Visions for the Commuter Rail

[blink55184]

Maybe that could happen if Metro North worked with CDOT.

Then maybe the MBTA would be influenced to stretch their commuter rail

to Springfield. Then who knows! People could flock to "the knowledge corridor"

from both surrounding metros

[mikel]

[GHartford]

Maybe that could happen if Metro North worked with CDOT.

Then maybe the MBTA would be influenced to stretch their commuter rail

to Springfield. Then who knows! People could flock to "the knowledge corridor"

from both surrounding metros

[redbaron]

I don't think there is any question that something like this will happen someday. Of course that might be far, far in the future. The problem is that we are scared to do things like this all at once. We waste money and time on report after report and by the time we do something- like the Springfield/New Haven line, it's even more expensive that it should be, and half-assed.

[drc72]

It's actually not too far in the future, part of the tranportation package that was passed included money earmarked for the Sprinfield to New Haven commuter railway. Building it will be based on how long the Environmental Impact Reports take. Here's the link to the plan website. New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail

I'm sure there is an old topic on this somewhere in the forum.

[blink55184]

Yes, we have discussed the project linked to by red baron and the map posted by mikel, but that is the CDOT own project.

It is not going to directly connect with the metro north system. You would have to switch trains in New Haven. Maybe if another company, metro north, got in on it, things could happen quicker.

[mikel]

Yes, we have discussed the project linked to by red baron and the map posted by mikel, but that is the CDOT own project.

It is not going to directly connect with the metro north system. You would have to switch trains in New Haven. Maybe if another company, metro north, got in on it, things could happen quicker.

[beerbeer]

The DOT will drag its feet on this. They want to spend money on roads not some commuter rail crap. They have other priorities.

[blink55184]

I don't see switching trains in New Haven being too much of a problem. The transfer wouldn't take long with so many trains running out of there. Perhaps they could just use opposite sides of a platform.

With the democratic controlled state senate and house, this project should move pretty quickly now.

[mikel]

opposite platforms would be nice, then you have to get schedules running together, and it could get ugly when a train breaks or is late..

I believe the date right now is 2011 for start of service. That is ridiculous in my opinion.

[DoctorGonzo]

It would be nice if any of the plans serviced towns east of the river, but I doubt that is ever going to happen.

[HartfordTycoon]

It would be nice if any of the plans serviced towns east of the river, but I doubt that is ever going to happen.

[asylumhill]

Wow! Seen from that perspective it seems obvious that Metro-North should go all the way to Hartford.

[redbaron]

Ideally, they would electrify the line and add another rail since most of the way from New Haven to Springfield it's only one rail (thanks Amtrak for ripping up the 2nd rail in the early 90's...)

But will they go that far? Well, the least they will do is fund Amtrak to run the commuter rail like they do Shoreline East. But they could do so much more.

[mikel]

Who knows? There's a chance that eventually the state could get and East to West line from starting from Waterbury going out to East Hartford, Manchester, and further East to the Storrs and Willimantic area. I think if the Hartford New Haven line is a success it will at least set the foundation for further expansion of commuter service.

[fivedayrental]

I remember reading in the local paper a few months back saying that the Danbury Rail Line that goes from Norwalk to downtown Danbury will expanded up to New Milford, with new stations on Federal Road (across from circuit city), Brookfield center and downtown New Milford. I haven't heard any progress since then though.

[blink55184]

Wow! Seen from that perspective it seems obvious that Metro-North should go all the way to Hartford.

[HartfordTycoon]

John Destefano actually suggested a line from Waterbury to Hartford in the debate. But he didn't win, and I don't know if anyone else supports that.

Manchester and Bolton decided to pave their part of the rail line and turn into an infrequently used trail. But hopefully someday they could put rail back in there.

[JimSawhill]

This is the first stage of the plan for startup service. Which seems to me a pretty good start.

Service would operate bi-directionally, Monday through Friday on a 30 minute

peak hour schedule (at least 14 one-way trips).

[JimSawhill]

Yes, I think north of Hartford is stretching it, but if the New Haven line (renamed the Hartford line) terminated in Hartford, it looks very realistic. Waterbury is not that far away and they have lot of riders.

Well the line is still in use almost all the way across Manchester, to the grain factory, but it is out of service past there, as I indicated on this map. I also don't think that would be the way to go, I think a rail should benefit downtown Manchester and follow 384/Manchester Community College.

Google maps actually has it accurate.

[blink55184]

Blink:

Just west of the grain elevator, the South Manchester rail line could be used to bring people to DOWNTOWN MANCHESTER. It would be nice to returned the historic 'SILKWORM' Route to traffic.

JimS

[JimSawhill]

However, that land was just donated to the town, and most of it was cleared for a trail.

Actually, it was back in January.

http://www.journalinquirer.com/site/index....69380&rfi=8

[blink55184]

blink:

Thanks. The old Midland route - Manchester to Willimantic - will be sucessful if the line gets rebuilt. CSO and CNER would love to interchange cars in Willi and the P&W would love to take most of thei New Haven trains off the Shoreline.

Thruthfully, the midland was never offically abandoned -- one night, after Gov. Ella Grasso told the ICC not to approve the abandonment of the Midland by the PC, but one night, they (Penn Central - the worst thing Congress ever did to the rail industry)- especially the New Haven) pulled the rails.

Jim S

[blink55184]

Actually, what I was remembering was the Providence-Worcester Commuter rail.

This would benefit CT as well

Bill would fund commuter rail

in Western Massachusetts

Source: The Republican

BOSTON, MAY 18 -- Last Wednesday legislators unveiled a bill that calls for $500 million for a commuter rail between Springfield and Worcester, reported the Springfield Republican in an article by Dan Ring.

The line is used by Amtrak twice a day for their Lake Shore Limited train from Boston to Chicago and is owned by CSX freight railroad. The track would need significant up-grades to handle commuter rail. The legislators indicated that an extensive study would be needed, including ridership numbers, environmental problems and design construction hurdles.

The bill calls for a $200 million annual fund for other rail projects around the state, including New Bedford and Fall River, two cities that have been clamoring for commuter rail to Boston for 15 years. The fund would receive 2 cents of the state

[runawayjim]

the line from new haven to hartford would have to be something by CT, not metro north, unless the MTA decides to run it (although i doubt that would happen since their main concern is NYC). the reason the line would run west of the river is because it would follow the highway, which is generally what commuter lines do (since highways generally represent where the highest population density exists). so to go along with that, there would be commuter lines from waterbury to hartford along 84, from norwich to hartford along rt 2 with a connection to new london, and the only one that wouldn't really follow a highway (although it should be a highway) is willimantic to hartford along rt 6/384.

ideally, shoreline east would be extended to westerly connecting mystic and groton to new london to take the train to hartford.

and yes, schedules would have to be sync'd to make transfers in the various cities. ideally, bus schedules would also be sync'd with the train schedules. there will always be the problem of a late train and that's just something people have to live with, even in places like NYC, you never know what might go wrong (i was once on a train that was late because a building collapsed in harlem next to the tracks).