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New Haven Line (Metro-North)
Encyclopedia
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
New Haven Line runs from New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
southwest to Woodlawn, New York. There it joins the Metro-North Harlem Line, where trains continue south to Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
The line is owned by Metro-North from Woodlawn to the New York-Connecticut border. From the state line to New Haven, the Right-of-Way is owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation
Connecticut Department of Transportation
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The current Commissioner of ConnDOT is Jeffrey Parker...
(CDOT). From west to east in Connecticut, three branches split off: the New Canaan Branch, Danbury Branch, and Waterbury Branch
Waterbury Branch
Metro-North Railroad's Waterbury Branch is a branch of the New Haven Line, running north from a junction east of Stratford to Waterbury. Originally built as the Naugatuck Railroad, it once continued north to Winsted...
, all owned by CDOT.
In addition to Metro-North trains, Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Northeast Regional and Acela Express
Acela Express
The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...
use the line between New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
and New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
. Shore Line East
Shore Line East
Shore Line East is a commuter rail service operating in southern Connecticut, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation , SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor from New London west to New Haven, with continuing service to Bridgeport...
, a commuter service operated by Amtrak for CDOT, also operates over the New Haven Line from its normal terminus at New Haven
Union Station (New Haven)
Union Station, also known as New Haven Railroad Station, is the main railroad passenger station in New Haven, Connecticut. Designed by noted American architect Cass Gilbert, the beaux-arts Union Station was completed and opened in 1920 after the previous Union Station was...
with limited express service to Stamford
Stamford (Metro-North station)
The Stamford Metro-North Railroad station, officially known as the Stamford Transportation Center serves commuters both leaving and entering Stamford, Connecticut via the New Haven Line. Some Amtrak Northeast Corridor trains also stop at Stamford....
with a single stop in Bridgeport
Bridgeport (Metro-North station)
The Bridgeport Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Bridgeport, Connecticut and its surrounding towns that do not have a Metro-North stop like Trumbull, via the New Haven Line. The station is the transfer point between the Waterbury Branch and the Northeast Corridor mainline...
.
Early history
The rail line from New York to New Haven was completed by 1849, and commuters started using the trains soon afterward.The Great Blizzard of 1888
Great Blizzard of 1888
The Great Blizzard of 1888 or Great Blizzard of '88 was one of the most severe blizzards in United States' recorded history. Snowfalls of 40-50 inches fell in parts of New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and sustained winds of over produced snowdrifts in excess of...
blocked the rail line in Westport, between the Saugatuck and Greens Farms stations. It took eight days to restore service, as snow was dug out by hand.
In the early twentieth century, the line was electrified and steam locomotives were replaced.
The line was part of the the New York and New Haven Railroad
New York and New Haven Railroad
The New York and New Haven Railroad was a railroad connecting New York City to New Haven, Connecticut along the shore of the Long Island Sound. It opened in 1849, and in 1872 it merged with the Hartford and New Haven Railroad to form the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad...
— after 1872, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
— which had trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
over the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
's New York and Harlem Railroad
New York and Harlem Railroad
The New York and Harlem Railroad was one of the first railroads in the United States, and possibly also the world's first street railway. Designed by John Stephenson, it was opened in stages between 1832 and 1852 between Lower Manhattan to and beyond Harlem...
into Grand Central.
End of New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad
Penn Central, the Metropolitan Transportation AuthorityMetropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York is a public benefit corporation responsible for public transportation in the U.S...
and the states of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
agreed on November 25, 1969, that New York would buy its section of the line and Connecticut would lease its section as far as New Haven. The acquisition took place on January 1, 1971, and included the three branches.
After Penn Central went bankrupt, the Consolidated Rail Corporation
Consolidated Rail Corporation
The Consolidated Rail Corporation, commonly known as Conrail , was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeast U.S. between 1976 and 1999. The federal government created it to take over the potentially profitable lines of bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and...
took over operations, until Metro-North was formed in 1983. Metro-North undertook to rebuild the railroad, upgrading signalling, tracks, ties, roadbeds, and rolling stock.
Over the Years
Over the years, some stations have been abandoned or closed, and some characteristics of the line have changed. The Columbus Ave station in Mt. Vernon, NY was closed in the Penn Central era due to its proximity to Mt. Vernon station and the expense of converting it to high-level platforms. It had previously been a transfer station to the overhead viaduct station of the New York, Westchester and Boston RailwayNew York, Westchester and Boston Railway
The New York, Westchester and Boston Railway Company , known to its riders as "the Westchester" and colloquially as the "Boston-Westchester", operated as an electric commuter railroad in the Bronx and Westchester County, New York from 1912 to 1937...
; an impressive ruin remains and is easily visible from passing trains. Other stations abandoned along the mainline include Devon, at the junction of the Waterbury Branch
Waterbury Branch
Metro-North Railroad's Waterbury Branch is a branch of the New Haven Line, running north from a junction east of Stratford to Waterbury. Originally built as the Naugatuck Railroad, it once continued north to Winsted...
, and Norwalk, replaced by South Norwalk. The changeover from catenary to third rail was moved from Woodlawn to just west of Pelham
Pelham (Metro-North station)
The Pelham Metro-North Railroad station serves passengers who wish to travel to or from Pelham, New York, via the New Haven Line. The station is one mile west of the point where the New Haven Line joins the Northeast Corridor and just east of the end of third rail power and start of overhead...
in the early 1990s. There is an abandoned coach yard just east of Port Chester station.
The New Haven's Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad
Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad
The Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad was a branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, upgraded to main line status in 1917 with the completion of the New York Connecting Railroad and its Hell Gate Bridge...
, diverging from the main line below New Rochelle, ran local passenger service to the Harlem River Terminal in the South Bronx until 1931, and has several abandoned stations. It was a major freight route for the New Haven to Queens, where it interchanged with the Long Island Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. Three new stations are proposed along this route as part of Metro-North's Penn Station access study (see below).
Some fatal train accidents have occurred on the line. One occurred at the Norwalk River
Norwalk River
The Norwalk River is a river in southwestern Connecticut, approximately long. The word "Norwalk" comes from the Algonquian word "noyank" meaning "point of land".-Description:...
bridge in Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
on May 6, 1855. Another occurred in Westport, Connecticut
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
in 1895, and another in that town on October 3, 1912. Another fatality occurred in August 1969 on the New Canaan branch.
Main Line
New Haven Line trains primarily use Electric Multiple Unit (EMU)Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
consists (M2s
M2 (railcar)
The M2 is a series of 244 electric multiple unit cars produced for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Connecticut Department of Transportation for use on the New Haven Line...
