Cedar Hill Yard

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View of the yard and the Quinnipiac River, 1977 New York, New Haven and Hartford RR- East New Haven Shops and Yards. East New Haven, New Haven Co., CT. (Not on NEC). - Northeast Railroad Corridor, Amtrak Route between New HAER CONN,5-NEWHA,37-81 (cropped).tif
View of the yard and the Quinnipiac River, 1977
Main sign at the yard, 2021 Cedar Hill Yard sign (cropped).jpg
Main sign at the yard, 2021
USA Connecticut location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Cedar Hill Yard
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The location of Cedar Hill Yard in Connecticut

Cedar Hill Yard is a classification yard located in New Haven, North Haven and Hamden, Connecticut, United States. It was built by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (often known simply as The New Haven) in the early 1890s in and around New Haven's Cedar Hill neighborhood, which gave the yard its name. Electrical catenary for electric locomotives was added to the yard in 1915. To handle increasing traffic as a result of World War I, the yard was greatly expanded between 1917 and 1920 with additional construction along both sides of the Quinnipiac River. The construction project added two humps where railroad cars were sorted into trains by gravity. The yard was further modernized in the 1920s, becoming one of the busiest railroad yards in the United States, and the most important yard in the entire New Haven Railroad system.

Contents

At its peak during World War II, Cedar Hill Yard handled more than 5,000 railroad cars per day. Following the end of the war the yard's importance began to decline, as freight traffic across New England shifted to road transport, and heavy industry left the region. Much of the yard began to fall into decay following the New Haven Railroad's bankruptcy in 1961. Following the opening of the newly rebuilt Selkirk Yard near Albany, New York, in 1968, much of the traffic formerly handled at Cedar Hill Yard was directed there instead, and car float service between Cedar Hill Yard and New York City ended.

In 1969, the Penn Central Transportation Company took over the yard as part of its purchase of the New Haven Railroad. The yard's new owner promptly removed the electrical catenary and shut down one of the yard's two humps to save money. The next year, Penn Central went bankrupt, and the yard continued to deteriorate from deferred maintenance. Under Penn Central, the yard's importance further declined when the Poughkeepsie Bridge, the yard's key link to the rest of the United States, was damaged by a fire in 1974 and not replaced. Conrail, a new freight railroad formed by the United States government to reverse the fortunes of Penn Central and other bankrupt Northeastern United States railroads, took over operations in 1976. The yard's new owner initially made some improvements, but in 1980 decided to close the yard's remaining hump and move more operations to the yard in Selkirk. Cedar Hill Yard continued to be used to classify freight trains, but was turned into a flat yard, with trains built up and broken down by switcher locomotives.

Cedar Hill Yard was operated by Conrail until 1999, when CSX Transportation purchased Conrail's New England operations. In the first decade of the 2000s, CSX expanded the yard's operations by constructing a bulk cargo transfer facility, where bulk commodities are transferred between trains and trucks. CSX was joined in the yard by other railroads, including Amtrak, which uses part of the yard as a base for maintenance of way operations on the Northeast Corridor. Two other freight railroads also operate freight trains to and from the yard in the 2020s, including the Providence and Worcester Railroad and Connecticut Southern Railroad. Cedar Hill Yard remains the largest classification yard in Connecticut as of 2022 despite its diminished size. Proposals exist to rebuild portions of the yard, potentially in concert with the construction of the proposed Cross-Harbor Rail Tunnel in New York City or the resumption of car float service across Long Island Sound.

History

Before 1917

The first instance of Cedar Hill Yard was built in the early 1890s by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (The New Haven) in and around the Cedar Hill neighborhood of the city of New Haven, on flat lands adjacent to the Quinnipiac River. [1] The yard first opened for service in December 1894, with a capacity of approximately 400 railroad cars. [2] Less than a year later, the new yard caused a dispute between the railroad and its employees. Once Cedar Hill Yard opened, train crews had to stop their trains within the new yard as opposed to the yard in New Haven proper, which reportedly increased their shifts by several hours. [1] Employees demanded extra pay for the longer hours, but the railroad refused, leading several train crews to walk off the job. One railway man was quoted by a local newspaper as saying:

We think that it is no more than fair that extra pay be given us for all work over eight hours for yard men and all over ten hours for through men. Those men who run into New Haven and were ordered to take their trains to Cedar Hill, were done an injustice. It takes at least two hours to sidetrack a train there and get back into the city and I do not blame the men for refusing to do it unless paid for extra time. [1]

Operations at the yard came to a halt on November 21, 1901, when approximately 125 switchmen and brakemen went on strike in solidarity with strikers at Mott Haven. The New Haven's president John M. Hall asserted the strike would quickly end, as the strikers had no specific grievances beyond sympathy for the Mott Haven strikers, who had gone on strike following the abrupt termination of the yard's assistant yard master. [3] [4] The strike came to an end on November 23. [5]

On July 31, 1904, a deadly train collision occurred just outside of Cedar Hill Yard. The New Haven's White Mountain passenger train collided with the rear of a freight train attempting to pull into a siding by the yard, resulting in the death of the White Mountain's engineer, while the train's fireman survived with severe injuries. A coroner found the crew of the freight train criminally responsible for the crash, as they had neglected to send a flagman behind their train to warn the White Mountain, which they knew was due to arrive, that the tracks were not clear. As a result of the crash, operations were changed so that all northbound trains entered the yard at the south end. [6]

In 1913, the New Haven began adding electrical catenary to the yard as part of its electrification program; electrification was completed by July 1915. [7] [8] By 1915, it was apparent the existing yard was not large enough to handle the amount of freight it was receiving. A local newspaper reported that "There were so many freight cars lying in the yard that switchers could not travel from the north to the south end of the yards." [9] The severity of the freight congestion was enough to delay the New Haven's passenger trains through the area as well. [9]

