Connecticut New Haven Line and Shore Line East Service Levels and Cuts

A rather lengthy article on Governor Lamont's proposal to reduce service to 44% of pre-COVID levels: https://ctexaminer.com/2023/05/12/lamon ... ridership/

Interestingly, Shore Line East train #3661 (weekend) appears to stop at Madison now, going towards New Haven, at 7:55 PM. Although it's a bit late for many of the people who would use it to return to NYC, it's good to see them taking advantage of the ridiculous schedule gaps to supplement service.

Well, he's already proposed SLE cuts (shore-line-east-service-levels-and-cuts-t175473.html), why not the Main Line?

MTA budget woes continue as Connecticut proposes cuts to Metro-North’s New Haven Line
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Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has proposed to cut state subsidy for the railroad by about 14%, which would reduce the number of trains running in the Nutmeg State daily from 309 to 260 if approved by Hartford lawmakers ahead of the July 1 start of the Connecticut fiscal year.
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“The Governor’s FY24-FY25 budget proposal is based on the understanding that ridership numbers and travel patterns have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic, and those changes should be reflected in the services provided,” said Morgan. “The legislature’s budget contains similar funding levels in FY24. CTDOT is working in consultation with MTA Metro-North to analyze current ridership patterns and possible schedule adjustments to reflect available funding.”
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“This is purely a Connecticut budget issue that affects transportation within the state of Connecticut and to and from the state of Connecticut,” said Rinaldi. “So there really should not be any ripple effects to the other lines that are operated by Metro-North.”

What remains unclear is exactly how service can be maintained at static levels in New York while being cut in Connecticut, given the tightly-wound integration of operations on one line in two states. Rinaldi said she and her team have been in talks with CT DOT, though the talks have not reached the highest level of New York Governor Kathy Hochul engaging directly with Lamont, a spokesperson for Hochul said.
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So what happens to all the surplus MNRR T&E crews. Does everyone stay on minimum salary or does MNRR repeat the Covid - 19 disastrous furloughs.??

Your probably still paying those same T&E to either dead head back to their cars at the initial terminal, or now more will have their 4hour+ layover in NYC for the day. Labor costs may decrease a bit, but operational savings is probably the goal. Be damned if you can store all those sets that are now going to sit idle for the day in GCT or Hillside, or wherever they can squeeze them in mid-day.

west point wrote: ↑Mon May 29, 2023 10:45 pm So what happens to all the surplus MNRR T&E crews. Does everyone stay on minimum salary or does MNRR repeat the Covid - 19 disastrous furloughs.??

We’re talking about Metro-North, not Amtrak. Can’t imagine what made you think they furloughed people. MNR furloughed no T&E employees during COVID. Everybody was paid their weekly guarantee even if they didn’t work every day.

Not sure yet about the extent of the off-peak service cuts, but I wonder if theyd consider having one Stamford local an hour, and another short-turning at Port Chester. Then add the main Greenwich stop to one of the New Haven trains to maintain 2x an hour for a key station.

Traingeek3629 wrote:Not sure yet about the extent of the off-peak service cuts, but I wonder if theyd consider having one Stamford local an hour, and another short-turning at Port Chester. Then add the main Greenwich stop to one of the New Haven trains to maintain 2x an hour for a key station.

To turn the train back though the consist would have to run at least to the interlocking at Cos Cob and then double back so they'd be that close to Stamford as it is so the train might as well keep making the remaining 4 CT stops. Unless if by "short turn" you mean the train empties and then deadheads to Stamford.

Now if there 1) was an interlocking just west of the station and 2) that planned railyard built within the ex-NYW&B yardspace then perhaps Port Chester ("intra-NYS funded") short turns could work.

I didn’t know that the Westchester had a yard in PC; I thought the NH station precluded that. There was a coach yard for the NH across the Byram R. and the Lifesaver yard. The lead bridge for that yard is now gone.

Info on service cuts: CT Examiner

Big Ideas, Big Cuts for Commuter Rail Across Eastern Connecticut
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“The Governor earmarked millions a few short years ago to secure M8 electric coaches and to make the overhead catenary operational for the Shore Line East … and now with the stroke of his pen and the backing of your senators and representatives, he hobbles the train line with his new budget,” she said.
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With ridership subsidies projected to reach more than $130 per passenger, State Sen. Christine Cohen, D-Guilford, who co-chairs the Transportation Committee told CT Examiner at the time that while she supported the full restoration of Shore Line East Service, there simply wasn’t enough money given the state’s spending caps to fund the $29 million needed to prevent cuts.
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Always more money for capital than operational. The second platform at Clinton only opened last year, and Amtrak never even electrified track 6, that's why there's a run that doesn't go to NLC now, not even a DATTCO bus connection like before.

Thanks for posting the article; very well written.

Update to the service cuts. The early morning round trip has been hosed, and there is a new in New Haven at 8:30am, with a new departure at 5:18pm.

That early morning trip is too early for commuters to New Haven and the MNR connection takes 20 minutes, and gets to NYC just 15 minutes before a train that leaves the SLE stations 50 minutes later. This is an improvement, for once.

Traingeek3629 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 20, 2023 6:31 pm Update to the service cuts. The early morning round trip has been hosed, and there is a new in New Haven at 8:30am, with a new departure at 5:18pm.

That early morning trip is too early for commuters to New Haven and the MNR connection takes 20 minutes, and gets to NYC just 15 minutes before a train that leaves the SLE stations 50 minutes later. This is an improvement, for once.

Rotten luck for me. The eastbound half of that early morning trip out of New Haven has helped me out twice now. Oh well!

https://www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/a ... 429177.php

Connecticut finalizes plan to increase rail fares, cut Metro-North service

After receiving pushback from some disgruntled riders, the Connecticut Department of Transportation on Friday finalized a series of proposed fare increases and service changes to mass transit systems, with modifications to their initial proposal along a single rail line.
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At the same time, the state will remove a total of 21 trains from service by the end of the year, in line with budgetary savings approved by lawmakers and Gov. Ned Lamont this spring.
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The only deviation from the initial DOT proposal released in September was the addition of two peak service trains for Shore Line East, which will replace a pair of early morning trains running back-and-forth between New Haven and New London.

The first of those new peak trains will arrive in New Haven around 8:30 a.m, in order to meet the needs expressed by riders who said in public hearing this month that they rely on the service to get to school and work, according to DOT spokesman Josh Morgan. The second train will depart the city around 5:18 p.m. en route to New London.
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https://www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/a ... 429177.php

Connecticut finalizes plan to increase rail fares, cut Metro-North service

After receiving pushback from some disgruntled riders, the Connecticut Department of Transportation on Friday finalized a series of proposed fare increases and service changes to mass transit systems, with modifications to their initial proposal along a single rail line.
...
At the same time, the state will remove a total of 21 trains from service by the end of the year, in line with budgetary savings approved by lawmakers and Gov. Ned Lamont this spring.
...
The only deviation from the initial DOT proposal released in September was the addition of two peak service trains for Shore Line East, which will replace a pair of early morning trains running back-and-forth between New Haven and New London.

The first of those new peak trains will arrive in New Haven around 8:30 a.m, in order to meet the needs expressed by riders who said in public hearing this month that they rely on the service to get to school and work, according to DOT spokesman Josh Morgan. The second train will depart the city around 5:18 p.m. en route to New London.
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