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CT Rail

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CT Rail
From top-left:GP40-3Hat Hartford,Mafersa coachesat Old Saybrook,Kawasaki M8at New London, and signage atState Street station
Overview
OwnerConnecticut Department of Transportation(CTDOT)
LocaleConnecticutandWestern Massachusetts
Transit typeCommuter rail
Number of lines2
Number of stations22
Daily ridership4,255 (2019)
Annual ridership1,410,500 (2019)
Websitectrail
Operation
Began operation1990
Operator(s)TransitAmerica Servicesand Alternate Concepts (Hartford Line)
Amtrak(Shore Line East)
Reporting marksCNDX
Technical
System length121 miles (195 km)
Track gauge4 ft8+1⁄2in(1,435 mm)standard gauge

CT Rail,stylized asCTrail,is the brand forcommuter railservices overseen by theConnecticut Department of Transportation(CTDOT), in theU.S. stateofConnecticut,with services on theHartford Lineextending intoMassachusetts.CTDOT oversees two lines:Shore Line East,betweenNew HavenandNew London, Connecticut,and theHartford Line,from New Haven, throughHartford,toSpringfield, Massachusetts.[1]

Services are operated under contract, with Shore Line East operated byAmtrakalong theNortheast Corridor,and the Hartford Line operated by ajoint ventureofTransitAmerica ServicesandAlternate Concepts.[2][3][4]CT Rail trains, along with other CTDOT rail operations, use thereporting markCNDX.[5]

Lines[edit]

CT Rail operates two commuter rail lines: theHartford LineandShore Line East.[2]Both lines utilize portions of theNortheast Corridor,with trains terminating atUnion StationinNew Haven.[6]

Hartford Line[edit]

Main article:Hartford Line

TheHartford Lineruns betweenNew Haven Union Stationin New Haven, Connecticut andSpringfield Union Stationin Springfield, Massachusetts, running through Hartford, Connecticut. This line is a joint venture between the Connecticut Department of Transportation and theMassachusetts Department of Transportation(MassDOT).[7]The line is not electrified and is a single track route that usesSiemens Chargerlocomotives. Service began on June 16, 2018. CT Rail Hartford Line tickets are also accepted onAmtrak'sHartford Line,however, theVermonterinter-city service does not participate despite running along the same route.[8]The majority of the Hartford Line's route is along theNew Haven–Springfield Line,with two stations in New Haven, Union Station andState Street,being on theNortheast Corridor.[6]

Shore Line East[edit]

Main article:Shore Line East

CT Rail'sShore Line Eastcommuter rail service runs betweenNew LondonandNew Haven.When service initially started along the line on May 29, 1990, CT Rail commuter trains were intended to be a temporary measure in order to reduce congestion alongInterstate 95during a highway construction project. However, the service was made permanent due to more ridership than initially anticipated. The line has an average daily ridership of about 2,100 riders and runs along theNortheast Corridorfor its entire length. Since May 2022, Shore Line East has usedKawasaki M8electric multiple units to provide service on the line.

Rolling stock[edit]

Current[edit]

CT Rail uses the followingrolling stockfor itscommuter railoperations: All Electric Multiple Unit cars are used on the electrifiedShore Line Eastrunning on Amtrak'sNortheast Corridorwhile locomotive hauled trains with passenger coaches are used on Amtrak's non-electrifiedHartford Line.M8 electric cars are shared between Shore Line East andMetro-North Railroad'sNew Haven Line.

Builder Model Photo Active Road numbers Year built Year Rebuilt Year acquired Notes
Locomotives
GE P40DC 12 6700–6711 1993 2018–2024 2005, 2015 Ex-Amtrak.[9][10]
EMD GP40-3H 6 6694–6699 1971[6] 2017-2019 1996[6]
Coaches
Mafersa Coaches 33 1701–1719(cab cars, odd numbers only)
1730–1774(coach cars, even numbers only) 		1991–1992 2004 Ex-Virginia Railway Express.

Used forHartford Lineservice

MBB Coaches 16[11][12] 501, 503, 505, 508, 509, 516, 517, 522, 526, 527, 528, 532, 1505, 1509, 1518, 1520 1988[13] 2017–2018[11] Leased fromMBTA.[14][11]
Electric Multiple Units
Kawasaki M8 Railcar
471 9100–9474 2011–2015, 2019–2022 N/A 2011–2022 Used forShore Line Eastservice

Future rolling stock[edit]

In August 2023, CTDOT approved a $315 million contract withAlstomfor 60 single-level passenger cars. The cars will replace the existing coach fleet on the Hartford Line along with the Metro-NorthWaterbury BranchandDanbury Branch.Deliveries are expected to begin in 2026.[15][16]

Map[edit]

Map


See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Office of Rails".CT.gov – Connecticut's Official State Website.Retrieved2021-03-12.
  2. ^ab"CTrail".CT.gov – Connecticut's Official State Website.Retrieved2021-03-12.
  3. ^"Launch of New Hartford Passenger Line Part of 'Train Renaissance'".UConn Today.2018-06-14.Retrieved2021-03-13.
  4. ^"Hartford Line | Service Provider".hartfordline.Retrieved2021-03-13.
  5. ^"AAR Railroad Reporting Marks (2021)".railserve.Retrieved2021-03-13.
  6. ^abcd"Hartford Line | Route & Stations | Service Map".hartfordline.Retrieved2021-03-13.
  7. ^"Connecticut bets big with Hartford Line".Railway Age.2018-06-19.Retrieved2021-03-13.
  8. ^"CT Rail Hartford Line: Timetables, fare prices, details on new Springfield-Hartford-New Haven commuter rail service".masslive.2018-06-14.Retrieved2021-03-13.
  9. ^"Notice of Contract Award"(PDF).Connecticut Department of Transportation. April 25, 2018.
  10. ^"News Photo: First CDOT P40 rebuild debuts".Trains News Wire.March 8, 2021.
  11. ^abc"Rail Car Repairs, Leasing Issues Put Hartford Line Start Date in Doubt".Hartford Courant. April 4, 2018.RetrievedApril 6,2018.
  12. ^"What the Hartford Line Brings to Customers".Hartford Line.2018.RetrievedMay 19,2018.
  13. ^"MBTA Vehicle Inventory".NETransit.RetrievedApril 9,2018.
  14. ^New Haven – Hartford – Springfield Rail Program [@NHHSRail] (March 13, 2018)."For the Hartford Line's service launch, CTDOT is leasing legacy Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) coaches from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). The SLE train used last weekend was for testing and training purposes only"(Tweet).RetrievedMarch 22,2018– viaTwitter.
  15. ^"Alstom to supply 60 single-level coach cars to the Connecticut Department of Transportation for its statewide rail system"(Press release). Alstom. August 9, 2023.
  16. ^"Governor Lamont Announces Purchase of 60 New Rail Cars to Modernize Commuter Rail Lines"(Press release). Connecticut Department of Transportation. August 9, 2023.
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