The yard is expanded, 1917 to 1920

A map of the new Cedar Hill Yard in 1918, while it was still under construction Map of Cedar Hill Yard (1918).png
A map of the new Cedar Hill Yard in 1918, while it was still under construction

The New Haven Railroad purchased approximately 500 acres (200 ha) of land in the Cedar Hill area in 1917 in order to construct a new classification yard. [10] Originally, the company had planned to build a new yard in nearby Woodmont, but instead built it at Cedar Hill due to local opposition. Construction began the same year. [10] The expansion project was initially budgeted at $10 million ($203 million in 2023), but upon the United States Railroad Administration's takeover of all U.S. railroads in December 1917 following U.S. entry into World War I, the federal government doubled the project's budget to $20 million and allocated government engineers to assist in construction. [11] This greatly increased the scope of the project, with the terminal and facilities estimated to take up more than 2,000 acres (810 ha) of land in total upon completion. [11]

Design

Cedar Hill was chosen as the site for the new classification yard for a variety of reasons. New Haven was the nexus of eight different railroad routes operated by the New Haven Railroad, including lines to New York City, Danbury, Waterbury, Northampton, Hartford, Middletown, New London, and the docks in New Haven south of the yard. [12] Cedar Hill was also the eastern end of the New Haven's electrification, was centrally located in the railroad's system, and was at a good location for locomotives travelling between New York City and Boston to stop for servicing. Other factors included the significant industrial activity in the city of New Haven, the high cost of buying property any closer to New York City, and the New Haven's existing facilities and land in the area. [12]

The yard's design called for a capacity of 180 cars per hour over two humps, for a classification capacity of 4,320 cars each day. [12] Significant design work went into planning the height and slope of the yard's humps, so that cars rolling downhill would travel at the desired speeds, accelerating up to 18 mph (29 km/h) after passing through the switches. [12] Several tracks were planned that travelled between the humps and the classification yards and accommodated speeders; these were used by the workers who rode along with the cars down the hump and manually applied handbrakes to slow them down. [12] Using speeders to return to the hump instead of walking saved time and required fewer workers to handle the same number of cars per hour. [12] Additional planned facilities included a yard for storing materials and a coal storage yard with a capacity of 100,000 short tons (91,000 t) of coal. [12]

As part of the yard's construction, the New Haven completed a grade separation at the south end of the yard, where lines from New Haven to Hartford, New London, and Middletown met. This eliminated all diamond crossings between different routes at Cedar Hill, removing a long-standing bottleneck on the New Haven Railroad's system. [13]

Construction

A view of the North and Eastbound classification yard at Cedar Hill Yard in the early 1920s. Freight Terminals and Trains Cedar Hill North and East Yard.png
A view of the North and Eastbound classification yard at Cedar Hill Yard in the early 1920s.

The site for the new expanded yard largely consisted of marshland, which complicated construction. [14] Over 3,000,000 cubic yards (2,300,000 m3) of fill was required for the project, which had to be delivered from cuts made elsewhere on the New Haven system. [14] In particular, the two humps had to be built on the previously flat land, with one of them being 30 feet (9 m) in height. [14] To accomplish this, trestles were built and then buried with fill, creating the hills needed for the humps. [14] Construction of the trestles required piles to be driven up to 60 feet (18 m) underground due to the soft soil. [14] For moving and transporting soil, the New Haven Railroad purchased 120 side-dump gondolas, and seven steam shovels worked to fill the side-dump cars at cut sites. [14] Locomotives backed trains of 15 gondolas at a time up the trestles, and dumped fill under them until the fill was level with the tracks, leaving the trestles covered by soil. [14]

As part of the yard's expansion, a new freight transfer station to handle less-than-car load freight was built, which opened in July 1920. [15] This eleven-track transfer facility was equipped with what were at the time very modern battery-powered freight tractors to sort freight throughout the facility, and could handle over 300 freight cars per day. [15] As a result of the opening of the transfer facility, located in the center of the yard, the New Haven Railroad was able to close multiple similar but less modern facilities across its system. [15] The new Cedar Hill Yard finished construction in 1920. [16] At the time of its completion, Cedar Hill was the largest railyard east of the Mississippi River in the United States. [17]

1920 to 1950

A collage showing operations at Cedar Hill Yard around 1920. Freight Terminals and Trains Cedar Hill Collage.png
A collage showing operations at Cedar Hill Yard around 1920.

Despite hopes that the new yard would eliminate traffic problems, traffic volumes continued to skyrocket after the new Cedar Hill Yard opened, and in the first few years of operations it suffered from congestion. The freight portion of the nearby Water Street Yard, which was closed when the expansion of Cedar Hill Yard was completed, was reopened in March 1922 to relieve capacity issues. [18] The next year, one local manufacturer declared at a hearing of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) that the new yard had failed in improving capacity and speed of freight shipments, a sentiment shared by Grand Trunk Pacific Railway president Howard G. Kelley. [19] Kelley was part of the Storrow committee, a group working to draft policy for the New England railroad system. That the New Haven had spent so much money to build Cedar Hill Yard was considered by critics and some members of the committee as evidence that New England's railroads should be consolidated into a single system, though the ICC's commissioners were skeptical of such a proposal. [19]

An automatic train stop system was installed from Cedar Hill Yard north to Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1925, with it entering operation on the first of September. [20] In 1926, Cedar Hill handled 97,328 cars per month, for an average of 3,200 cars each day. [16] Particularly busy days saw over 4,000 cars classified in 24 hours. [21] By 1928, Cedar Hill Yard and its surrounding facilities occupied 880 acres (360 ha) of land. The massive yards had a capacity of over 15,000 railroad cars. [22]

New Haven ALCO FA locomotives at Cedar Hill Yard in 1949 New Haven Alcos at Cedar Hill 1949 postcard.jpg
New Haven ALCO FA locomotives at Cedar Hill Yard in 1949

