Comments on: Connecticut Opens Up to Transit Expansion http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/03/01/connecticut-opens-up-to-transit-expansion/ Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:27:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: NHtransportationfan http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/03/01/connecticut-opens-up-to-transit-expansion/#comment-31363 NHtransportationfan Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:33:31 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1460#comment-31363 ok I would love a commuter rail in CT. Honestly we have to see that New haven and hartford are both bog cites in the state, and new haven is more livable, and honestly alot of people in ct perfer it to hartford. The reason why i am getting to this is WE CT people need our own commuter rail.. right now Amtrack is the only way toget from new haven- hartford-springfeild...and you have to pay there prices. Shoreline east (amtrak owned) runs only to old saybrook with maby 3 trains a day to new london. and on that note, they are not really used much because every stop on the shorline east is literly nowhere near anything. They need to build more stops IE..clinton crossins mall, beaches ETC that the curent tracks run right by! I would love it if they took new haven union station that sees tons of people a day, and made commuter rail lines off that. i would love to go from my house in hamden get on at a unused state street north haven stop to go see my bud in new haven...yes it maybe only a 5 minute ride, but it would save me gas and headach of downtown new haven. If ct wants to improve, they need connect there major cites. I would love work in hartford, by taking a commuter rail train in. also how about a line to the casino"s ok I would love a commuter rail in CT. Honestly we have to see that New haven and hartford are both bog cites in the state, and new haven is more livable, and honestly alot of people in ct perfer it to hartford. The reason why i am getting to this is WE CT people need our own commuter rail..
right now Amtrack is the only way toget from new haven- hartford-springfeild…and you have to pay there prices.
Shoreline east (amtrak owned) runs only to old saybrook with maby 3 trains a day to new london. and on that note, they are not really used much because every stop on the shorline east is literly nowhere near anything. They need to build more stops IE..clinton crossins mall, beaches ETC that the curent tracks run right by!
I would love it if they took new haven union station that sees tons of people a day, and made commuter rail lines off that. i would love to go from my house in hamden get on at a unused state street north haven stop to go see my bud in new haven…yes it maybe only a 5 minute ride, but it would save me gas and headach of downtown new haven.
If ct wants to improve, they need connect there major cites. I would love work in hartford, by taking a commuter rail train in.

also how about a line to the casino”s

]]> By: Boris http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/03/01/connecticut-opens-up-to-transit-expansion/#comment-559 Boris Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:26:28 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1460#comment-559 Alon, At least one person- me. I know I can take Amtrak, but Metro-North would probably be cheaper. What's really needed in that area is BRT or LRT on the enormously wide stretch of I-84 between Hartford and the suburbs. It would make it easier to get to the station and to downtown. Alon,

At least one person- me. I know I can take Amtrak, but Metro-North would probably be cheaper.

What’s really needed in that area is BRT or LRT on the enormously wide stretch of I-84 between Hartford and the suburbs. It would make it easier to get to the station and to downtown.

]]> By: Richard Stowe http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/03/01/connecticut-opens-up-to-transit-expansion/#comment-558 Richard Stowe Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:04:42 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1460#comment-558 No need to change trains in Springfield, MA, the train would continue on to CT & NY. Boston to Pioneer Valley service could be scheduled as 1 seat ride, too. Conversion of train stations to restaurants, or other uses is often an intractable problem. No need to change trains in Springfield, MA, the train would continue on to CT & NY. Boston to Pioneer Valley service could be scheduled as 1 seat ride, too.

Conversion of train stations to restaurants, or other uses is often an intractable problem.

]]> By: Kyle - Boston http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/03/01/connecticut-opens-up-to-transit-expansion/#comment-557 Kyle - Boston Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:24:47 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1460#comment-557 I just check the map, you're right, they are separate lines. I just check the map, you’re right, they are separate lines.

]]> By: Kyle - Boston http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/03/01/connecticut-opens-up-to-transit-expansion/#comment-556 Kyle - Boston Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:52:51 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1460#comment-556 I definitely like the idea of the Amherst and Northampton lines. I think that Amherst and Northampton are actually on the same Amtrak line that runs up to St. Albans. The Amherst stop is still in use, but the train no longer stops in Northampton and they turned the really nice old station into a restaurant. The five college area is really cut off from the rest of the area regarding rail transportation. A quick hop to Springfield to change trains to Boston or CT, NY would be a great idea. A lot of college kids in that area could take advantage of that. I definitely like the idea of the Amherst and Northampton lines. I think that Amherst and Northampton are actually on the same Amtrak line that runs up to St. Albans. The Amherst stop is still in use, but the train no longer stops in Northampton and they turned the really nice old station into a restaurant. The five college area is really cut off from the rest of the area regarding rail transportation. A quick hop to Springfield to change trains to Boston or CT, NY would be a great idea. A lot of college kids in that area could take advantage of that.