, M4s, M6s and M8s
M8 (railcar)
The M8 is an electric multiple unit railroad car built by Kawasaki for use on the New Haven Line of the Metro-North Railroad. It will replace the current fleet of 240 M2's which are nearing 40 years old and the 54 M4's which entered service in 1987.-Design:...
). The line is operated primarily in two zones: an "inner" zone from Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
to Stamford, CT
Stamford (Metro-North station)
The Stamford Metro-North Railroad station, officially known as the Stamford Transportation Center serves commuters both leaving and entering Stamford, Connecticut via the New Haven Line. Some Amtrak Northeast Corridor trains also stop at Stamford....
; and an "outer" zone from Stamford to New Haven
Union Station (New Haven)
Union Station, also known as New Haven Railroad Station, is the main railroad passenger station in New Haven, Connecticut. Designed by noted American architect Cass Gilbert, the beaux-arts Union Station was completed and opened in 1920 after the previous Union Station was...
.
Trains from the outer zone generally run local, making most stops from New Haven to Stamford and then express to GCT. Trains from the inner zone generally originate in Stamford, running local and making most stops. Passengers heading from one zone to another can make cross-platform interchange
Cross-platform interchange
A cross-platform interchange is a type of interchange between different lines in a metro system. The term originates with the London Underground; such layouts exist in other networks but are not commonly so named...
s at Stamford.
During peak hours, trains generally run in shorter, express zones, making limited stops as they fill faster, with some overlap in start and end stations to allow for intra-zone transfers for those traveling locally. Trains will begin and end their runs at intermediate stations within their zones, and then run express to Grand Central.
All New Haven Line electric trains change over between third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
and overhead catenary between Mount Vernon East and Pelham, at normal track speed. Inbound trains to Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
lower their pantographs
Pantograph (rail)
A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
in this area, while outbound trains raise them; the third rail shoes stay in the same position both in and out of third rail territory. Both catenary and third rail overlap for a quarter of a mile between Mount Vernon East and Pelham to facilitate this changeover.
Branches
Branch lines generally operate as their own zones, with the first main line station as a terminus rather than Grand Central, providing transfers to other main line stations or Grand Central. During peak hours some of these trains will run express on the main line through to Grand Central, but generally remain as local service on the branch itself.With the exception of the electrified New Canaan Branch, branch lines use train consists powered by diesel locomotives. Some main line trains will occasionally use diesel equipment in revenue runs for positioning or due to equipment shortages.
The New Haven Line is unique in Metro-North as the only line with operating branches. The New Haven Railroad, Metro-North's predecessor, had an extensive branch network in Connecticut, including a branch off the Danbury Branch at the appropriately named Branchville, CT to Ridgefield, CT; another branch off the main line for freight at Bridgeport known as the Berkshire (a never used bridge spans the Merritt Parkway in Bridgeport that would have accommodated this branch under potential reactivation scenarios), and the Maybrook line which connected the Waterbury Branch
Waterbury Branch
Metro-North Railroad's Waterbury Branch is a branch of the New Haven Line, running north from a junction east of Stratford to Waterbury. Originally built as the Naugatuck Railroad, it once continued north to Winsted...
with the Danbury Branch, with several branches of its own.
Yankee Stadium
Yankees – East 153rd Street station opened on May 23, 2009. Although it is a Hudson Line
Hudson Line (Metro-North)
Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line is a commuter rail line running north from New York City along the east shore of the Hudson River. Metro-North service ends at Poughkeepsie, with Amtrak's Empire Corridor trains continuing north to and beyond Albany...
commuter station, it offers New Haven and Harlem Line commuters game day direct service on weekends and after night games on weekdays, and shuttle service (during peak periods) from Harlem – 125th Street station. The Yankee Stadium station is the third non-New Haven line proper station accepting New Haven line customers, including 125th St and Fordham station
Fordham (Metro-North station)
The Fordham Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx, New York via the Harlem Line and New Haven Line. It is the only Harlem Line stop in the Bronx that is an express station. It is 8.9 miles from Grand Central Terminal...
.
Meadowlands Game Day Service
The Train to the Game service on the New Haven line to the Meadowlands Sports Complex
Meadowlands Sports Complex
The MetLife Sports Complex is a sports and entertainment facility located in East Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and operated by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority...
operates only for Sunday 1 pm NFL games. The first game scheduled was on September 20, 2009 when the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
hosted the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, following a successful test of trains in non-revenue service on August 23. Train service for NFL games continued in 2010.
The service is operated using New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
(NJT) equipment under an operating agreement between NJT, Metro-North, and Amtrak. NJT equipment is required as its electric locomotive power is capable of running under the various catenary systems over three separate railroads using different power supplies. The program is only being offered for the early afternoon games so that the NJT equipment can be moved back in place for service during the Monday morning rush hour.
The service makes limited stops on the New Haven line and uses the Hell Gate Line
Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad
The Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad was a branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, upgraded to main line status in 1917 with the completion of the New York Connecting Railroad and its Hell Gate Bridge...
to access New York Penn Station and Secaucus Junction
Secaucus Junction
The Frank R. Lautenberg Secaucus Junction Station is a major commuter rail hub in Secaucus, New Jersey...
station of NJT. At Secaucus, riders transfer to a shuttle on the Meadowlands Rail Line
Meadowlands Rail Line
Meadowlands Rail Line is a rail line in New Jersey, United States, operated by New Jersey Transit . Trains run between the MetLife Sports Complex and Secaucus Junction, some with continuing service to Hoboken Terminal...
. Stops currently scheduled are New Haven, Bridgeport, Fairfield, Westport, South Norwalk, Stamford, Greenwich, Rye, Larchmont, and Penn Station.
Excursions
Metro-North occasionally runs excursion trains, or farewell and fan trips over portions of its predecessor's historic territory, or its own territory which is no longer in revenue service. A recent trip in the Fall of 2008 ran north of Danbury at the end of the Danbury branch to Kent, CT. An earlier trip in 2004 ran over the Beacon line from Danbury. The 2004 trip used FL-9 locomotives owned by CDOT.Shared Trackage
Although the New Haven line shares track with the Harlem Line in the Bronx, it only makes one stop along this line at Fordham stationFordham (Metro-North station)
The Fordham Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx, New York via the Harlem Line and New Haven Line. It is the only Harlem Line stop in the Bronx that is an express station. It is 8.9 miles from Grand Central Terminal...
due to an 1848 agreement with the Harlem line's predecessor railroad the New York Central. This agreement granted the New Haven predecessor New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
trackage rights over the Harlem line to Grand Central Terminal, but limited the service they could provide in the Bronx to discharge service only (i.e. no boarding revenue passengers). This agreement continues in its present form due to the operating agreement between Metro-North and CDOT. While the New Haven line's one stop in the Bronx is at Fordham, from 1848 until the 1920s that stop was instead at Woodlawn
Woodlawn (Metro-North station)
The Woodlawn Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Woodlawn section of The Bronx via the Harlem Line. It is 11.8 miles from Grand Central Terminal and is located on East 233rd Street, three blocks from the 233rd Street station on the IRT White Plains Road Line of the New York...