On August 29, 1928, an attempt was made by unknown person(s) to sabotage an express passenger train travelling from Montreal to Washington, D.C., through the yard. A railroad employee walking along the tracks noticed a railroad spike lodged into the rails in an attempt to derail the train, which was carrying over $2 million (35.5 million in 2023 dollars) worth of gold along with over 350 passengers. A derailment was averted when the employee flagged down the train, which reportedly came to a stop 30 feet (9 m) away from the spike. [23] In 1929, the New Haven commenced another major project to improve the yard by adding retarders and wiring switches to be remotely operated from control towers, improving both the safety and speed of the classification process. In total, 44 retarders were installed at Cedar Hill, along with 88 switches converted. [24] This allowed an end to the practice of workers riding along each car going down the hump and applying handbrakes, improving safety and reducing the number of workers required to run the yard. [24] In 1932, the New Haven reported that the installation of retarders at Cedar Hill Yard had reduced the time it took to classify cars by 35 percent, along with a reduction in expenses. [25] By 1941, Cedar Hill Yard held the title of "the world's largest single-railroad-operated freight yard". [26] A tour granted to a reporter for the Meriden Record in 1941 affords a snapshot of how the yard operated at its peak immediately before World War II. The reporter arrived at the yard on a train from Springfield, Massachusetts, and observed his train being reclassified over one of the yard's humps. The train was first inspected for defects by eight car inspectors, and then sent over the hump. The 70-car train was fully sorted in 14 minutes. [26] The railroad operated four control towers to run the yard, which were linked to each other by a PA system and the world's longest pneumatic tube system, with one tube stretching for three miles (4.8 km) and requiring seven minutes for a cartridge to travel from one end to the other. [26] At the time of the reporter's visit, the yard's twin roundhouses serviced 44 freight locomotives, 185 passenger locomotives, and 8 switchers each day. [26]

Cedar Hill Yard was at its busiest during World War II, with very heavy traffic in support of the war effort. In 1943, particularly busy days saw as many as 5,000 cars classified in a 24 hour period. The railroad faced challenges due to labor shortages at this time, as a result of many men being drafted to fight in the war. [27] During the war, a significant amount of traffic travelled between New York City and the yard by car float, moved by the New Haven Railroad's fleet of tugboats. [27]

1950 to 1969

A fire broke out on one of the yard's bridges across the Quinnipiac River on July 5, 1953. The three-track bridge, 300 feet (91 m) in length, was completely destroyed. Traffic was rerouted over alternate trestles until the repairs, estimated by a New Haven Railroad spokesperson to cost up to $100,000 (equivalent to $970,000in 2020 dollars), could be completed. [28] [29]

A 1954 inventory showed Cedar Hill Yard including the following facilities: [30]

Yard nameCar capacity
Maybrook receiving [Note 1] 924
Transfer platforms718
North and eastbound classification [Note 2] 1,763
Creosoting plant430
Northbound departure [Note 3] 502
Southbound receiving441
Material storage350
Shore Line receiving583
Westbound classification1,854
Shore line departure857
Maybrook departure1,436
Air line receiving403
Enginehouse yard193
New Haven Railroad EF-4 electric locomotives at Cedar Hill Yard in 1964 New Haven EF4 locomotives at Cedar Hill Yard 1964 postcard.jpg
New Haven Railroad EF-4 electric locomotives at Cedar Hill Yard in 1964

In 1958, the yard handled over 3,000 cars each day. [32] 1958 would also be the last profitable year for operations at Cedar Hill Yard for many years; ironically, this was thanks to significant business hauling concrete for highway construction. These same highways made truck transportation more viable, and reduced the amount of railroad shipments to and from the yard. [33] On August 16, 1959, the New Haven decided to close the western hump after a fire damaged the bridge and tracks connecting it to the rest of the yard. Traffic was redirected to the railroad's Maybrook Yard in Maybrook, New York. [34] The remaining hump and the yard at Maybrook were unable to handle all of the traffic, requiring the railroad hastily rebuild the damaged tracks and bridge and return the western hump to service, which was completed on March 28, 1960, at an expense of $200,000 (equivalent to $1,750,000in 2020). [16] [35] The New Haven's initial decision not to replace the damaged bridge resulted in criticism; a union observer testified to the Connecticut public utilities commission that delays from the damaged bridge resulted in train crews and locomotives spending hours at a time idling, an expense the financially troubled railroad could ill afford. [36] The following year, the New Haven's financial problems forced it into bankruptcy, and conditions at the yard began to decline due to deferred maintenance. [37] Car float service between Cedar Hill Yard and New York and New Jersey ended in 1968, when Selkirk Yard was rebuilt, resulting in a significant reduction in traffic. [33]

Penn Central takes over, 1969 to 1976

In 1969, the bankrupt New Haven Railroad was merged into newly-formed Penn Central Transportation Company, which inherited the yard. Soon after, Penn Central shut down the western hump at the yard, leaving only one hump in operation. [16] That same year, electrified operations were discontinued, and the catenary in the yard was dismantled. [38] [39] Under Penn Central, the yard was largely in a state of decay. The retarders in the yard had never been upgraded or replaced since their installation in 1929, and were no longer able to apply enough force to cars to slow them. The employees came up with a solution that was dubbed the 'toothpick machine': workers in the yard placed pieces of wood ("toothpicks") on the rails in front of each car, to reduce their speed as they went down the hump. A 1974 U.S. Senate report assessing issues in agricultural transportation opined that "Considering the price of new lumber these days, it is quite possible a new retarder would be cheaper." [40] On June 12, 1973, another trestle in the yard was destroyed by a fire. The trestle was part of a freight bypass that connected to the line towards Hartford from the north end of the yard. Penn Central was forced to route northbound trains from the yard through the city of New Haven until the trestle could be repaired. [41] Operations at Cedar Hill were severely impacted by a fire on the Poughkeepsie Bridge in May 1974, which suspended all traffic between New Haven and points west that travelled across the bridge via the Maybrook Line. [42] The bridge remained closed despite a directive to reopen it from Malcolm Wilson, the Governor of New York, later that year. [42] [43] Plans for rebuilding the bridge were repeatedly delayed, with New York representative Benjamin Gilman calling the situation a "seminar on government procrastination". [43] A legal fight over the fate of the bridge continued for years, with Connecticut's congressional delegation opposed to the federal plan to abandon the bridge and route freight to Cedar Hill via a circuitous route through Albany, New York, and Springfield, Massachusetts. A representative of the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) observed that freight shipments between Washington, D.C., and Boston increased in time from 6 hours to 31 hours when traveling this inland route. [44]