]]> By: Richard Stowe http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/03/01/connecticut-opens-up-to-transit-expansion/#comment-555 Richard Stowe Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:16:17 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1460#comment-555 Great post. Very good idea to extend MBTA Worcester service to Springfield. A light rail line from Hartford to Bradley would be a disaster, an unwelcome revisitation to the past. Better to concentrate big $ investments on grade separation projects on NHHS corridor. A different visioning of commuter rail can address many unmet transportation needs. Instead of a static New Haven-Hartford-Springfield line, think of an unfolding multi-fold corridor: (1) New York, New Haven, Hartford service, which services downtown New Britain via the New Britain Secondary (the abandoned rail right of way the busway was hoping to capture); (2) a Waterbury-Hartford-Bradley Airport service (that takes advantage of an upgraded rail spur to Bradley Airport - part of it already state-owned - why build expensive light rail - when commuter rail (rail freight) track already exists to within 600 feet/yards? of the airport terminal); (3) 2 lines, one beginning in Northhampton, MA - the other starting in Amherst, MA passing through & revitalizing Springfield, MA & Hartford, CT before running as a big-city express to GCT. Another future commuter rail line that should be explored is Middletown to Bradley Airport Service scheduling to GCT from 5 Colleges area & Hartford should actually be more frequent on weekends when more people have more time to travel longer distances. Weekend service out of New Haven is currently more than double than weekday commuters. Just getting commuter rail from GCT to Norwich, with a Mohegan Sun station,would dramatically reduce car trips over the Q-Bridge. That of course entails building high-level train bridges over Connecticut River, Niantic River & Shaw's Cove - a great stimulus infrastructure project. Extending electrified track from the Brewsters (Brewster and Southeast) on the Harlem Line to Danbury via Maybrook LIne is another super worthy investment. Great post.

Very good idea to extend MBTA Worcester service to Springfield.

A light rail line from Hartford to Bradley would be a disaster, an unwelcome revisitation to the past. Better to concentrate big $ investments on grade separation projects on NHHS corridor.

A different visioning of commuter rail can address many unmet transportation needs.

Instead of a static New Haven-Hartford-Springfield line, think of an unfolding multi-fold corridor: (1) New York, New Haven, Hartford service, which services downtown New Britain via the New Britain Secondary (the abandoned rail right of way the busway was hoping to capture); (2) a Waterbury-Hartford-Bradley Airport service (that takes advantage of an upgraded rail spur to Bradley Airport – part of it already state-owned – why build expensive light rail – when commuter rail (rail freight) track already exists to within 600 feet/yards? of the airport terminal); (3) 2 lines, one beginning in Northhampton, MA – the other starting in Amherst, MA passing through & revitalizing Springfield, MA & Hartford, CT before running as a big-city express to GCT.

Another future commuter rail line that should be explored is Middletown to Bradley Airport

Service scheduling to GCT from 5 Colleges area & Hartford should actually be more frequent on weekends when more people have more time to travel longer distances. Weekend service out of New Haven is currently more than double than weekday commuters.

Just getting commuter rail from GCT to Norwich, with a Mohegan Sun station,would dramatically reduce car trips over the Q-Bridge. That of course entails building high-level train bridges over Connecticut River, Niantic River & Shaw’s Cove – a great stimulus infrastructure project.

Extending electrified track from the Brewsters (Brewster and Southeast) on the Harlem Line to Danbury via Maybrook LIne is another super worthy investment.

]]> By: Kyle - Boston http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/03/01/connecticut-opens-up-to-transit-expansion/#comment-554 Kyle - Boston Mon, 02 Mar 2009 19:43:37 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1460#comment-554 I'm glad to hear that CT is starting to put together some extensive plans for rail across the state. The Spring - Hartford - New Haven line is a great idea (as long as the track is drastically improved) and will coincide with the overhaul of the original Union Station in Springfield, which has been laying dormant for decades. I don't know when this project is supposed to actually start, but they are getting some stimulus money. Hopefully this can start to bring some level of prosperity back to the Springfield area, which has been having problems for quite some time. Another issue that is still being talked about is the Boston-Worcester-Springfield commuter rail line. Currently there is only one Amtrak train a day in each direction and it is extremely slow. I hope all of these projects can come together some time in the near future. I’m glad to hear that CT is starting to put together some extensive plans for rail across the state. The Spring – Hartford – New Haven line is a great idea (as long as the track is drastically improved) and will coincide with the overhaul of the original Union Station in Springfield, which has been laying dormant for decades. I don’t know when this project is supposed to actually start, but they are getting some stimulus money. Hopefully this can start to bring some level of prosperity back to the Springfield area, which has been having problems for quite some time.
Another issue that is still being talked about is the Boston-Worcester-Springfield commuter rail line. Currently there is only one Amtrak train a day in each direction and it is extremely slow. I hope all of these projects can come together some time in the near future.

]]> By: Brendan http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/03/01/connecticut-opens-up-to-transit-expansion/#comment-553 Brendan Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:09:25 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1460#comment-553 This company (http://www.rail-pod.com) could be a low cost alternative for some of the light rail proposed areas. This company (http://www.rail-pod.com) could be a low cost alternative for some of the light rail proposed areas.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/03/01/connecticut-opens-up-to-transit-expansion/#comment-552 Alon Levy Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:29:53 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1460#comment-552 I wonder how many people will use the new commuter lines to travel from NY to Hartford. Even New Haven is at the outer margin of the range of commuter rail to New York: it has 272 commuters who work in New York, compared with 3,500 daily Metro-North riders, most of whom work in Fairfield County or are reverse commuters working in New Haven. I wonder how many people will use the new commuter lines to travel from NY to Hartford. Even New Haven is at the outer margin of the range of commuter rail to New York: it has 272 commuters who work in New York, compared with 3,500 daily Metro-North riders, most of whom work in Fairfield County or are reverse commuters working in New Haven.

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