"Fairfield Metro Center" at Black Rock

[The Interloafer]

The Yankee Stadium station isn't the only Metro-North station under construction right now. The new Metro-North stations being planned or built have been discussed elsewhere, but here's a thread devoted specifically to the third station to be located in Fairfield, Conn.

Personally, I think the appropriate name for this station would be Black Rock. Just like Rowayton, Noroton Heights, Southport, Green's Farms, etc., etc., this would be the name of the section of town it's in (or just outside if you want to be technical). The alternative is naming it Fairfield Metro Center. There are two problems with that name. First, are there examples of other train stations named after individual development projects? Second, how confusing would it be to have "Fairfield" and "Fairfield Metro Center" right next to each other?

But whatever it is to be called, this station construction, in my view, is a pretty Big Deal. When was the last time that the mighty New Haven Line got a brand new station? You'd probably have to go back past the creation of Metro-North, past Conrail, past even Penn Central, to the days of the New Haven. (Okay, I guess for that to be true you have to not count New Haven-State Street and the Shore Line East stations, but still.) At any rate, construction is getting off the ground. Here are photos taken yesterday, Saturday, February 7, 2009.


Platform supports under construction on the north side.


Platform supports under construction on the north side.


A train, I think it was #6541, passes through the construction site.


You'd barely notice the station from the Black Rock Turnpike overpass. Aiming the lens through the fence, and zooming in, this shows an overview. The beginnings of two side platforms are coming into view.

[Clean Cab]

As much as I feel that the current Fairfield Station is inadequate, I feel that this new station isn't the answer. It would be different if this new station were going to replace the current Fairfield Station. But adding another stop on the already busy New Haven LIne will just make the commute between New Haven and GCT that much long. Plus let's not forget that there are plans for ANOTHER station that will serve West Haven and Orange near MP 67. Each stop legnthens the trip.

[Otto Vondrak]

Thanks for posting the pics! I forgot that the New Haven line extends east beyond South Norwalk...

I agree, "Black Rock" would be an excellent name for this station. Which means it will most certainly NOT be selected.

[andrewshand]

I totally agree with the previous posts regarding the station name. Not only is Black Rock the closest neighborhood to the station (even if it is situated on the other side of the Bridgeport city line), it is the community that stands to gain most from the introduction of the new station. People living in Black Rock will now be within 10 minutes' walk of the New Haven line; currently their only public transportation option is the GBTA bus service.

Others who stand to benefit include people who commute to work along Commerce Drive, Black Rock Turnpike and Kings Highway East. Currently these areas are served by an hourly bus service (operating in the morning and afternoon only) between Bridgeport and Fairfield. The only other option is the unspeakably awful Fairfield Taxi, which charges around $10 for a trip from Fairfield Staion to Commerce Drive, for a ride in a vehicle that more often than not reeks of cigarette smoke.

While there are newly built luxury apartment buildings close by, at the corner of Kings Highway and Commerce Drive, I doubt that many of the residents will forsake their SUVs for the rails just because the new station is a few minutes' walk way.

But I have to say that I find the argument about another stop lengthening the commute time for people living in Bridgeport and beyond unconvicing. For one thing, I doubt that every train will stop there, just as not every train stops in Greens Farms, East Norwalk, Rowayton, and other smaller stations. And in any case, I don't think an extra 45-60 seconds will really hurt people from Bridgeport, Stratford, Milford and New Haven who already have a journey to GCT of one and a half to two hours.

[Port Jervis]

But whatever it is to be called, this station construction, in my view, is a pretty Big Deal. When was the last time that the mighty New Haven Line got a brand new station?

Does Merrit-7 count? Or like Beacon Falls, is it merely replacing a past station near that spot?

[Port Jervis]

As much as I feel that the current Fairfield Station is inadequate, I feel that this new station isn't the answer. It would be different if this new station were going to replace the current Fairfield Station. But adding another stop on the already busy New Haven LIne will just make the commute between New Haven and GCT that much long. Plus let's not forget that there are plans for ANOTHER station that will serve West Haven and Orange near MP 67. Each stop legnthens the trip.

Very few peak trains make all stops between New Haven and Stamford. There are a few trains which run express from Fairfield to Stamford, saving considerable time. Adding these additional 2 stops will not significantly increase travel times, unless they insist on using push-pulls.

[Jeff Smith]

As much as I feel that the current Fairfield Station is inadequate, I feel that this new station isn't the answer. It would be different if this new station were going to replace the current Fairfield Station. But adding another stop on the already busy New Haven LIne will just make the commute between New Haven and GCT that much long. Plus let's not forget that there are plans for ANOTHER station that will serve West Haven and Orange near MP 67. Each stop legnthens the trip.

Very few peak trains make all stops between New Haven and Stamford. There are a few trains which run express from Fairfield to Stamford, saving considerable time. Adding these additional 2 stops will not significantly increase travel times, unless they insist on using push-pulls.

I still think the "three-zone" solution would work; GCT-Stamford; Stamford-Bridgeport or SoNo; Bridgeport or SoNo to NH.That would cut out a lot of travel time, and would mean the expresses that reach Stamford would not be SRO.

[DutchRailnut]

you should apply to railroad, we really could use some people, to tell us what works (sarcasm mode off)

[Erie-Lackawanna]

I still think the "three-zone" solution would work; GCT-Stamford; Stamford-Bridgeport or SoNo; Bridgeport or SoNo to NH.That would cut out a lot of travel time, and would mean the expresses that reach Stamford would not be SRO.

