who's got spare flats. NJT has purged nearly all stored Comets, the Constitution Liners still rotting in NHV aren't FRA-compliant anymore without self-defeatingly costly overhaul, and nobody else has a new procurement scheduled that's going to displace any old 48-inch boarding coaches on timetable anywhere near next 12-24 months.

MBB coaches?

[Backshophoss]

Were "put away wet" into storage,some might have been parts "supplies" for the remaining MBB's still in service.
Most have some sort of "Bodyshell Rot" that makes them unsafe to use.
Only a very expensive($$$$$$) rebuild could save them.

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

I honestly can't think of anyone else who's got spare flats. NJT has purged nearly all stored Comets, the Constitution Liners still rotting in NHV aren't FRA-compliant anymore without self-defeatingly costly overhaul, and nobody else has a new procurement scheduled that's going to displace any old 48-inch boarding coaches on timetable anywhere near next 12-24 months.

MBB coaches?

That's what I was referring to. There are probably enough best-of-the-rest MBB trailers to pick through that'll pass inspection and last 2-4 years in leaser light duty without additional work, but the cab cars flat-out aren't plug-and-play in current configuration as the PTC units aren't ACSES II compatible. The current ACSES I + cab signals configuration in the 1500 series is also at component replacement age, so even if they were plug-and-play compatible with the Springfield Line the regulatory red tape for re-qualifying them for service out of mothballs to an out-of-house railroad is most likely going to require a full-cost replacement of the signal components to pass FRA muster. Not a deal-breaker by any means because you're only talking like 4 cabs acquired as matching pairs to the 4 leaser locos they already have to spend $$$ to signal-equip. But anything that CDOT imports for cabs is going to need to go out for modifications to new signal units regardless of point of origin, so nothing is ever going to be totally effortless and straightforward about assembling this loaner fleet.

[DutchRailnut]

And we all know how ConnDOT is when it comes to rebuilding anything, the 4 NJT P40's are still not worked on or out for rebuild, a few other engines are sitting in dead line just being used as part supply.
Meanwhile Molloy keeps spending money like a drunken sailor, but will end up with nothing to run in one years time.
Ohh and those M-8's have still not been certified or tested on Shoreline other than one test, being towed.

[The EGE]

$50 million in additional state funds announced: http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?A=1373&Q=590304" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Commissioner James P. Redeker today announced that the State Bond Commission approved $50 million in additional funding for the New-Haven-Hartford-Springfield (NHHS) Rail Program during its February 1, 2017 meeting.

The funding will support the design and environmental permitting for new CTrail Hartford Line stations in North Haven, Newington, West Hartford, Windsor, Windsor Locks and Enfield as well as 7.5 miles of double track from Windsor to Enfield. This funding will also support the construction of approximately 4 miles of double track between Hartford and Windsor, which is currently underway.

My understanding is that this should allow the rebuilt station at Windsor; relocated Windsor Locks station; and new stations at North Haven, Newington, West Hartford, and Enfield to reach final design (i.e, be shovel-ready).

The 4 miles appears to be the section between the north end of the Hartford Running Track near MP39 and the existing end of DT near MP43 (just north of Windsor station). The new 7.5 miles, meanwhile, would be from north of MP46 to south of MP49 (existing DT to just south of Suffield Industrial Track) and north of MP50 to existing DT south of MP55. That would complete, if I'm understanding correctly, track upgrades and double-tracking except for the CT River bridge.

[ebtmikado]

Hartford Line operator has been selected. Identity of the party will be announced once contract is signed.

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/news/sta ... lroad.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The state Department of Transportation has chosen an operator for the Hartford Line scheduled to run 17 trains daily from New Haven to Hartford, and 12 to Springfield, but won’t release a name until details are finalized, DOT officials said Wednesday.

“We have selected a service provider but will not announce who it is until we have negotiated an agreement or a contract with them,” said DOT spokesman Judd B. Everhart. “This is because, if we can’t successfully negotiate a contract with them, we will go to the next interested service provider.”

The timing of any formal announcement will be dictated by the success of the negotiations, Everhart said, but he expects it to be this spring.

Everhart told the Record-Journal the name of the operator and a list of candidates is not public information and exempt from the state Freedom of Information Act until the hiring process is complete, or the commissioner deems revealing the information is in the public interest.

. . .

Amtrak is considered the first pick to service the Hartford Line, but Metro-North and other outside providers could also be considered. The request for qualifications generated multiple candidates, Everhart said.

CDOT has selected the operator. If and when a contract can be worked out, ACI will be the operator.

[DutchRailnut]

cool so who is ACI??
have they operated other stuff ??
how long did they last before replaced ??

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

ACI was one-third of the partnership that had the last stupendously unsuccessful MBTA commuter rail contract under the "MBCR" corporate umbrella. I don't know how much of that experience can be pinned solely on them vs. other two partners Bombardier and Veolia, however. BBD is it's own kind of messed-up lately and Veolia's rep is trash. The whole stinking mess was a real rogue's gallery all-around, but the way the partnership was constructed was so peculiar in itself it's nearly useless for comparison. ACI solo would be incapable of acting like the MBCR partnership did...but ACI solo is still a bit of a blank slate.

[Ridgefielder]

Looks like they're currently operating the Phoenix metro and are part of the partnership running the (brand-new) Denver commuter rail system. Operations about which I know nothing aside from the fact that they exist.

[CRail]

Alternate Concepts Inc. also owns Paul Revere Transportation (a large Boston based bus company that operates charter buses and various shuttle services including Logan Airport and Longwood Medical Area shuttle bus systems) and operates Tren Urbano in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The company's president, James O'Leary, is a former GM of the MBTA and has held various other positions within the MA state government.

ebtmikado, do you have a citable source? Everything I've been hearing is that Amtrak will be the operator. Of course my sources aren't official but it's a grapevine of typically knowledgeable and reliable information (and more than one) and it would surprise me if they were all wrong.

[Jeff Smith]

Some nice pictures up: https://www.facebook.com/NHHSRail/posts ... 5275432740" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wallingford trackways look really neat, although I wish it were a little closer to the old station and downtown (although that wasn't practical). And the inside of the Berlin station is very nice. Meriden still looks like it has a long way to go, though.

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

CDOT vs. MBTA design specs:

CDOT habitually builds too-short platforms it has to keep going back to re-extend for longer consists because they never think more than 5 years ahead on capacity future-proofing. MBTA specs that every new-construction platform be 800 ft. out-of-box unless physically impossible so everything's future-proofed for a 9-pack train even on the lines that have never seen more than 5 cars.

MBTA builds rickety piece-of-crap ped overpasses that are little better than enclosed construction scaffolding, then lose station accessibility when they have to inevitably be closed 12 years after construction because they're collapsing into fine-granuled piles of rust and wait 4 years for funding to rebuild them all over again with new toothpick steel. CDOT builds such magnificent overpasses they'll be featured in that History Channel series about the last buildings to collapse after the extinction of humanity.


Somewhere in-between is the world's most perfect combination of prefab commuter station construction.

[Jeff Smith]

So true...

[jonnhrr]

When all the dust settles on the currently planned double track construction, how much single track will be left on the Springfield Line?

Besides the section through Hartford station, which is held hostage by the I-84 relocation/rebuild, will there be any other major sections?

Jon