Conrail assumes operations, 1976 to 1999

The yard once included two roundhouses (pictured in 1977) but both have since been demolished New York, New Haven and Hartford RR- East New Haven Shops Roundhouse. East New Haven, New Haven Co., CT. (Not on NEC). - Northeast Railroad Corridor, Amtrak Route between New HAER CONN,5-NEWHA,37-85.tif
The yard once included two roundhouses (pictured in 1977) but both have since been demolished
The eastern portion of the yard includes a flyover (pictured in 1977) and was once the site of the yard's two humps New York, New Haven and Hartford RR- East New Haven Shops and Yards. East New Haven, New Haven Co., CT. (Not on NEC). - Northeast Railroad Corridor, Amtrak Route between New HAER CONN,5-NEWHA,37-83.tif
The eastern portion of the yard includes a flyover (pictured in 1977) and was once the site of the yard's two humps

Penn Central was merged into Conrail in 1976, along with many other bankrupt or troubled railroads in the Northeast, making Conrail the yard's new owner beginning in April. [45] [46] Working with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Conrail began efforts to bring portions of Cedar Hill into a state of good repair. The company spent over $1 million (5.35 million in 2023) on track resurfacing and tie replacement between Cedar Hill and Hartford Yard by August 1976, four months after beginning operations at the yards, including replacement of over 15,000 ties in Cedar Hill, and the resurfacing (tamping) of 20 miles (32 km) of yard tracks. [45] Conrail also rebuilt and reopened several tracks in the yard that had been out of service due to their unsafe condition, a consequence of deferred maintenance. [45] The railroad projected it would spend over $3 million (16.1 million in 2023) on repairs between the two yards; Conrail's Northeast Region general manager told a local newspaper that "By the end of the year, 30,000 more ties will be installed in Cedar Hill and Hartford Yards and an additional 34 miles (55 km) of tracks surfaced". [45]

Conrail initially focused on expanding Trailer On FlatCar (TOFC) service in a joint project with the CTDOT. In August 1976, Cedar Hill averaged 34 TOFC loads per day, and Conrail projected this number to double upon the completion of a clearance raising project for a bridge in Berlin, Connecticut. [45] Conrail also planned to rebuild the remaining hump to accommodate modern railcars. At the end of 1976, Conrail reported a 37 percent increase in traffic at the yard for November and December, thanks to the successful completion of the bridge raising project, which added six inches (15 cm) of clearance. [33] [47]

In 1978, two years into Conrail's tenure, Cedar Hill was processing roughly 300 cars a day, significantly less than it had in the New Haven days. Of the 14 individual yards which made up Cedar Hill Yard, seven remained in use, with a maximum capacity of 4,000 cars per day. [33] At this point the yard employed 200 workers, down from its peak of 1,000. [33] Traffic declined precipitously due to the opening of the newly rebuilt and computerized Selkirk Yard, which took the majority of Cedar Hill's previous freight. [16] Though Cedar Hill Yard remained the largest classification yard in New England, Conrail spokesman Robert McKernan summed up the change in the yards importance by stating that while it continued to be an indispensable link for freight traffic in southern Connecticut, the rebuilding of Selkirk Yard ended its status as essential for Southern New England as a whole. [33] Primary commodities entering the yard at this point were trap rock, metals, food, chemicals, and general merchandise. [33] Conrail also began to downsize its workforce at the yard, laying off dozens of employees between 1977 and 1979 and attracting the ire of Congressman Robert Giaimo. [48] [49]

Amtrak, the national passenger rail operator formed by the United States Congress, acquired a portion of Cedar Hill Yard in April 1976 from Penn Central through the provisions of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973. Amtrak took over the western portion of the yard, including the former western hump. [33] In 1978, an Amtrak spokesman said of its portion of the yard that "Eventually it will be a major yard" used to support Amtrak services in Southern New England. [33] The railroad initially used its space at the yard for storage along with a facility for continuous welded rail. [50]

Despite previous plans, the end of hump operations at Cedar Hill arrived in April 1980, when Conrail took the remaining hump out of service permanently. Short on funds and operating at a loss, Conrail downsized the yard in favor of the newer yard at Selkirk. From this point on, all operations were done by flat switching. [16] In October 1981, facing continuing financial problems, Conrail announced its intention to file to abandon its line over the Hudson River via the Poughkeepsie Bridge, ending the prospect of the bridge returning to service. With the line abandoned, the key link between Cedar Hill Yard and the rest of the country was severed. [44] [51]

Illegal dumping of toxic mercury was discovered in an abandoned portion of the yard in 1988, resulting in an investigation involving the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Environmental Protection Agency being launched. [52] The next year, two men who owned an auto repair shop next to the yard were convicted of illegally disposing of the mercury and sentenced to prison time as a result of the investigation. [53]

Conrail employees at Cedar Hill Yard briefly went on strike on April 17, 1991, as part of a nationwide strike by railroad workers. [54] This strike was ended the next day by a bill which banned railroad workers from striking, while also creating a committee to work out issues between railroad workers and employers, which was quickly passed by the United States Congress and signed by President George H. W. Bush. [55]