.
Operating Agreements
The New Haven line is operated in Connecticut under an agreement between Metro-North and the Connecticut Department of TransportationConnecticut Department of Transportation
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The current Commissioner of ConnDOT is Jeffrey Parker...
(CDOT) in which costs for main line operation are shared (costs for branch service are borne 100% by CDOT). The current ratio is 65% CDOT and 35% Metro-North.
Control Points/Signals
The New Haven main line and New Canaan branch use Automatic Train ControlAutomatic Train Control
Automatic Train Control is a train protection system for railways, ensuring the safe and smooth operation of trains on ATC-enabled lines. Its main advantages include making possible the use of cab signalling instead of track-side signals and the use of smooth deceleration patterns in lieu of the...
, or ATC, in conjunction with Cab Signals
Cab signalling
Cab signalling is a railway safety system that communicates track status information to the cab, crew compartment or driver's compartment of a locomotive, railcar or multiple unit, where the train driver or engine driver can see the information....
, a safety feature used in routing trains, keeping safe distances, and moderating train speeds.
Track interlockings are governed within Control Point boundaries, or CP's. The New Haven line is unique in that the CP's are known (informally) by nicknames for their region. The following is a partial list of nicknames: The numbers reflect milage from Grand Central, with the "2" signifying the New Haven Line; the Hudson Line
Hudson Line (Metro-North)
Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line is a commuter rail line running north from New York City along the east shore of the Hudson River. Metro-North service ends at Poughkeepsie, with Amtrak's Empire Corridor trains continuing north to and beyond Albany...
has no preceding number and the Harlem Line uses "1."
CP212: VERN
CP215: PELL (Pelham)
CP216: SHELL (New Rochelle Junction)
CP217: E. SHELL (E of New Rochelle)
CP223: PIKE (Harrison)
CP229: GREEN (Greenwich)
CP230: COB (Cos Cob)
CP232: SELLECK
CP233: W. STAM (W of Stamford)
CP234: STAM (E of Stamford)
CP235: GLENBROOK
CP240: WEST WALK(W of Norwalk)
CP241: BERK (E of Norwalk)
CP244: SAGA (Saugatuck R)
CP248: SASCO
CP255: PORT
CP256: PECK (Pequonnock R)
CP257: CENTRAL
CP261: DEVON (Housatonic R)
CP266: WOODMONT
CP271: WEST RIVER
CP272: NEW HAVEN
CP273: FAIR ST
CP274: CHAPEL ST
The interlocking at "Shell" and "E. Shell" was recently upgraded to allow Amtrak trains to cross-over the main line faster and in a more orderly fashion. As a result, the tracks in New Rochelle station were rearranged so that Amtrak boards only on the outbound platform.
Signals on the New Haven line had once been mounted on the catenary bridges; these were replaced throughout the 1980s and into the late 1990s with wayside "dwarf" signals at track level along the right-of-way. The Danbury and Waterbury branches remain "manual block" territory, i.e. without signals. A long-standing plan to install signalization known as Centralized Traffic Control
Centralized traffic control
Centralized traffic control is a form of railway signalling that originated in North America and centralizes train routing decisions that were previously carried out by local signal operators or the train crews themselves. The system consists of a centralized train dispatcher's office that...
, or CTC, on the Danbury branch is in the works as of 2009.
Traction power substations
The New Haven's traction power system was originally constructed to operate at 11 kV, 25 Hz, using power supplied by the Cos Cob Power StationCos Cob Power Station
Cos Cob Power Station is a historic district roughly bounded by Metro North Railroad tracks, the Mianus River and Sound Shore Drive in Greenwich, Connecticut.The Spanish Revival style station was built in 1907....
41.029631°N 73.596015°W. The power station was shutdown around 1986 and Metro North converted the traction power system to 60 Hz operation. Traction power is converted from utility supplied 115 kV (single phase) to 27 kV (single phase with center tap) which is distributed using an autotransformer system. Power is supplied to the catenary at 12.5 kV, 60 Hz.
| Milepost | Name | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| 14.0 | Fulton Ave | 40.9114°N 73.8283°W |
| 16.6 | New Rochelle | 40°54′25"N 73°47′23"W |
| 30 | Cos Cob | 41.030233°N 73.5967°W |
| 33.0 | Stamford | 41°2′52"N 73°32′15"W |
| 40 | Norwalk | 41.098185°N 73.419527°W |
| 41 | East Norwalk | 41.102525°N 73.407882°W |
| 59.2 | Devon (Stratford) | 41°11′53"N 73°7′34"W |
| 72.3 | New Haven | 41°17′18"N 72°56′17"W |
Freight Service
Freight service over the New Haven line is operated by a variety of Class I railroadClass I railroad
A Class I railroad in the United States and Mexico, or a Class I rail carrier in Canada, is a large freight railroad company, as classified based on operating revenue.Smaller railroads are classified as Class II and Class III...
s and short line railroads based on operating agreements negotiated with either Metro-North or CDOT. These operators include CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
, Providence and Worcester Railroad
Providence and Worcester Railroad
The Providence and Worcester Railroad is a Class II railroad in the United States. The railroad connects from Gardner in central Massachusetts, south through its namesake cities of Worcester and Providence, Rhode Island, and west from Rhode Island through Connecticut and into New York City...
, and the Springfield Terminal Railway.
Local freight stops include Marval Industries in Mamaroneck, NY, which includes two "exempt" (school buses and trucks are not required to stop) rail crossings on Fenimore Road and some minor "street running" of rails along Railroad Way. This siding is served by a CSX local approximately once a week at night. Other sidings served by CSX are Ring's End Lumber in Darien, CT, and a long industrial siding east of Milford, CT. Providence & Worcester trains can be seen running a seasonal stone train along the New Haven line bound for Long Island.
