Waterbury Branch Thread

[ExCon90]

Federal Railroad Authority must be a new governing body I have not yet heard of (rolls eyes)...

It's the best the reporter could come up with without actual fact-checking. Fact-checking is so tedious ... Hell, you still see "American Association of Railroads" occasionally from people who ought to know better.

[Amtrak7]

I thought this project was only a dream/in EIS stages, but apparently its happpening. MTA is approving at this week's board meeting an $18 million 15 month contract to Alstom Signaling to furnish signal system components for the Port Jervis Line, Waterbury Branch, and CP109.

Source: Nov 2012 MNR committee materials p52

[Clean Cab]

$18 million is peanuts compared to what it would cost to put cab signals/ATC on just the Waterbury Branch. The FRA PTC mandate is getting close (2015). I think railroads can ask for postponements. But all non signalled lines that carry passenger trains must have cab signal/ATC eventually.

[DutchRailnut]

cab/atc is not PTC, even MNCR has to upgrade to ACSES to be compliant. The mandated 2015 deadline has already been pushed back.

[Amtrak7]

$18 million is peanuts compared to what it would cost to put cab signals/ATC on just the Waterbury Branch.

This does not include the cost of the labor to actually install the equipment, something I would imagine is a huge number.

[Jeff Smith]

Let's just hope they don't recreate the wheel and take years a la Danbury.

[Backshophoss]

One can only hope MNR can apply the lessions learned from the Danbury Branch project to the Waterbury Branch,
How many active passing sidings need CP's on the Waterbury Branch??

Back when the Maybrook line was intact,Devon to Derby Jct was 2 main tracks,CTC controled.

[DutchRailnut]

besides CP500 there would be a CP at both ends of interchange siding at MP1 and 2 and at passing siding in Waterbury.
Plus probably a CP for maybrook

[Jeff Smith]

Let's hope it's part of a larger process with passing sidings as mentioned by Backshop. Right now, if only one train can occupy the entire branch at a time, signalization doesn't do much. Of course, CP's can be added as sidings are, right?

[famcrown]

Contrary to what i have read on these boards,
the 5:57am train out of wtby goes straight to grandcentral.
beside wtby line, it stops in bridgeport, stamford next, then local to grand central. (technically a thru train)
you can switch at stamford expess to GCT or stay on the train (bout 20min longer) and go to GCT.

not sure why they run the deisel into GCT, i assume the M-8'S are more efficient. maybe not enough trains.


Also I saw people were asking about a Roof above the old platform,

here is a pic. All rights reserved by owner of pic. (not me)
http://www.bronsonlibrary.org/filestora ... ressed.pdf

[truck6018]

Contrary to what i have read on these boards,
the 5:57am train out of wtby goes straight to grandcentral.
beside wtby line, it stops in bridgeport, stamford next, then local to grand central. (technically a thru train)
you can switch at stamford expess to GCT or stay on the train (bout 20min longer) and go to GCT.

The equipment runs to GCT, the train does not. By timetable it's train 1923 from Waterbury to Stamford. That train then turns to 1325 which is a zipper making local stops from Stamford to Greenwich, then goes direct to GCT (contrary to popular belief, not all trains stop at Harlem-125).

not sure why they run the deisel into GCT, i assume the M-8'S are more efficient. maybe not enough trains.

Numerous reasons. There are set equipment cycles for service purposes. This particular equipment I don't know the reason, but there are often trains that dead head from GCT to Highbridge for cleaning and fueling.

[Amtrak7]

The equipment runs to GCT, the train does not. By timetable it's train 1923 from Waterbury to Stamford. That train then turns to 1325 which is a zipper making local stops from Stamford to Greenwich, then goes direct to GCT (contrary to popular belief, not all trains stop at Harlem-125).

Is the train fumigated at Stamford? (in other words, do they kick everyone off?)

[famcrown]

Many switch to the express, but no one has to get off, some stay on the train if they can spare 20min.

Kinda cool to stay in ur seat from waterbury to GCT.

[truck6018]

The equipment runs to GCT, the train does not. By timetable it's train 1923 from Waterbury to Stamford. That train then turns to 1325 which is a zipper making local stops from Stamford to Greenwich, then goes direct to GCT (contrary to popular belief, not all trains stop at Harlem-125).

Is the train fumigated at Stamford? (in other words, do they kick everyone off?)

No.

The once or twice that I have worked that train, some do change but many do not as they are already settled and don't want to worry about finding a seat on another train.

[excitebike]

Almost no one changes at Stamford from the Waterbury train. There is only a 5 minute layover at Stamford and the train frequently arrives a bit late anyway. If it did arrive on time, you could switch to the 7:22 and arrive at GCT a full 11 minutes earlier. This is a terrible bet to make, as the 7:22 is from Danbury and is also frequently a few minutes late. The next train to leave is the 7:27, the train from New Canaan, typically on-time but lately has been badly overcrowded due to the late 7:22 arriving after it. You would save 6 minutes by taking this train.

Basically, from 7:16 to 7:32am, 5 trains depart Stamford for Grand Central, two of which originate in New Haven, one from Danbury, one from Waterbury, and one from New Canaan, all of which tend to be one to four minutes late. Things are quite hopping, and last minute track changes are frequent. It's a great time to leave from Stamford Station, as you never have to wait very long, even if schedules are off.