CTDOT: Hartford Line

scratchyX1 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:59 am MN is prototyping battery /electric mus, should be logical for cdot to do same

Is there an official article which states that? I remember hearing the LIRR announcing a plan to convert their M7s into Battery Powered Units, but not for Metro North or CDOT. Would make sense for them to follow a similar program though.

Yes, the LIRR is the one doing a pilot program. MNR isn’t at the moment but I believe -being the MTA’s other sister railroad- they will obviously be well aware of what the progress and findings are.

But one should be wary of using batteries to power any kind of heavy rail train. Especially lithium batteries. Their safety in electric cars is very questionable and what happens to them after their shelf life has expired is far more of an environmental catastrophe than burning fossil fuels in Tier 4 locomotives or using fossil fuels to power catenary wires.

And at this point in time all railroads are looking to simplify their fleets with as little diversity as possible (especially for parts and maintenance reasons) so going forward CTDOT either replaces ALL non-electric engines and rolling stock (including on the Danbury and Waterbury branches) with BEMUs or they replace them with new diesels and coaches. I don’t think they’d want a small enough captive fleet for just 2 lines. Their plan is to replace all existing CTrail cars and presumably their share of the MNR equipment pool with the same model of coach car so at least there’s operational and maintenance flexibility to be had in doing that.

Ctrail’s brand new diesel hauled coaches will probably be single level and some sort of Siemens- based off of the design of the Brightline Venture Cars. There’s no doubt that the MBB and Mafersa Cars have to go. They are up their in age and not clean. The ride quality in those MBB cars is rough and that hinders them from being able to go faster than 80, I think.

The MNR and CDOT(MNR pool) owned Shoreliners are expected to be replaced with some sort of multilevel vehicle.

CtDOT's shared fleet with MNRR needs are a bit more complicated. For one thing at this time they require two types of traction power, whether going to either GCT or in the near future NYP. So D/M Chargers would only add to the complexity - you'd have AC/DC/Diesel. Ultimately, they may only use diesel until they reach territory which forbids it. So, west of Harold, and south of 125th for unelectrified branches, will be the only electric stretches. There are also speed restrictions when using DC.

You could conceivably use D/M's like the ALP-45DP for MNRR/CtDOT branches, but electrification of Danbury and Waterbury would be cost-prohibitive. Someone upthread mentioned DMU's; I agree. You'd need FRA compliant, with transfers at either Devon, Bridgeport, SoNo, or Stamford. Guillietti is not interested.

North of New Haven, I do think electrification does have some utility, but of course, has extremely high costs in both installation and fleet. A Charger variant with Diesel and AD could work.

East of New Haven, you're fine, of course.

Two months ago I saw rail car with rails parked near Flatbush Ave. My thought was they were going to install Welded rail between Oakwood and Parkville and extend the area of double track for passenger trains. Is that going to happen?

I mean... really, are they trying to kill this service?

https://portal.ct.gov/DOT/CTDOT-Press-R ... ce-Changes

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) today announced rail service changes on the Hartford Line (HL) to accommodate two projects that will improve safety and rider experience. The roof replacement on the historic platform canopy in Hartford Union Station consists of improving the canopy roofing and lighting replacement over the passenger boarding platform.

As a result of these projects, substitute bus service will replace most of the Amtrak and CTrail train services on the HL effective Monday, July 18, 2022 through Friday, September 9, 2022.

So service is going to be bustituted from the middle of July until (almost) the middle of September, for primarily platform canopy work (and some work in Windsor). Its going to take that long to replace a canopy? And in this day in age, its going to require a full nearly 2 month track outage? For a canopy? Really??!!?? Overnight work can't be done instead? Maybe x-ne the last train of the night to give you a bigger window. Sure, that might stretch the project til later in the fall for completion, but it would retain most of train service.