There are several disconnected and abandoned sidings along the line as well, including one in New Rochelle, NY just west of Shell interlocking, and one just east of Larchmont station that served a freight house. There are also many active, dormant, and disconnected or abandoned sidings along the branch lines, as well as freight service operated on freight-only lines being considered for renewed passenger service.
Station stops
| State | County | Town/City | Milepost | Station | Fare Zone | Connections |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... |
New York | Manhattan Manhattan Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York... |
|0.0 | Grand Central Terminal Grand Central Terminal Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States... /GCT |
1 | NYC Transit New York City Transit Authority The New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City... : trains; M1, M2, M3, M4, M42, M101, M102, M103 buses |
| 4.2 | Harlem – 125th Street | 1 | NYC Transit New York City Transit Authority The New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City... : trains; M1 (northbound), M35, M60 to LaGuardia Airport LaGuardia Airport LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally... , M98, M100, M101, Bx15 buses |
|||
| Bronx | Bronx | Hudson Line Hudson Line (Metro-North) Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line is a commuter rail line running north from New York City along the east shore of the Hudson River. Metro-North service ends at Poughkeepsie, with Amtrak's Empire Corridor trains continuing north to and beyond Albany... splits at Mott Haven Junction |
||||
| 6.0 | Yankees – East 153rd Street Limited - Game Day Only |
2 | NYC Transit New York City Transit Authority The New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City... : trains; Bx6, Bx13 buses |
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| Melrose Melrose (Metro-North station) The Melrose Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Melrose section of The Bronx via the Harlem Line. It is 6.1 miles from Grand Central Terminal and is located in an open cut beneath Park Avenue at its intersection with East 162nd Street, six tenths of a mile from Yankee Stadium... and Tremont Tremont (Metro-North station) The Tremont Metro-North Railroad station serves the Tremont section of The Bronx via the Harlem Line. It is 7.9 miles from Grand Central Terminal and is in an open cut at the intersection of Park Avenue and East Tremont Avenue... stations are bypassed |
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| 8.9 | Fordham Fordham (Metro-North station) The Fordham Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx, New York via the Harlem Line and New Haven Line. It is the only Harlem Line stop in the Bronx that is an express station. It is 8.9 miles from Grand Central Terminal... |
2 | NYC Transit New York City Transit Authority The New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City... : trains; Bx1, Bx2, Bx9, Bx12, Bx12 Select Bus Service, Bx17, Bx22, Bx34, Bx41, Bx55, BxM4 buses Bee-Line Bee-Line Bus System The Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract , by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc... : 60, 61, 62 buses |
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| Botanical Garden Botanical Garden (Metro-North station) The Botanical Garden Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Bedford Park section of The Bronx via the Harlem Line... , Williams Bridge Williams Bridge (Metro-North station) The Williams Bridge Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Williamsbridge section of The Bronx via the Harlem Line. It is 10.5 miles from Grand Central Terminal and is located at the intersection of Gun Hill Road and Webster Avenue. Service at Williams Bridge is hourly... , and Woodlawn Woodlawn (Metro-North station) The Woodlawn Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Woodlawn section of The Bronx via the Harlem Line. It is 11.8 miles from Grand Central Terminal and is located on East 233rd Street, three blocks from the 233rd Street station on the IRT White Plains Road Line of the New York... stations are bypassed |
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| Harlem Line splits at Woodlawn Junction; former power change | ||||||
| Westchester | Mount Vernon Mount Vernon, New York Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It lies on the border of the New York City borough of The Bronx.-Overview:... |
14.0 | Mount Vernon East Mount Vernon East (Metro-North station) The Mount Vernon East Metro-North Railroad station serves passengers at Mount Vernon, New York, via the New Haven Line. The station is the first station north of the junction where the New Haven Line splits from the Harlem Line and is the only station on the line before it changes from third rail... |
12 | Bee-Line Bee-Line Bus System The Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract , by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc... : 7, 40, 41, 42, 53, 54, 55 buses |
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| Power change from third rail Third rail A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost... to overhead catenary |
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| Pelham Pelham (town), New York Pelham is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 12,396. Historically, Pelham was composed of five villages and became known as "the Pelhams"... |
15.1 | Pelham Pelham (Metro-North station) The Pelham Metro-North Railroad station serves passengers who wish to travel to or from Pelham, New York, via the New Haven Line. The station is one mile west of the point where the New Haven Line joins the Northeast Corridor and just east of the end of third rail power and start of overhead... |
12 | Bee-Line Bee-Line Bus System The Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract , by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc... : 7 buses |
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| New Rochelle New Rochelle, New York New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France... |
Northeast Corridor Northeast Corridor The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities... joins line |
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| 16.6 | New Rochelle New Rochelle (Metro-North station) The New Rochelle station serves New Rochelle, New York, via the New Haven Line. Amtrak's Northeast Regional also stops at the station en route to Boston and Washington, DC, serving riders from northern New York City and Southern Westchester who use New Rochelle as a closer alternative to Penn... |
12 | Amtrak Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union... Northeast Regional Bee-Line Bee-Line Bus System The Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract , by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc... : 7, 30, 42, 45, 60, 61, 62, 66 buses |
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| Larchmont Larchmont, New York Larchmont is a village in Westchester County, New York. The population was 5,864 at the 2010 census. It is located within the town of Mamaroneck, on the shore of Long Island Sound, northeast of Midtown Manhattan... |
18.7 | Larchmont Larchmont (Metro-North station) The Larchmont Metro-North Railroad station serves Larchmont, New York, via the New Haven Line. Though mostly served by Stamford-originating locals, Larchmont is also the last stop on some peak hour trains originating at Harrison.... |
13 | Bee-Line Bee-Line Bus System The Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract , by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc... : 60, 61, 70, 71 buses |
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| Mamaroneck Mamaroneck (village), New York Mamaroneck is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 18,929 at the 2010 census. It is located partially within the town of Mamaroneck and partially within the town of Rye. The portion in Rye is unofficially called "Rye Neck"... |
20.5 | Mamaroneck Mamaroneck (Metro-North station) Mamaroneck Metro-North Railroad station serves Mamaroneck, New York, via the New Haven Line. Mamaroneck is from Grand Central Terminal and the average travel time from Grand Central is 43 minutes.-History:... |
13 | Bee-Line Bee-Line Bus System The Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract , by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc... : 60, 61 buses |
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| Harrison Harrison, New York Harrison is a village and town in Westchester County, New York, United States, located approximately northeast of Manhattan. The population was 27,472 at the 2010 census.-Establishment:... |