Amtrak formally established the Cedar Hill MOW Base at the yard in 1992. The facility supports Amtrak's maintenance operations on the New Haven–Springfield Line and in New Haven, and equipment used for these purposes is stored at the yard. [50]

CSX assumes control, 1999 to present

Two CSX GP40-2 locomotives idle in the yard in 2021 Cedar Hill Yard panorama.jpg
Two CSX GP40-2 locomotives idle in the yard in 2021

In 1999, Conrail's lines in New England were purchased by CSX Transportation. [46] Following its assumption of operations, CSX began to develop Cedar Hill Yard in the early 2000s for the loading, unloading, and transfer of bulk cargo such as lumber and cement between trucks and trains. The railroad has continued the TOFC business that was run by Conrail, but much of it is now moved between Cedar Hill Yard and CSX's West Springfield, Massachusetts yard by truck due to limited capacity on the New Haven–Springfield Line, which is a busy passenger train corridor. [56]

In the late 2000s, a new rail line was built to connect the yard to the port of New Haven. As of 2021, this line is operated by the Providence and Worcester Railroad. [56] [57]

Amtrak discovered high concentrations of PCBs within its portion of the yard during track repairs in 2005 and 2006. The railroad has worked with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to identify the scope of contamination and plan mitigation and cleanup. Following a request from both agencies, Amtrak completed testing within CSX's portion of the yard between 2017 and 2022 and confirmed PCBs were present there as well. Amtrak has reported it is working on a joint cleanup project with CSX as of 2023. [50]

A fire occurred in Cedar Hill Yard on July 23, 2016. The North Haven Fire Department responded to a report of a hopper car filled with construction debris on fire. The fire was extinguished without incident within a few hours. [58] [59]

Present day

The 1927 built coaling tower remains a prominent landmark in the Cedar Hill neighborhood today Coaling tower in Cedar Hill Yard, August 2022.JPG
The 1927 built coaling tower remains a prominent landmark in the Cedar Hill neighborhood today

As of 2021, CSX remains the owner and main operator at Cedar Hill Yard. Freight operations take place in the former Northbound Departure Yard and the North and Eastbound Classification Yard, both of which are now used for flat switching. [39] The yard contains a TRANSFLO bulk cargo transfer terminal which handles transloading. [60] From Cedar Hill, CSX operates local trains which serve freight customers on the New Haven Line, as well as the southern portion of the New Haven-Springfield Line. [61] Connecticut Southern Railroad is under contract by CSX to move freight between Cedar Hill Yard and the yard in West Springfield, Massachusetts, on the CSX Berkshire Subdivision. [61]

Another occupant of the yard is Amtrak, which uses it to store equipment and as a base for maintenance of way operations on the Northeast Corridor in Connecticut. [39] Amtrak occupies the portion of the yard west of the Quinnipiac River. [39] The yard also contains the headquarters for the company's New England Division. As of 2016, Amtrak employs approximately 100 people at Cedar Hill. [62] Some of Amtrak's yard is leased to a local manufacturer of welded rail. [39] The Providence and Worcester Railroad leases a few tracks in the yard from CSX and Amtrak for locomotive servicing and freight use. The railroad also moves dedicated aggregate trains in and out of the yard. [39]

As business declined, much of the yard was gradually abandoned, such as this switch tower, seen in 2021. Abandoned tower in Cedar Hill Yard.jpg
As business declined, much of the yard was gradually abandoned, such as this switch tower, seen in 2021.

In the 21st century, much of the yard now lies abandoned and is an attraction for urban explorers, despite the dangers of the old buildings and facilities which contain lead paint and asbestos. [63] The former New Haven Railroad coaling tower, built in 1927, stands abandoned to this day within Amtrak's portion of the yard and is a local landmark. [39] [64]

Future plans

While as of 2021 the yard was operating at a small fraction of its former level of activity, since the 1980s there have been several proposals that would increase traffic. The proposed Cross-Harbor Rail Tunnel in New York City would result in more usage of Cedar Hill Yard. Since so much of the yard is not in use, advocates have proposed rebuilding the abandoned portions of the yard to handle new rail freight traffic from the tunnel if it is built. [56] Officials in Connecticut have supported this proposal as a means of reducing truck traffic on the frequently congested Connecticut Turnpike between New York City and New Haven. [56] [65] Additionally, in 2011, a proposal was considered to reintroduce car float service between New Haven and New Jersey, with Cedar Hill Yard as the staging location for the New Haven terminus. [56]

Location

As built, the yard was situated where three railroad lines met, all of which remain in service as of 2022. These are the Shore Line Railway, which travelled east along the Connecticut coast past New Haven; the Hartford and New Haven Railroad, which travelled north to Hartford and Springfield; and the "Air Line" (Boston and New York Air-Line Railroad) which travelled northeast from New Haven towards Middletown. [66] By the time the first instance of Cedar Hill Yard was constructed, all three companies were part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, which controlled nearly all railroad traffic in Connecticut. [66] Two other railroad lines formerly entered New Haven near the yard: the New Haven and Northampton Railroad (the "Canal Line") diverged northward from the Shore Line Railway less than a mile west of Cedar Hill Yard, while in East Haven the New Haven and Derby Railroad connected New Haven to Derby. [66] The New Haven and Derby line was abandoned in 1938, and in 1987 the connection with the Canal Line was cut due to low clearances that blocked modern railroad cars from entering and exiting the line. [66] In the 21st century, the former Hartford and New Haven Railroad line is now Amtrak's New Haven–Springfield Line, the Air Line is part of the Providence and Worcester Railroad, and the Shore Line is part of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. [66] [67]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Receiving yards are where trains entering the yard are initially stored, before being sent over one of the humps for classification. [31]
  2. ↑ Classification yards are where trains from the receiving yards are classified based on their next destination, by being sent over a hump and switched to different tracks. [31]
  3. ↑ Departure yards are where sorted trains are moved to, before having road locomotives attached and leaving the yard for various destinations. [31]