And what of those using Amtrak? Specifically the Vermonter and the other regionals on the line? In the case of the Vermonter, is there going to be a bus bridge between New Haven and Springfield, with a train north of SPG and south of NHV? It seems, especially this summer with the high price of gas, that you'd want to do everything in your power to keep vehicles off the road and to give the public a reliable transportation alternative to driving and the roads. But, I guess not in ConnDOT's eyes.

I seem to remember the last time there was platform work, the Track 2 platform access was utilized, with an opening created in the fence so that you could walk to the Track 1 platform. Why couldn't that be implemented here? (though I am unsure if there is an elevator from Union Station to Track 2).

My guess is the contracts for canopy work was signed months ago, before gas prices shot up, and possibly demand was seen as staying low.
Good question, what of the other passenger service?

There hasn't been an operational Track 2 in Hartford for quite some time. The viaduct can no longer support a second track.

Still, this frustrates me greatly and I have no idea why they can't do this work overnight. Summer 2022 is the time to bring ridership back.

From the CTsource Bid Board



The specifications can be found on this link
https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/BidBoard

Why is the Shore Line East name still in the bid?

daybeers wrote: ↑Sun Jun 26, 2022 9:15 pm Why is the Shore Line East name still in the bid?

A couple of reasons I could see are judging by the dates listed in the bid, the notice was posted prior to the M8s entering revenue service on SLE. Also, CTDOT may be covering their bases to run diesels if they don't have enough M8s to make runs or the catenary is out.

Would it make sense to have rail service from Berlin and south to New Haven with connecting busses to the north.
Also, no mention of adding a second track in Enfield-Windsor Locks or upgrading the second track between Oakwood Ave and Parkville. It would seem that if they need to close the line, do everything.
When they do get the funding and add the second track as well as replace the Ct river bridge, they will need to close the line again. Try to get quick funding approval now and add that to the tasks to be done. I assume design work was done pre 2018. Unless they want to redo the design work again and again and again,
Also,
1-They just upgraded the line and signals in Windsor in 2017-2018. How many times do they need to do the same thing over and over. I do recall the grade crossing in Windsor was done at least twice.
2) Isn't the Hartford station going to be moved when I 84 is rebuilt? They did not spend the $ to add the second track and fix the viaduct because of that. Why spend $ now unless the I 84 ROW will not be changing.

Summary - if they need to shut down operations, do it once and do everything at one time.

.

Seems very feeble to not be able to do that work without closing the railway for two months. And moreso, knowing the current station is temporary (long term temporary admittedly!) - but needs a real station building with capacity for many more services, wires etc in future.

Train322 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 9:56 am Also, no mention of adding a second track in Enfield-Windsor Locks or upgrading the second track between Oakwood Ave and Parkville. It would seem that if they need to close the line, do everything.
When they do get the funding and add the second track as well as replace the Ct river bridge, they will need to close the line again. Try to get quick funding approval now and add that to the tasks to be done. I assume design work was done pre 2018. Unless they want to redo the design work again and again and again,

Double tracking Windsor-Enfield is an unfunded project at the moment, although there is some talk that they are now doing design work so that they can apply for federal dollars when grant money under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law becomes available.

Replacing the CT River bridge in Windsor Locks is along term item. There is no plan at all that I've heard of to replace this bridge anytime soon.

A lot of detailed infromation can be found in this doc -- https://nec-commission.com/app/uploads/ ... Mar-22.pdf

daybeers wrote: ↑Sat Jun 25, 2022 11:22 pm There hasn't been an operational Track 2 in Hartford for quite some time. The viaduct can no longer support a second track.

What I was referring to was utilizing the access from the historic station to Track 2, then gap the fence to provide access to Track 1. This was done maybe 10 years ago when there was platform or canopy work taking place on Track 1. It could be a temporary low level platform with a temporary high level section. It would maintain service and permit Hartford to still be a passenger stop during the canopy work.

Or is there no handicap access (ie-elevator) from the historic station up to the Track 2 platform? I know there's the "historic stairs".