22.2 | Harrison Harrison (Metro-North station) The Harrison Metro-North Railroad station serves Harrison, New York via the New Haven Line. During peak hours, some local trains originate or terminate here as opposed to locals from Stamford... |
13 | Bee-Line Bee-Line Bus System The Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract , by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc... : 5, 61 buses |
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| Rye Rye (city), New York Rye is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is separate from the town of Rye, which is larger than the city. Rye city, formerly the village of Rye, was part of the town until 1942, when it received its charter as a city, the most recent to be issued in New York... |
24.1 | Rye Rye (Metro-North station) Rye is a Metro-North commuter rail station that serves Rye, New York via the New Haven Line. During the spring and summer months, the Playland amusement park is accessible from the station via the seasonal 75-Playland route on the Bee-Line Bus System; this service provides a sizeable source of... |
14 | Bee-Line Bee-Line Bus System The Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract , by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc... : 61, 75, 76 buses |
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| Port Chester Port Chester, New York Port Chester is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The village is part of the town of Rye. As of the 2010 census, Port Chester had a population of 28,967... |
25.7 | Port Chester Port Chester (Metro-North station) Not to be confused with Portchester railway station in Portchester, Fareham in the UKThe Port Chester Metro-North Railroad station serves Port Chester, New York via the New Haven Line. The station is the last station on the line in New York before crossing into Connecticut... |
14 | Bee-Line Bee-Line Bus System The Bee-Line Bus System, branded on the buses in lowercase as the bee-line system, is a bus system serving Westchester County, New York. The system is owned by the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation and operated, on contract , by Yonkers-based Liberty Lines Transit, Inc... : 13, 13B, 61, 76 buses CT Transit Stamford Connecticut Transit Stamford Connecticut Transit Stamford is the division of Connecticut Transit for the Stamford, area. In Stamford it provides service on 18 routes around Stamford, Connecticut, with routes centered around downtown Stamford and providing local bus service to Norwalk, White Plains, New York via the I-Bus, and... : 11A, 11B buses |
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| Connecticut Connecticut Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately... |
Fairfield Fairfield County, Connecticut Fairfield County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The county population is 916,829 according to the 2010 Census. There are currently 1,465 people per square mile in the county. It is the most populous county in the State of Connecticut and contains... |
Greenwich Greenwich, Connecticut Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ... |
28.1 | Greenwich Greenwich (Metro-North station) The Greenwich Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Greenwich, Connecticut via the New Haven Line and is the first station on that line in the state of Connecticut... |
15 | Norwalk Transit Norwalk Transit District The Norwalk Transit District is the primary provider of public transportation services in Norwalk, Connecticut and surrounding communities. The district's fixed-route bus transit system, known as WHEELS, is the primary service of the system linking Norwalk and its immediate suburbs as well as... : Greenwich Commuter Connection CT Transit Stamford: 11 buses |
| 29.6 | Cos Cob Cos Cob (Metro-North station) The Cos Cob Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Cos Cob area of Greenwich, Connecticut, via the New Haven Line.Cos Cob is from Grand Central Terminal. The station has 567 parking spaces, 361 owned by the state.... |
15 | ||||
| 30.2 | Riverside Riverside (Metro-North station) The Riverside Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Riverside area of Greenwich, Connecticut via the New Haven Line.The station is 30.2 miles from Grand Central Terminal. The station has 324 parking spaces, 307 owned by the state... |
15 | ||||
| 31.2 | Old Greenwich Old Greenwich (Metro-North station) The Old Greenwich Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of the Old Greenwich section of Greenwich, Connecticut via the New Haven Line.The station is from Grand Central Terminal. The station has 578 parking spaces, 397 owned by the state... |
|15 | CT Transit Stamford: 11, 24 buses | |||
| Stamford Stamford, Connecticut Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England... |
33.0 | Stamford Stamford (Metro-North station) The Stamford Metro-North Railroad station, officially known as the Stamford Transportation Center serves commuters both leaving and entering Stamford, Connecticut via the New Haven Line. Some Amtrak Northeast Corridor trains also stop at Stamford.... |
16 | Amtrak Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union... Acela Express Acela Express The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York... , Northeast Regional and Vermonter Vermonter Amtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day.... Shore Line East Shore Line East Shore Line East is a commuter rail service operating in southern Connecticut, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation , SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor from New London west to New Haven, with continuing service to Bridgeport... CT Transit Stamford: All routes Greyhound Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and... Uconn Shuttle |
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| New Canaan Branch splits | ||||||
| Darien Darien, Connecticut Darien is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. A relatively small community on Connecticut's "Gold Coast", the population was 20,732 at the 2010 census. Darien was listed at #9 at CNN Money's list of "top-earning towns" in the United States as of 2011... |
36.2 | Noroton Heights Noroton Heights (Metro-North station) The Noroton Heights Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Darien, Connecticut via the New Haven Line. It is 36.2 miles from Grand Central Terminal.The station is located near Exit 10 on Interstate 95... |
16 | CT Transit Stamford: 42 bus | ||
| 37.7 | Darien Darien (Metro-North station) The Darien Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Darien, Connecticut via the New Haven Line. It is 37.7 miles from Grand Central Terminal. A small station house is located on the north side of the tracks... |
16 | CT Transit Stamford: 41, 42 buses | |||
| Norwalk Norwalk, Connecticut Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County... |
39.2 | Rowayton Rowayton (Metro-North station) The Rowayton Metro-North Railroad station is one of three New Haven Line stations serving the residents of Norwalk, Connecticut. It is located in the neighborhood of Rowayton, from which it derives its name.... |
16 | |||
| 41.0 | South Norwalk South Norwalk (Metro-North station) The South Norwalk Metro-North Railroad station is one of three stations serving the residents of Norwalk, Connecticut via the New Haven Line and is the more significant of the three. Nicknamed "SoNo" by riders and staff, the station is the point where the Danbury Branch connects to the Northeast... |
17 | Norwalk Transit: 10, 11, 12, Commuter Connection buses | |||
| Danbury Branch splits | ||||||
| 42.0 | East Norwalk East Norwalk (Metro-North station) The East Norwalk Metro-North Railroad station is one of three New Haven Line stations serving the residents of Norwalk, Connecticut. It is located in the neighborhood of East Norwalk, from which it derives its name.... |
17 | Norwalk Transit: 8, 11 buses | |||
| Westport Westport, Connecticut -Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices.... |
44.2 | Westport Westport (Metro-North station) The Westport Metro-North Railroad station is one of two New Haven Line stations serving the residents of Westport, Connecticut... |
18 | Norwalk Transit: Jesup Green shuttle, S2, S3, S4, IL, N, PF buses | ||
| 47.2 | Green's Farms Green's Farms (Metro-North station) Green's Farms Metro-North Railroad station is one of two New Haven Line stations serving the residents of Westport, Connecticut. The station is located in the Greens Farms area of Westport in the southeastern part of town, and the technically-incorrect apostrophe in the station name dates to New... |