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The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston in the north to Washington, D.C., in the south, with major stops in Providence, New Haven, Stamford, New York City, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore. The NEC roughly parallels Interstate 95 for most of its length. Carrying more than 2,200 trains a day, it is the busiest passenger rail line in the United States by ridership and service frequency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad</span> American Class I railroad (1872–1968)

The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, commonly known as The Consolidated, or simply as the New Haven, was a railroad that operated principally in the New England region of the United States from 1872 to December 31, 1968. Founded by the merger of the New York and New Haven and Hartford and New Haven railroads, the company had near-total dominance of railroad traffic in Southern New England for the first half of the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Providence and Worcester Railroad</span> Regional railroad in the Northeastern United States

The Providence and Worcester Railroad is a Class II railroad operating 612 miles (985 km) of tracks in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, as well as New York via trackage rights. The company was founded in 1844 to build a railroad between Providence, Rhode Island, and Worcester, Massachusetts, and ran its first trains in 1847. A successful railroad, the P&W subsequently expanded with a branch to East Providence, Rhode Island, and for a time leased two small Massachusetts railroads. Originally a single track, its busy mainline was double-tracked after a fatal 1853 collision in Valley Falls, Rhode Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Haven Line</span> Metro-North Railroad line in New York and Connecticut

The New Haven Line is a 72.7 mi (117.0 km) commuter rail line operated by the Metro-North Railroad in the U.S. states of New York and Connecticut. Running from New Haven, Connecticut, to New York City, the New Haven Line joins the Harlem Line in Mount Vernon, New York, and continues south to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. The New Haven Line carries 125,000 passengers every weekday and 39 million passengers a year. The busiest intermediate station is Stamford, with 8.4 million passengers, or 21% of the line's ridership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central New England Railroad</span> Shortline railroad in Connecticut

The Central New England Railroad is a railroad in and near Hartford, Connecticut. It began operations in 1995 on former Conrail trackage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connecticut Southern Railroad</span> Freight railroad in Connecticut and Massachusetts

The Connecticut Southern Railroad is a 90-mile (140 km) long short-line railroad operating in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The company was formed in 1996 as a spinoff of Conrail by shortline holding company RailTex and subsequently acquired in 2000 by RailAmerica. Since 2012, it has been a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming. CSO is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, site of its Hartford Yard. The company also operates East Hartford Yard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hartford Line</span> CTrail commuter rail service in the US

The Hartford Line is a commuter rail service between New Haven, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts, using the Amtrak-owned New Haven–Springfield Line. The project is a joint venture between the states of Connecticut and Massachusetts, with support from the federal government as well. CT Rail-branded trains provide service along the corridor, and riders can use Hartford Line tickets to travel on board most Amtrak trains along the corridor at the same prices. The service launched on June 16, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meriden Transit Center</span> Train station in Meriden, Connecticut, US

Meriden Transit Center is a train station on the New Haven–Springfield Line located in Meriden, Connecticut. It is served by Amtrak's Northeast Regional, Valley Flyer, and Vermonter, in addition to Hartford Line commuter rail service, consisting of Connecticut Department of Transportation and Amtrak trains. The station was rebuilt from 2014 to 2017 for the Hartford Line service, which began on June 16, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hartford and New Haven Railroad</span> Defunct railroad in Connecticut and Massachusetts

The Hartford and New Haven Railroad (H&NH), chartered in 1833, was the first railroad built in the state of Connecticut and an important direct predecessor of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The company was formed to connect the cities of New Haven, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts. It built northwards from New Haven, opening its first segment in 1838, and reaching Hartford in December 1839. The company reached Springfield in 1844 under the auspices of the Hartford and Springfield Railroad, a subsidiary chartered in Massachusetts. Branches were later built to Suffield, New Britain, and Middletown and operated by the Hartford and New Haven. The H&NH merged with the New York and New Haven Railroad in 1872, forming the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Haven station</span>

North Haven is a planned regional rail station on the New Haven–Springfield Line near Route 40 and Route 5 in North Haven, Connecticut, to be served by the Hartford Line service. The project has been funded for design, with construction expected to cost $52 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oak Point Yard</span> Rail yard in New York City, United States

The Oak Point Yard is a freight railroad yard located in Hunts Point, The Bronx, New York City. The yard is owned by CSX Transportation, and is a base for CSX's local deliveries in the area, including to the Hunts Point Cooperative Market and for trains that interchange freight with the New York and Atlantic Railway at Fresh Pond Junction in Queens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Housatonic Railroad (1836)</span> Railroad in Connecticut and Massachusetts, US

The Housatonic Railroad was a railroad in the U.S. states of Connecticut and Massachusetts, chartered in 1836. Opened between Bridgeport, Connecticut, and New Milford, Connecticut, in 1840, it was completed to a connection with the Western Railroad in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in 1842. Branches were later built to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Danbury, Connecticut, and Derby, Connecticut, the latter as part of the Housatonic Railroad's purchase of the New Haven and Derby Railroad in 1887.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pioneer Valley Railroad</span> Railroad in Massachusetts

The Pioneer Valley Railroad, founded in 1982, is a Class III short line freight railroad operating the former Conrail trackage in the western part of Massachusetts in towns of Westfield, Holyoke, and Southampton. The railroad has been owned by the Pinsly Railroad Company since its founding, with headquarters in Westfield, Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fresh Pond Junction</span> Railroad yard in New York City

Fresh Pond Junction is a freight yard in the Ridgewood and Glendale neighborhoods of Queens in New York City. It is operated by the New York & Atlantic Railway, which serves Long Island using tracks owned by the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). The yard has operated since the early 20th century and is the primary rail freight yard on the island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connecticut Valley Railroad</span> Defunct railroad in Connecticut

The Connecticut Valley Railroad was a railroad in the state of Connecticut founded in 1868. The company built a line along the Connecticut River between Hartford and Old Saybrook, which opened in 1871. It was reorganized as the Hartford and Connecticut Valley Railroad in 1880, and leased by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1887. Following partial abandonments by the New Haven Railroad and successor Penn Central Transportation Company between 1968 and 1972, the line south of Middletown was revived as the Valley Railroad, a heritage railroad, while the portion in Middletown and northward saw operation by several freight railroads. As of 2022, the Providence and Worcester Railroad and Connecticut Southern Railroad both operate portions of the former Connecticut Valley Railroad.

