Dock Yard Improvement Expansion and Electrification

[hcobin]

The Connecticut Bond Commission Tuesday approved funding $4 million to design, engineer and construct an upgraded Dock Yard on the New Haven Line's Danbury Branch in South Norwalk. The existing yard -– which consists of one mainline track and two sidings -- is located to the south of Science Rd. and the city's transfer station. It lies between an unused portion of Crescent St. to the west and Oyster Shell Park to the east.

According to Judd Everhart, spokesman for the state's Dept. of Transportation, the project will add sidings and extend electrification to the yard. Everhart said the improved yard will provide a place to "turn" mainline trains during construction of the new WALK bridge. Currently trains turn on the bridge, he said.

After the bridge is completed, Everhart said, the yard will provide operational improvements by serving as a place to turn and start trains without blocking the mainline, and to store trains.

Dock Yard looking south from Science Rd.
Dock Yard -- south from Science Rd small.jpg (481.26 KiB) Viewed 14187 times

Dock Yard looking north toward the I-95 overpass.
Dock Yard -- north toward I95 overpass small.jpg (482.78 KiB) Viewed 14187 times

[Jeff Smith]

News source complementing the above: NancyOnNorwalk

Brief, fair-use quote:

$4M dock yard work intended to enhance rail service

The existing yard – which consists of one mainline track and two sidings – is located to the south of Science Road and the city’s transfer station. It lies between an unused portion of Crescent Street to the west and Oyster Shell Park to the east.
According to Judd Everhart, spokesman for the state’s Department of Transportation, the project will add sidings and extend electrification to the yard.
The existing overhead catenary is de-energized, which means Metro-North’s new M-8 cars cannot operate in the yard. Service on the Danbury Branch is provided by trains pulled and pushed by diesel-electric locomotives.
Everhart said the improved yard will provide a place to “turn” – meaning reverse the direction of – mainline trains during construction of the new WALK bridge.

[DutchRailnut]

Dock yard only has 3 tracks , the main track , controlled siding and MoW track , only main has catenary for about 10 M series cars from signal at CP241.
to upgrade yard, they would need to add a south switch for MoW track in CP400, re configure north end access to MofW track and redo 2 underpasses.
plus put in catenary on all 3 tracks including a train length north of cp 401.

[Jeff Smith]

In the news: Weston Daily Voice

Brief, fair-use quote:

Redding First Selectman Praises Dock Yard For Metro-North's Danbury Branch

"Good news for Redding rail commuters," Pemberton said. "Let's GO CT improvements to the Danbury Branch line are a Go! These improvements, which had bipartisan support, will benefit the Town of Redding, Connecticut and the economic viability of the region as a whole. ...

"This is just the beginning in what will be a lengthy process of upgrades. Electrification will follow," she said.

I hope she reads my comment:

Jeff Smith:
This does nothing for Redding. The yard expansion is needed to facilitate the replacement of WALK bridge, the notoriously unreliable draw bridge which is just east of South Norwalk station. It will be electrified for the purpose of turning M8 main line trains that used to turn on the bridge. As no EMU's (electric multiple units) run on the Danbury line proper, this does nothing to improve service on the Danbury branch, which has languished under 40 years of study. The branch finally has signalization, which has improved service, however, the branch needs passing sidings and extension to New Milford along with more frequent headways. I'd suggest the first selectperson educate herself here: http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=59648" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DutchRailnut]

Gail marches to different drummer, she use to connect with commuters on my train and had no idea about entire branch or how it works.
and if railroaders tried to explain she, twisted the information to suit her program.

[Jeff Smith]

Seems to be a better summary of current events: The Hour

Connecticut Department of Transportation prepares to rebuild Metro-North 'Dock Yard'

The Walk Bridge replacement will require the establishment of a two-track outage on Metro-North's main line to accommodate a significant portion of the construction work, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT).

To address the challenges, ConnDOT plans to undertake the Danbury Line Dock Yard Improvements project.

The $30 million project calls for rebuilding the Norwalk dockyard off Crescent Street, adding track sidings, improving signals and electrifying the southern end of the Danbury Branch Line of Metro-North Railroad.

The project area runs from near Marshall Street to Science Road near the Norwalk Transfer Station. On Thursday afternoon, a design team walked the site.

...

The improvements will allow for 10 train movements per 24-hour period from the outage area to the newly constructed dockyard and provide a new location for trains to "change ends" thus maintaining the existing "South Norwalk Turns," according to ConnDOT.