18 | Norwalk Transit: G1, G2 buses | |||
| Fairfield Fairfield, Connecticut Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404... |
48.9 | Southport Southport (Metro-North station) The Southport Metro-North Railroad station is one of two New Haven Line stations serving the residents of Fairfield, Connecticut.Southport is 48.9 miles from Grand Central Terminal and the average travel time from Grand Central is one hour, 12 minutes though this varies depending on run and time of... |
18 | |||
| 50.5 | Fairfield Fairfield (Metro-North station) The Fairfield Metro-North station is the main train station in Fairfield, Connecticut, serving commuters, students of Fairfield University and Fairfield Prep, and casual travelers via the New Haven Line. It is one of three stations in the town; the others being Southport and the yet-to-be-opened... |
18 | GBTA Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority The Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority is a transit service serving the Greater Bridgeport region of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The GBTA provides local bus service to the cities/towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Stratford, Fairfield, and Monroe.... : 2, Coastal Link buses |
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| |Fairfield Metro | 18 | Opens December 5, 2011 | ||||
| Bridgeport Bridgeport, Connecticut Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area... |
55.4 | Bridgeport Bridgeport (Metro-North station) The Bridgeport Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Bridgeport, Connecticut and its surrounding towns that do not have a Metro-North stop like Trumbull, via the New Haven Line. The station is the transfer point between the Waterbury Branch and the Northeast Corridor mainline... |
19 | Amtrak Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union... Northeast Regional and Vermonter Vermonter Amtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day.... Shore Line East Shore Line East Shore Line East is a commuter rail service operating in southern Connecticut, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation , SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor from New London west to New Haven, with continuing service to Bridgeport... Coastal Link; GBTA: All routes except 14 Greyhound bus |
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| Stratford Stratford, Connecticut Stratford is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic River. It was founded by Puritans in 1639.... |
59.0 | Stratford Stratford (Metro-North station) The Stratford Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Stratford, Connecticut via the New Haven Line. Although the station is usually served by express trains originating or terminating in New Haven, one peak-hour run of the Waterbury Branch stops each morning and evening, as well as... |
20 | GBTA: 11 buses | ||
| New Haven | Milford Milford, Connecticut Milford is a coastal city in southwestern New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located between Bridgeport and New Haven. The population was 52,759 at the 2010 census... |
Waterbury Branch Waterbury Branch Metro-North Railroad's Waterbury Branch is a branch of the New Haven Line, running north from a junction east of Stratford to Waterbury. Originally built as the Naugatuck Railroad, it once continued north to Winsted... splits |
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| 63.2 | Milford Milford (Metro-North station) The Milford Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Milford, Connecticut via the New Haven Line. It is 63.2 miles from Grand Central Terminal and the average travel time from Grand Central is one hour, 32 minutes... |
20 | Milford Transit Milford Transit District The Milford Transit District is the primary provider of mass transportation in Milford, Connecticut. Four routes are provided by the agency, which also manages the Milford Metro-North rail station.-Routes:... : 2, 3, 4 buses CT Transit New Haven Connecticut Transit New Haven Connecticut Transit New Haven is the second largest division of Connecticut Transit, providing service on 24 routes in 19 towns within the Greater New Haven and Lower Naugatuck River Valley areas, with connections to other CT Transit routes in Waterbury and Meriden, as well as connections to... : J7; Coastal Link buses |
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| New Haven New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and... |
72.3 | New Haven – Union Station Union Station (New Haven) Union Station, also known as New Haven Railroad Station, is the main railroad passenger station in New Haven, Connecticut. Designed by noted American architect Cass Gilbert, the beaux-arts Union Station was completed and opened in 1920 after the previous Union Station was... |
21 | Amtrak Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union... Acela Express Acela Express The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York... , Northeast Regional and Vermonter Vermonter Amtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day.... Shore Line East Shore Line East Shore Line East is a commuter rail service operating in southern Connecticut, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation , SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor from New London west to New Haven, with continuing service to Bridgeport... CT Transit New Haven: Commuter Connection PM dropoff, Union Station Shuttle, J, S buses Greyhound bus |
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| 74.0 | New Haven – State Street Limited weekday service |
21 | Shore Line East Shore Line East Shore Line East is a commuter rail service operating in southern Connecticut, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation , SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor from New London west to New Haven, with continuing service to Bridgeport... CT Transit New Haven: Commuter Connection AM pickup, D, F, G, Q, Z buses |
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| line continues as the Northeast Corridor Northeast Corridor The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities... |
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Electric
Since the main line and the New Canaan Branch are equipped with 12.5 kV 60 HzHertz
The hertz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. One of its most common uses is the description of the sine wave, particularly those used in radio and audio applications....
overhead catenary
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
, as opposed to just the 750V DC third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
of the Hudson and Harlem Lines, different rolling stock that can operate off either power system runs on the New Haven Line. This rolling stock, originally produced by the Budd Company
Budd Company
The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....
in two batches (144 in 1972–73 and 100 in 1975–77) was initially branded as the M2 Cosmopolitan
M2 (railcar)
The M2 is a series of 244 electric multiple unit cars produced for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Connecticut Department of Transportation for use on the New Haven Line...
with later versions being made on license by Tokyu Car (model M4, 1988) and Morrison-Knudsen (model M6, 1993). Cosmopolitans can be easily spotted by their red stripe along the side, the presence of pantographs
Pantograph (rail)
A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
on the lead cars in each set, and a dynamic braking grid on the roof.
M2s operate in married pairs, differentiating them from their predecessor equipment of Pullman Standard and 4400-series washboard MU's (retired since the late 1970s and early 1980s). M4s and M6s also operate in triplets, with the middle "D" car not having a cab. Many M2s were reconditioned to extend their useful life beyond the expected 25 years (as of 2009 most are over or approaching 35 years old), undergoing a Critical Systems Repair (CSR) progam.
To replace its aging M2 fleet and increase its total fleet size, Metro-North and CDOT have undertaken to purchase from Kawasaki Rail Car an initial order of 300 M8
M8 (railcar)
The M8 is an electric multiple unit railroad car built by Kawasaki for use on the New Haven Line of the Metro-North Railroad. It will replace the current fleet of 240 M2's which are nearing 40 years old and the 54 M4's which entered service in 1987.-Design:...