The Connecticut Central Railroad was a short-line railroad in the Middletown, Connecticut, area from 1987 to 1998. It was formed to operate Conrail trackage in the area that was slated for abandonment. The Connecticut Central Railroad was purchased by the Providence and Worcester Railroad in 1998, which has operated its lines since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maybrook Yard</span> Rail yard in Maybrook, New York

Maybrook Yard was a major rail yard located in Maybrook, New York. It was the western gateway of its long-time owner, the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and its predecessors. It was here that freight cars were interchanged between railroads from the west and the New Haven, whose Maybrook Line headed east over the Poughkeepsie Bridge to the railroad's main freight yard at Cedar Hill Yard in New Haven, Connecticut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railroads in New England</span> History of rail transportation in the New England region

Railroads have played an important role in New England ever since the Granite Railway, America's first commercial railway, began operations in Massachusetts in 1826. As industrialization spread across the region, hundreds of railroads were built throughout the 19th century. Railroad mileage peaked around World War I, and from that point on mileage began to shrink. Despite this, railroads continue to be important for freight and passenger transportation in the region, with the New Haven Line holding the title of busiest railroad line in the entire United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northup Avenue Yard</span> Rail yard in Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.

Northup Avenue Yard is a rail yard located in Providence and Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in the United States. The location has been the site of a rail yard since at least 1899. It was significantly expanded by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad between 1918 and 1921 and made into a hump yard. The hump was removed around 1970, after Penn Central Transportation Company took over the New Haven in 1969. Under Penn Central, the yard was downsized and the hump removed. Conrail superseded Penn Central in 1976 and sold off the yard to the Providence and Worcester Railroad in 1982.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Railroad Men Unsettled – Freight Employees Dissatisfied With Hours Of Labor". Sunday Herald . Bridgeport, Connecticut. November 10, 1895. p. 1. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Cedar Hill Yards". The Meriden Daily Journal . Meriden, Connecticut. December 12, 1894. p. 1. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Strike At New Haven". The Meriden Daily Journal . Meriden, Connecticut. November 21, 1901. p. 2. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Brakemen Are Out". Fall River Globe. November 20, 1901. p. 4. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Railroad Strikers to Return to Work; All Who Apply by 10 A.M. Will be Reinstated. Authoritative Statement by the Company, Declaring That the Men Have Accepted Its Terms –What Prest. Hall Says". The New York Times . New York. November 24, 1901. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Official Finding: Coroner Mix Gives Decision Regarding Wreck". Meriden Morning Record . Meriden, Connecticut. August 4, 1904. p. 3. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Road From New Haven to Cedar Hill Now In Process of Electrification". Record-Journal. October 20, 1913. p. 11. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  8. ↑ "No Electric Engines Here For Some Years". The Journal. July 9, 1915. p. 3. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Rush of Freight for New Haven to Handle". The Day . New London, Connecticut. April 19, 1915. p. 7. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  10. 1 2 "Cedar Hill Will Get Railroad Yard". The Day . New London, Connecticut. May 30, 1917. p. 11. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  11. 1 2 "New Haven Will Have Big Terminal". The Day . New London, Connecticut. August 3, 1918. p. 10. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Droege, John Albert (1925). Freight Terminals and Trains. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Incorporated. pp. 72–76.
  13. ↑ "New Haven's Hope of Centuries May Be Realized July 1". Hartford Courant. April 20, 1919. p. 26. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The Earth Mover: A Monthly Magazine for Earth and Stone Movers. Burton Publishing Company. 1917. pp. 5–7.
  15. 1 2 3 "Electric Tractors in Freight Transfer Service". Railway Electrical Engineer. 1921. pp. 455–458.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rhodes, Michael (2014). North American railyards (Updated and expanded ed.). Minneapolis, MN. p. 233. ISBN   978-0-7603-4609-9. OCLC   876669596. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2021.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  17. ↑ Duff, Beth Longware (October 28, 2003). "Traveling The Rise And Fall Of The New Haven Railroad". The Hour . Norwalk, Connecticut. p. D4. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Freight Increase Reopens Old Yard". The Day . New London, Connecticut. March 15, 1922. p. 8. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  19. 1 2 "Cedar Hill Yards Scared At Hearing". The Meriden Daily Journal . Meriden, Connecticut. September 26, 1923. p. 12. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Meriden In Safety Zone – New Train Stop System Installed". The Meriden Daily Journal . Meriden, Connecticut. September 1, 1925. p. 4. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  21. ↑ "New Haven Road Spends $81,000,000 in Decade On System's Improvement". The Day . New London, Connecticut. September 4, 1926. p. 9. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  22. ↑ Marteka, Peter (April 23, 2016). "A Trip To The Past Along The Forgotten Quinnipiac River". The Hartford Courant . Hartford, Connecticut. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Attempt To Wreck Express Averted By Section Hand". The Montreal Gazette . Montreal, Canada. August 30, 1928. p. 11. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  24. 1 2 "N. Haven R.R. to Spend $1,750,000 on Yards". Evening Tribune . Providence, Rhode Island. April 3, 1929. p. 16. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Saving In Time". The Meriden Daily Journal . Meriden, Connecticut. November 28, 1932. p. 7. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  26. 1 2 3 4 Schmelzer, William (June 10, 1941). "The Freights Roll Over Main Street". Meriden Record . Meriden, Connecticut. p. 17. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  27. 1 2 Lucey, Charles T. (June 1, 1943). "New Haven Lines Day & Night Move Freight By Water". The Pittsburgh Press . Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. 9. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Vital Rail Trestle Burns In New Haven". The Day . New London, Connecticut. Associated Press. July 6, 1953. p. 17. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Rail Trestle Leveled By Fire". Meriden Record . Meriden, Connecticut. Associated Press. July 6, 1953. p. 7. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  30. ↑ United States Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors (1954). The Ports of Southern New England. United States Government Printing Office. pp. 226, 232.