As the primary guy who does service planning, I can tell you it won't work, and here's one big reason (but not the only reason) why: Your plan takes care of the market going to GCT. It does nothing for--no, wait, it totally screws--the intrastate market. So anyone from east of South Norwalk can't go to work in Stamford, or if they can, they have to change trains - twice if they live east of Bridgeport.

You can tweak it to fix that, but once you start the tweaking, by the time you've silenced all the howls of protest, you have what we have today. And I don't think that's bad, actually. It works, and it works well. It will work much better once we have enough equipment to run the number of trains the ridership warrants.

Jim

[The Interloafer]

Does Merrit-7 count? Or like Beacon Falls, is it merely replacing a past station near that spot?

I don't know the history of Merritt-7. All I know it is one of those few stations that is actually shorter than my home station of Melrose, and anyway, it's on the Danbury Branch not the main line.

[Jeff Smith]

I still think the "three-zone" solution would work; GCT-Stamford; Stamford-Bridgeport or SoNo; Bridgeport or SoNo to NH.That would cut out a lot of travel time, and would mean the expresses that reach Stamford would not be SRO.

As the primary guy who does service planning, I can tell you it won't work, and here's one big reason (but not the only reason) why: Your plan takes care of the market going to GCT. It does nothing for--no, wait, it totally screws--the intrastate market. So anyone from east of South Norwalk can't go to work in Stamford, or if they can, they have to change trains - twice if they live east of Bridgeport.

You can tweak it to fix that, but once you start the tweaking, by the time you've silenced all the howls of protest, you have what we have today. And I don't think that's bad, actually. It works, and it works well. It will work much better once we have enough equipment to run the number of trains the ridership warrants.

Jim

Funny, when I read your reply, I immediately thought of theozno, who wants express door-to-door service from Old Greenwich everywhere! We're getting OT here, and that's my fault. I was responding to another poster who bemoaned the amount of time the commute takes above Stamford during off-peak already. I appreciate your point, though. Personally, I don't think two transfers is a big deal if by doing so, it gets you there faster. And I would stop all trains at Stamford anyway, including the "outer-zone" express trains. It's not like they're flying through Stamford anyway.

I also want to point you to a previous thread on this very topic (and if the moderators want to split these posts out and attach them to the older thread, I would suggest that, although I know how busy they are), where the benefits and drawbacks were discussed. You can find the usual rants there, including from our "dearly departed" Henry6, who opposes any idea that doesn't benefit the southern tier.

As you can see, the idea was not universally reviled, it has some non-foamer reasoned support. I started the topic relevant to a post from the CTRRC, and I didn't see any posts from you at that time:

NH Line - Three Sections?

While not universally reviled, it has drawn some ire and fire from the expected sources:

you should apply to railroad, we really could use some people, to tell us what works (sarcasm mode off)

Now was that called for? Sound likes an ad hominem attack to me.......

Look at the above topic, and you tell me if it's such an outrageous post to suggest this. I appreciate your informative posts as much as anyone else, but it's not like I'm suggesting MNRR service to RI, like some others.........and certainly I'm not suggesting I know how to do your job, or Jim's, any better. It's not like we have the knowledge generated by years of inside experience.

[Otto Vondrak]

Please, back to topic of Metro Center. If you want to talk about three-zone service on the New Haven Line, then see the existing thread. It's been discussed, peopel from the railroad have had their input, people outside the railroad have had their input.

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... &sk=t&sd=a

[The Interloafer]

Connecticut Post editorial 3/20/2009:
Train station must be priority

The key, as always, is the train station. The rest can come later.

Fairfield has been at work for years crafting a plan for its third train station. Everything was proceeding according to schedule, and the project, to be backed up with acres of parking and development, looked strong back when the economy was in good shape. Then, as with the rest of the world, it all fell apart.

The train station project is now in limbo, with the commercial aspect looking dicey. But Fairfield should consider itself lucky. . . .

The train station, though, comes close to a must-build for the region. . . .

[Fred G]

These new stations may mean extra stops and a couple-three more minutes added onto the commute but for the Fairfield-Bridgeport commuter that's a couple minutes on the train rather than a few minutes jockeying for a space in a packed parking lot.

[Jeff Smith]

http://fairfield.patch.com/articles/dea ... in-station

Town and state officials this morning announced a deal to move forward construction of a $250 million project on lower Black Rock Turnpike that would include the town's third train station, a 1,500-space rail commuter parking lot and up to 1 million square feet of commercial space.

The deal calls for Blackrock Realty, LLC, the private developer, to pay an additional $5.2 million into the public portion of the project and for the town to assume control of building an interior road and drainage system on the 35.5 acres and remediating soil along the shoreline of Ash Creek, according to Jeff Parker, deputy commissioner of the state Department of Transportation, and Town Attorney Richard Saxl.

The town previously agreed to build the parking lot for train station commuters under a tri-party agreement among the DOT, town and Blackrock Realty and also agreed to improve off-site intersections to handle heavier traffic.

The state several months ago agreed to bond up to $19.4 million for the interior road, drainage system and shoreline remediation and the town has about $5 million left of its original $6 million appropriation for the project, which doesn't include a $4 million federal grant that was used by the town to buy the 8.83 acres where the commuter lot will be built.