EMUs. The initial order consists of a "base order" of 210 and a "first option" of 90 cars. This order is estimated to cost $760 million. The base order cost is to be split as per the CDOT/MTA operating agreement 65/35 respectively.
Although the cost sharing is to conform with the operating agreement, due to Metro-North's capital budgeting process Metro-North will initially only pay the first $100 million of the order, and CDOT will pay the remaining $660 million. Metro-North will bring its contribution to its required 35% upon passage of its 2010–2014 capital budget. Until then, CDOT will retain title to any rail cars which exceed its 65% share.
M8s are similar to the M7As running on the Harlem and Hudson lines. They each have two single-leaf doors on each side and a full-width operator's cab, eliminating the so-called "railfan" windows at the front and rear of each train and restricting passenger's ability to walk between car pairs.
M8s have the additional capability of running east of New Haven and along the Hell Gate Line west of New Rochelle to Penn Station over the former Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad
Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad
The Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad was a branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, upgraded to main line status in 1917 with the completion of the New York Connecting Railroad and its Hell Gate Bridge...
. In order to run east of New Haven, the M8s are equipped with Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES)
ACSES
Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System is a positive train control cab signaling system developed by PHW and Alstom. The system is designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, protect against overspeed and protect work crews with temporary speed restrictions...
as required by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
. In order to run from New Rochelle to Penn Station, the cars will be equipped with third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
shoes that can operate on both over and under running third rail systems. Third rail will have to be extended in Queens for the M8s to overcome a gap between suitable catenary (Amtrak's catenary supply changes in Queens to a non-compatible system) and the third rail utilized by the Long Island Railroad.
Originally, delivery of the first six cars for testing was to be in July 2009, but was delayed until December 2009 for varied reasons such as design revisions and production delays. The contract allows for additional options for CDOT of an additional 80 cars, which may be used for Cafe Cars or for use on Shore Line East at CDOT's sole expense. Procurement of more than 380 cars would require additional authorization (PA 05-4 JSS provides funds to acquire at least 342 rail cars at slightly under $900 million).
The CSR program was modified in 2008 as the delivery of M8s neared. Currently cars who underwent CSR earlier in the program were undergoing additional renovation. Funding was identified in the MTA's 2010 capital program to continue the CSR program if the M4 and M6 cars are not retired. The M2's are slated for retirement as sufficient numbers of the Kawasaki
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
-made M8
M8 (railcar)
The M8 is an electric multiple unit railroad car built by Kawasaki for use on the New Haven Line of the Metro-North Railroad. It will replace the current fleet of 240 M2's which are nearing 40 years old and the 54 M4's which entered service in 1987.-Design:...
s enter service and alleviate current equipment shortages.
Diesel
As with the Harlem and Hudson Lines, diesel-powered trains are driven by dual-mode Genesis P32AC-DMGE Genesis
GE Genesis is a series of passenger locomotives produced by GE Transportation Systems, a subsidiary of General Electric...
and BL20-GH locomotives, paired with Shoreliner coaches. While some peak-period trains operate directly to and from Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal
Grand Central Terminal —often incorrectly called Grand Central Station, or shortened to simply Grand Central—is a terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States...
with Genesis P32AC-DM dual-mode locomotives only, most New Haven Line diesel-only territory is operated as shuttle service between Danbury and S. Norwalk; and Waterbury and Bridgeport, respectively.
The BL20-GH engines replaced the aging FL9s and F10s in branch service. The BL20-GHs also replaced leased P40s which CDOT had leased from Amtrak and used in branch service. These P40s can still be seen on the New Haven line in CDOT livery used on SLE consists as CDOT exercised a purchase option in 2008.
Pool Service
Rolling stock used for Metro-North diesel service is in pool service, meaning that diesel consists feature both CDOT-owned red-striped and Metro-North-owned blue-striped coaches operating on any of Metro-North's three lines, along with diesel power in either Metro-North or New Haven paint schemes.West Haven/Orange
As of 2009, a new station in West HavenWest Haven, Connecticut
West Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 52,721.-History:...
has begun site clearance involving demolition of a former industrial site, with a design plan due in July 2009, with construction to begin in 2010 and a potential completion date of 2012. Funding is anticipated in 2010 of $103 million. The station will include a 3,000sf building and 700 car parking garage.
Plans are also being discussed to build an additional station in Orange
Orange, Connecticut
Orange is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,233 at the 2000 census. A 2007 Census Bureau estimate puts the population at 13,813. The town is governed by a Board of Selectmen.-History:...
. The stretch between Milford and New Haven, passing through those two municipalities, is the longest on the New Haven Line currently without a station.
The South Central Regional Council of Governments commissioned a study, issued in April 2005, that showed that stations in both municipalities would be viable, but favoring West Haven
West Haven (Metro-North station)
West Haven is a future railroad station on Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line in West Haven, Connecticut. The station is being built on Sawmill Road between Hood Terrace and Railroad Avenue. Plans include 1,229 parking spaces, including 629 in a parking garage in a refurbished industrial...
. The Transportation Strategy Board made a similar recommendation. Gov. M. Jodi Rell
M. Jodi Rell
Mary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...
later included money for both in the state budget, with West Haven again given priority. Whether a station will actually be built in Orange was not certain as of May 2009.
Fairfield
A third Connecticut station in FairfieldFairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
is currently under construction and nearing completion as of 2010. It will be called Fairfield Metro.
Georgetown
A station planned for Georgetown, CT on the Danbury Branch has been temporarily shelved. A station in this area was abandoned earlier.New Haven Rail Yard
A new rail car facility to accommodate the new M8 cars is being built in New Haven. Although the project itself is not controversial, the building of it is. Originally estimated at $300m, the facility is now expected to cost in excess of $1B.Danbury Branch Study
Although not yet past the Draft Environment Impact Statement stage, a study on enhancing service on and extending the Danbury BranchDanbury Branch (Metro-North)
Metro-North Railroad's Danbury Branch is a diesel branch of the New Haven Line from downtown Norwalk, Connecticut north to Danbury. It opened in 1852 as the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad...
would include additional stations in North Danbury (Federal Road), Brookfield, and New Milford. The draft EIS is due before the end of 2010, and the final EIS by summer, 2011. The Spring 2009 Update for the first time held out the possibility of extension all the way to Pittsfield, MA, the original route of the New Haven Berkshire Division. Trackage rights would have to be negotiated with the Housatonic Railroad
Housatonic Railroad
The Housatonic Railroad is a Class III railroad operating in southwestern New England. It was chartered in 1983 to operate a short section of ex-New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in northwestern Connecticut, and has since expanded north and south, as well as west into New York State.The...