"Currently on the Danbury branch trains turn around on the Walk Bridge," said state Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-25, of Norwalk. "Obviously, with the impending construction of the Walk Bridge there needs to be a way for the trains to turn around. Also, this will provide better functionality as well."

Long term, the Danbury Line Dock Yard Improvements project will provide additional electrified trackage and prevent Danbury Line service disruptions that currently take place when turning trains block the line. The current track and catenary configuration causes the trains to block the line when turning, resulting in delays.

...ConnDOT hopes to complete design of the project by December and construction by August 2017.

[Jeff Smith]

RT&S

Connecticut bond commission approves funds for Metro-North yard

Connecticut has allocated $17.5 million in state funding for the design, engineering and construction of a new rail yard on the Metro-North Railroad Danbury Branch Line in Norwalk. The funding comes under Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy "Let's Go CT!" initiative, which is making investments to upgrade and modernize the state's transportation system.
...
The funding will be used to make several modifications and enhancements at the rail yard where the Danbury Branch Line connects with the main New Haven Line that will accommodate the replacement of the 119-year-old Walk Bridge.

"Various improvements, such as adding track sidings, signal work and electrification will be made at the southern end of the branch line and will promote train operational efficiencies, including room for train storage and passing of trains during the Walk Bridge replacement project," Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker explained.

[BostonUrbEx]

enhancements at the rail yard where the Danbury Branch Line connects with the main New Haven Line

Is this newspaper-speak for interlocking? So there will be both interlocking improvements and the construction of an all-new yard somewhere?

The closest already-existing yard I can find to Norwalk is in Stamford.

[TomNelligan]

The closest already-existing yard I can find to Norwalk is in Stamford.

"Dock Yard" per the stories quoted above is the legacy name for the sidings on the Danbury Branch just up from the mainline connection. It is a remnant of what in New Haven RR days it was an actual neat little freight yard serving, you guessed it, the local docks on the river, reaching towards the bridge at a lower elevation than the tracks that remain. That's what is going to get expanded/improved.

[hcobin]

It was announced at a meeting in Norwalk Tuesday that more than a mile of the Danbury Branch will be re-electrified as part of the expansion of Dock Yard off Crescent St. The electrification will run from where the branch comes off the main line tracks in South Norwalk to Science Rd. Construction is to begin in 2017 and last approximately two years.

[Railroader]

Seems like a waste of money, but nothing new from CDOT. The branch's wire is live to North Water St. (Cat pole 8). Allowing for trains to turn on the branch currently, this happens daily. As for blocking the branch, that's BS. Run the Danbury trains on track 2 from cp 400 to 401 and turn the trains on track 1. I know that typically turning trains only clear cp241, but if there is such a worry for delays have them clear north of cp400 or modify the schedule accordingly.

[DutchRailnut]

when Walk bridge construction starts, they need more tracks to turn trains at South Norwalk as they can no longer cross bridge and turn when two tracks are out of service.
so one track in dock yard is not enough and even two could block Danbury trains.

[Jeff Smith]

Work delayed: Progressive Railroading

Connecticut DOT delays two New Haven Line projects
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) will begin two New Haven Line projects in October instead of July as originally planned.

The delay is needed to align the planned activities for the projects with other active projects in the area, department officials said in a press release.
...
The other project will improve and electrify the southern portion of the line's 24-mile Danbury Branch. The improvements will enable commuter trains that begin or end in Norwalk to switch direction.
...

[hcobin]

New roadbed for Dock Yard on the Danbury Branch (behind yellow fencing), with the SoNo Collection mall under construction in the background. Shot from beneath the I-95 overpass looking south on Thurs., April 12.

Dock Yd w- mall bckgrnd -- large.jpg (1.08 MiB) Viewed 8093 times

[hcobin]

Before and after photos showing the removal of two of the original beams from the Danbury Branch Ann St. Bridge in South Norwalk. The work is part of the expansion of Dock Yard, north of this location. Eventually, two additional tracks will run over the bridge.

Danbury Branch Ann St. bridge before and after removal of beams.
Ann St. bridge beam removal pair 6.jpg (1.86 MiB) Viewed 7385 times

Workers on Sunday, June 17, were pouring concrete for the base of a catenary pole:

Workers pour concrete footing for catenary pole.
pour cat footing 4.jpg (1.16 MiB) Viewed 7385 times

A portion of the expanded Danbury Branch roadbed, looking south from Ann St. to the mainline wye: