Railroad Forums 

Discussion relating to the operations of MTA MetroNorth Railroad including west of Hudson operations and discussion of CtDOT sponsored rail operations such as Shore Line East and the Springfield to New Haven Hartford Line

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 #1524102  by gregorygrice
 
jxzz wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 8:35 pm
Train322 wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 8:24 pm Why is a portion of the platform in Berlin Ct closed?
This includes a section with a ticket machine.
It does not look like they are doing any construction.

They have a sign saying to enter at the tower location.
I noticed that too when I used Berlin station in the summer time. Maybe out of safety concern? That portion is outside of station and close to track. They may not want riders to walk cross track to short cut the walk.
Work is being performed on the platform heating system on the south end before the next winter season starts. All of the new platforms have heated floors to prevent snow and ice build up.
 #1524185  by daybeers
 
gregorygrice wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2019 1:18 pm
jxzz wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 8:35 pm
Train322 wrote: Sat Nov 02, 2019 8:24 pm Why is a portion of the platform in Berlin Ct closed?
This includes a section with a ticket machine.
It does not look like they are doing any construction.

They have a sign saying to enter at the tower location.
I noticed that too when I used Berlin station in the summer time. Maybe out of safety concern? That portion is outside of station and close to track. They may not want riders to walk cross track to short cut the walk.
Work is being performed on the platform heating system on the south end before the next winter season starts. All of the new platforms have heated floors to prevent snow and ice build up.
What's the work, and is it needed at the other stations? The portion of both platforms at Berlin has been closed for several months now.
 #1524445  by daybeers
 
On Friday, November 1st, ConnDOT announced the new Hartford Line schedule effective Monday, November 11th. They still refer to the Amtrak trains as "Regionals" even though most of them are called Hartford Line trains now except for the Valley Flyers and the through Northeast Regionals. There aren't many changes, which really frustrates me. The four hour gap in the middle of the day during the week southbound is still there, and CTrail #4404 still gets into Hartford at 9:05 AM, instead of moving it earlier for those who need to be at work at 9. There is seemingly no work to getting it to a clockface schedule (e.g. not having to remember the schedule and knowing each train arrives at a certain station every hour/two hours/half-hour during peak times. Southbound weekday Amtrak #479 moved five minutes later at every station and the next train, CTrail #4467, moved 37 minutes later, and as noted below, originates in Windsor Locks.

I do appreciate the Valley Flyer trains being listed as connecting trains in Springfield, but confused that they changed the number of 448 to 48.

The rest of the Amtrak Hartford Line trains have changes of one to three minutes and the connecting Amtrak and Metro-North train times changed to connect with their updated timetables.

What is interesting is the one train in each direction every day which originates/terminates in Windsor Locks.

From the email from ConnDOT, which you can get by signing up for alerts at hartfordline.com
Amtrak train 412 will NOT operate on Wednesday, November 27, 2019.
CTrail trains 4467 and 6455 now originate from Windsor Locks.
CTrail trains 4466 and 6454 now terminate in Windsor Locks.
NOTE: Additional train service and backup bus service will be provided during the busy Thanksgiving Holiday period. More details will be posted on HartfordLine.com prior to Friday, November 22.
New CTrail Hartford Line printable schedule available here.
Full CTrail Hartford Line schedule with connections available here.
 #1524447  by daybeers
 
On Friday, November 1st, ConnDOT announced the new Hartford Line schedule effective Monday, November 11th. They still refer to the Amtrak trains as "Regionals" even though most of them are called Hartford Line trains now except for the Valley Flyers and the through Northeast Regionals. There aren't many changes, which really frustrates me. The four hour gap in the middle of the day during the week southbound is still there, and CTrail #4404 still gets into Hartford at 9:05 AM, instead of moving it earlier for those who need to be at work at 9. There is seemingly no work to getting it to a clockface schedule (e.g. not having to remember the schedule and knowing each train arrives at a certain station every hour/two hours/half-hour during peak times. Southbound weekday Amtrak #479 moved five minutes later at every station and the next train, CTrail #4467, moved 37 minutes later, and as noted below, originates in Windsor Locks.