, who own the line beyond Danbury to New Milford.
Enhancements to the Danbury Branch being studied also include re-electrification of the branch (the branch was electrified from 1925–1961), additions of passing sidings, realignment and/or super-elevation of track to eliminate or alleviate curvature and enhance speeds, and installation of automated train control signalling. The signal system is under construction as of summer 2010, the other elements of the proposal are under study.
Earlier versions of the study examined service to Newtown and Brewster along the Beacon/Maybrook line as additional branches off the Danbury Branch. These options were not recommended due to limited ridership potential vs. additional cost.
Penn Station Access
Also being studied is access to New York Penn StationPennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
over the Hell Gate Line of the Northeast Corridor, owned by Amtrak. Trackage rights and union agreements would have to be negotiated for this service. Commuter service over this line, formerly the Harlem River Branch
Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad
The Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad was a branch of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, upgraded to main line status in 1917 with the completion of the New York Connecting Railroad and its Hell Gate Bridge...
of the predecessor New Haven, ended in 1931. New stations contemplated would be at Co-Op City, Parkchester, and Hunts Point.
This project was dormant from approximately 2002 to 2009, but an environmental assessment has been announced by Metro-North that will be completed by 2011. The study will be in conjunction with ongoing studies for the best uses of Penn Station. The study advances a single option of full (both peak and off-peak) service to Penn on the New Haven and Hudson Line
Hudson Line (Metro-North)
Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line is a commuter rail line running north from New York City along the east shore of the Hudson River. Metro-North service ends at Poughkeepsie, with Amtrak's Empire Corridor trains continuing north to and beyond Albany...
s. Separate options for off-peak service are still being considered separate from the study as implementation could take place with existing infrastructure and equipment.
Service would not likely begin until the opening of Long Island Rail Road's
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
East Side Access
East Side Access
East Side Access is a public works project being undertaken by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City, designed to bring the Long Island Rail Road into a new East Side station to be built below and incorporated into Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan...
to Grand Central Terminal. In a limited form, it will take place with the Jets/Giants game day service to the Meadowlands, although it is not intended as service to Penn.
New Haven Hartford Springfield
CDOT is currently studying initiating service between New Haven and Springfield. This service may or may not be operated by Metro-North as a branch of the New Haven line; however, since the Right of Way is owned and operated by Amtrak, and Amtrak already operates SLE, it may be likely that they would also operate this enhanced service. Options for service would be assuming the identical Amtrak operation using the same stations, adding stations, adding passing sidings or double-tracking the line.Waterbury-Bristol-New Britain-Hartford
As of February 2009 legislators in the state capital were discussing service on an old New Haven passenger line that ceased passenger service decades ago known as the Highland Line, part of the original New England Railroad, also known as the Central New England RailwayCentral New England Railway
The Central New England Railway was a railroad from Hartford, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts west across northern Connecticut and across the Hudson River on the Poughkeepsie Bridge to Maybrook, New York...
, both eventual subsidiaries of The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.
Currently, this is a freight only line operated by Pan Am Railways
Pan Am Railways
Pan Am Railways, Inc. , known as Guilford Rail System before March 2006, is a holding company that owns and operates Class II regional railroads covering northern New England from Mattawamkeag, Maine to Rotterdam Junction, New York...
. Station stops would include two in Bristol, as well as in New Britain, between Waterbury and Hartford. Next step is a preliminary scoping study, which would be followed environmental studies.
As with the New Haven Hartford Springfield line, the operation may or may not be a Metro-North extension of the Waterbury branch.
Tappan Zee Bridge / I-287 Corridor
The NYS Dept. of TransportationNew York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
, Metro-North, and The New York State Thruway Authority are conducting a study and related environmental reviews concerning a replacement for the 50+ year old Tappan Zee Bridge. Proposals for a replacement bridge include options for a commuter rail line which would branch off Metro-North's Port Jervis Line at Suffern
Suffern (Metro-North station)
Suffern Station is a train station in Suffern, New York, United States, controlled by New Jersey Transit and also used by the Metro-North Railroad. Metro-North's Port Jervis Line joins New Jersey Transit's Main Line at this station. These two lines offer service from Port Jervis to Hoboken, New...
and connect via transfer to the Pascack Valley Line
Pascack Valley Line
The Pascack Valley Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Hoboken Division of New Jersey Transit. The line runs north from Hoboken, New Jersey through Bergen County and into Rockland County, New York, terminating at Spring Valley. Service within New York is operated under contract with...
and connect directly with its Hudson Line
Hudson Line (Metro-North)
Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line is a commuter rail line running north from New York City along the east shore of the Hudson River. Metro-North service ends at Poughkeepsie, with Amtrak's Empire Corridor trains continuing north to and beyond Albany...
across the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. This would provide a potential one-seat ride from Rockland
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
and Orange
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
counties to Westchester and Manhattan.
One of the alternatives (Alt. 4A) being considered would be full-corridor commuter rail operated by Metro-North and extending from Suffern and the Hudson Line directly to the outbound (towards Stamford) New Haven Line in Port Chester, sharing trackage or Right of Way to Port Chester
Port Chester (Metro-North station)
Not to be confused with Portchester railway station in Portchester, Fareham in the UKThe Port Chester Metro-North Railroad station serves Port Chester, New York via the New Haven Line. The station is the last station on the line in New York before crossing into Connecticut...
station. A transfer to the Harlem Line would be available in downtown White Plains. Several stations are contemplated across various alignment options, either at street level or in tunnels. If full-corridor commuter rail is not selected, other options connecting the Tappan Zee Bridge to the New Haven line using mass transit include light rail and bus rapid transit. The operators of these alternatives has not been determined, but as Metro-North is a heavy commuter rail operator, it would likely not operate these services.
See also
- Bar carBar carA bar car is a train car that has as its primary purpose the provision and consumption of alcoholic and other beverages.-In the United States:Bar cars were common during the heyday of U.S. rail travel prior to World War II...
- Northeast CorridorNortheast CorridorThe Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
The line that is sharing trackage to New Rochelle, NY.
External links
- Metro-North Railroad official site
- Route on OpenStreetMapOpenStreetMapOpenStreetMap is a collaborative project to create a free editable map of the world. Two major driving forces behind the establishment and growth of OSM have been restrictions on use or availability of map information across much of the world and the advent of inexpensive portable GPS devices.The...
- Amateur photos along the New Haven Line (from a train)
- New Haven line photos (passing it by I-95 highway)
- Fix My Station Photo Campaign