  31. 1 2 3 "Rail Basics 101: Chapter 3: Terminal/Yard Basic Purpose of Yard". www.commtrex.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  32. ↑ Grube, Ken (March 15, 1958). "Dick Duggan Now Rides 'Head-End' Of New Haven Road's Vast System". The Day . New London, Connecticut. p. 8. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Cedar Hill Former Railroad Hub". The Morning Record and Journal . Meriden, Connecticut. August 16, 1978. p. 23. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  34. ↑ "Railroad Recalling Workers at Maybrook". The Newburgh News . Newburgh, New York. August 26, 1959. p. 10. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  35. ↑ "PUC Hearing Scheduled to Resume April 8". Meriden Record . Meriden, Connecticut. Associated Press. March 30, 1960. p. 11. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  36. ↑ "Witness Doubts Railroad Can Survive Without Help". The Day . Associated Press. February 25, 1960. p. 1. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  37. ↑ "New Haven Set to Reorganize by Court Order". Schenectady Gazette . Schenectady, New York. Associated Press. July 8, 1961. p. 1. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  38. ↑ Cavanaugh, Harold (November 2003). "Colors of an itinerant juice-jack". Trains . pp. 42–49.
  39. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hartley, Scott A. (February 2013). "Ask Trains". Trains . pp. 64–65.
  40. ↑ United States Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry (1974). Report on a Field Study of Problems in Agricultural Transportation and Marketing (Report). p. 41. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  41. ↑ "Blaze Damages PennC Trestle In North Haven". The Morning Record . Associated Press. June 13, 1973. p. 21. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  42. 1 2 Walsh, Peter J. (September 5, 1974). "Penn Central Must Repair Rail Bridge". The Evening News . Newburgh, New York. p. 1. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  43. 1 2 "PC Bridge Repair Delay Hit". The Evening News . Newburgh, New York. September 2, 1975. p. 3A. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  44. 1 2 "Rail lawyer predicts 'fight' over freight". The Day . New London, Connecticut. July 17, 1975. p. 2. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  45. 1 2 3 4 5 Pach, Peter B. (August 26, 1976). "Track repairs expected to hit $3 million in state this year". The Morning Record . Meriden, Connecticut. p. 19. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  46. 1 2 Vantuono, William C. (April 5, 2016). "Conrail at 40: An experiment that worked". Railway Age. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  47. ↑ "Raised span in Berlin increases rail traffic". The Morning Record and Journal . Meriden, Connecticut. February 3, 1977. p. 15. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  48. ↑ Ferguson, Sharon; Bedoukian, Gail (August 24, 1978). "Frequent Breakdowns and Inefficiency Mar Service on Danbury-Norwalk Train Line". The Ridgefield Press . Ridgefield, Connecticut. p. 6. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  49. ↑ "Giaimo Protests Layoffs". The Morning Record and Journal . Meriden, Connecticut. December 17, 1979. p. 31. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  50. 1 2 3 "Cedar Hill Hamden Rail Yard". Amtrak. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  51. ↑ Sterenberg, Bill (October 20, 1981). "Key Beacon, Newburgh RR lines may be cut". The Evening News . Newburgh, New York. p. 1. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  52. ↑ "Wastes at Rail Yard Investigated". The Hour . Norwalk, Connecticut. Associated Press. March 22, 1988. p. 3. Archived from the original on September 19, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  53. ↑ Berry, Bryan (August 10, 1989). "Enforcing dump laws isn't easy". Record-Journal . Meriden, Connecticut. p. 18. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  54. ↑ "Early End Seen in Railroad Strike". Record-Journal . Meriden, Connecticut. April 18, 1991. p. 11. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  55. ↑ Eaton, William J.; Baker, Bob (April 18, 1991). "Bush Signs Bill Ordering End To Rail Strike". The Los Angeles Times . Los Angeles, California. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  56. 1 2 3 4 5 Housatonic Area Regional Transit District (July 2011). "Rail Freight In The Housatonic Region" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on September 2, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  57. ↑ "Providence and Worcester Railroad – A Genesee & Wyoming Company". Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  58. ↑ "North Haven Fire Department Extinguishes Blaze at CSX Yard". North Haven Fire Department. July 23, 2016. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
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  61. 1 2 Hartley, Scott A. (January 2015). "CSX Keeps the Faith in New England". Trains . p. 14.
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  63. ↑ Sniffen, Taylor (October 30, 2019). "Urban explorers find joy in abandoned properties in Connecticut". New Haven Register . New Haven, Connecticut. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  64. ↑ Brouws, Jeff (August 2016). "Coaling towers". Trains . p. 37.
  65. ↑ Carpenter, Richard. "Support The N.Y. X-Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel". Connecticut Fund for the Environment. Archived from the original on June 24, 2007. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  66. 1 2 3 4 5 Karr, Ronald Dale (2017). The Rail Lines of Southern New England (2nd ed.). Pepperell, Massachusetts: Branch Line Press. pp. 45–50, 71–81, 101–110. ISBN   978-0-942147-12-4. OCLC   1038017689. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  67. ↑ Connecticut Department of Transportation (2012). "Connecticut State Rail Plan, 2012–2016" (PDF). Ct.gov. p. 20. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.

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