I do appreciate the Valley Flyer trains being listed as connecting trains in Springfield, but confused that they changed the number of 448 to 48.

The rest of the Amtrak Hartford Line trains have changes of one to three minutes and the connecting Amtrak and Metro-North train times changed to connect with their updated timetables.

What is interesting is the one train in each direction every day which originates/terminates in Windsor Locks.

From the email from ConnDOT, which you can get by signing up for alerts at hartfordline.com
Amtrak train 412 will NOT operate on Wednesday, November 27, 2019.
CTrail trains 4467 and 6455 now originate from Windsor Locks.
CTrail trains 4466 and 6454 now terminate in Windsor Locks.
NOTE: Additional train service and backup bus service will be provided during the busy Thanksgiving Holiday period. More details will be posted on HartfordLine.com prior to Friday, November 22.
New CTrail Hartford Line printable schedule available here.
Full CTrail Hartford Line schedule with connections available here.
 #1524471  by njtmnrrbuff
 
Is there any reason why a pair of those Ctrail trains is going as far as Windsor Locks? Is it a lack of ridership or construction related? It would be good if that large afternoon gap on weekdays was closed between trains too. I know that the Vermonters run in that time slot but still, there needs to be an option for people traveling between New Haven and Springfield.
 #1524505  by gokeefe
 
Imagine having this conversation during the Penn Central era ... "Not in a million years" would there have been any hope whatsover for anything additional ... Not only is it "progress" but we are getting close to service levels this line has never seen at all.
 #1524518  by JcPinCT
 
https://www.ct2030.com/vision/mass-transit/

https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol ... story.html

Gov. Lamont's office released its CT2030 transportation plan with the following proposed Hartford Line improvements and new stations.

1. Adding a second track in the Windsor Locks and Enfield area enabling more frequent train service.
2. Constructing new stations at Windsor Locks and Enfield to provide level boarding and support ongoing economic development.

The above two items have an estimated project cost of $205 million.

Under a separate item in the CT2030 plan, the Hartford Line would also receive new rolling stock that can reach up to 110 mph and be equipped with two-by-two seating, onboard mobile device charging, and café tables.
 #1524550  by Train322
 
I would have thought the morning train from New Haven should be extended to Windsor with a bus connection to Day Hill Road.

Lots more needed to get this line up to the level it needs to be. And as mentioned, coordinate the schedule so we know at ten minutes past each hour or past each even hour, the train leaves.

It is confusing.
Also, any chance they add a late train to connect with the 11:26 MN train from GCT?
Need to have a later than 7pm out of GCT way to go.
 #1524551  by Train322
 
Separate question.
Why would the Enfield station cost $50m, the Windsor Locks station cost $65m while Wallingford brand new station cost $21m?

Sounds like $70m of waste.
Which politicians are robbing the state blind?
 #1524564  by jxzz
 
Enfield Station is in Lamont's published CT2030 today:
https://www.ct2030.com/vision/mass-transit/

Enfield: New Hartford Line Station
Total Estimated Project Cost: $50 Million


So this is part of $21 billion ct2030 plan for infrastructure investment in next 10 years. Not sure it will get passed or not, it does appear to have
quite support broadly.
 #1524589  by JcPinCT
 
Train322 wrote: Thu Nov 07, 2019 6:20 pm Separate question.
Why would the Enfield station cost $50m, the Windsor Locks station cost $65m while Wallingford brand new station cost $21m?
I believe that CTDOT includes property acquisition costs in their station build estimates. This could be a reason for the large cost differences in addition to individual building specifications.
 #1524590  by JcPinCT
 
jxzz wrote: Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:24 pm Enfield Station is in Lamont's published CT2030 today:
https://www.ct2030.com/vision/mass-transit/

Enfield: New Hartford Line Station
Total Estimated Project Cost: $50 Million

So this is part of $21 billion ct2030 plan for infrastructure investment in next 10 years. Not sure it will get passed or not, it does appear to have
quite support broadly.
Yep. Politics > everything else
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