Clinton station (Connecticut)

Last updated

Clinton
Clinton station (2), August 2022.JPG
Clinton station in August 2022
General information
Location10 John Street Extension
Clinton, Connecticut
Coordinates 41°16′46″N72°31′42″W / 41.2794°N 72.5283°W / 41.2794; -72.5283
Owned by ConnDOT
Line(s) Amtrak Northeast Corridor
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
ConnectionsAiga bus trans.svg Estuary Transit District: 641
Construction
Parking120 spaces
AccessibleYes
History
OpenedJuly 1852–January 28, 1972
January 8–April 30, 1978
May 29, 1990 [1]
RebuiltNovember 19, 1897; 1959;
July 25, 2005
May 2019–April 4, 2022
Passengers
201943 daily boardings [2]
Services
Preceding station Hartford Line logo.png CT Rail Following station
Madison
toward Stamford
Shore Line East Westbrook
toward New London
Former services
Preceding station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak Following station
Madison
toward New Haven
Clamdigger Old Saybrook
toward New London
Preceding station New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Following station
Madison
toward New Haven
Shore Line Westbrook
toward Boston

Clinton station is a regional rail station served by the CTrail Shore Line East service located near downtown Clinton, Connecticut. The station has two side platforms connected by a footbridge. Clinton is a commuter-only station; Amtrak's Acela Express and Northeast Regional services run through the station without stopping.

Contents

History

New Haven Railroad

The original 1852 depot is now a restaurant 1852 Clinton station front.JPG
The original 1852 depot is now a restaurant
An early postcard of the 1897 station Clinton station postcard.jpg
An early postcard of the 1897 station

The New Haven & New London Railroad was charted in 1848, began construction in 1850, and opened for service in July 1852. [3] A combination depot (serving both freight and passengers) similar to others on the line was located on the south side of the tracks east of John Street in downtown Westbrook. [4] [5] The line was owned by the New York, Providence and Boston Railroad (the "Stonington Road") from 1858 to 1862, and by the Shore Line Railway from 1864 until it was acquired by the New Haven Railroad in 1870. [3]

In the 1890s, the New Haven double-tracked and straightened several sections of the Shore Line. The sharp curve in downtown Clinton was eliminated in 1897, allowing four grade crossings to be eliminated. [6] A new station, located on the north side of the tracks at John Street, was built in the saltbox style and became "the new standard pattern of stations on the Shore Line". The 23-foot (7.0 m) by 80-foot (24 m) station opened on November 19, 1897,. Twelve days before, the older station had been moved 700 feet (210 m) to the west for use as a freight house, a function it served until the 1950s. [6] It is still extant and in use as a restaurant. [5] [6]

The 1897-built station was demolished around 1960 when the site was sold to expand parking for the adjacent Chesebrough-Pond's factory. As part of the sale, Chesebrough-Pond's paid for a small shelter to be built slightly to the east at Hull Street. [6] Most commuter service east of New Haven ceased on January 1, 1969, after the New Haven merged into Penn Central, though the Clamdigger continued operation under Penn Central and later Amtrak until January 28, 1972. [7] [8] : 6  The shelter was demolished in 1973 along with those at Stonington, East Lyme, Madison, and Branford station. [6]

A second version of the Clamdigger operated from September 9, 1976 to October 30, 1977, but it did not stop at Clinton. [9] [10] [11] The Clamdigger was reinstated on January 8, 1978, with commuter-based flag stops added at Groton, Clinton, Madison, Stony Creek, and Branford. [12] [13] : 1  It was replaced by the Boston-New Haven Beacon Hill effective April 30, 1978, ending service to Clinton a second time. [14] [13] : 11 

Shore Line East station

The second platform under construction in 2020 Clinton station construction from the south platform, October 2020.JPG
The second platform under construction in 2020

The modern Clinton station opened at the beginning of Shore Line East service on May 29, 1990. A small low-level platform with Plexiglas shelters was located at John Street, almost exactly where the town's first station was located. Like the other original 1990 Shore Line East stations, the station was built before the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed, and its low-level platform was not accessible. [6]

On May 24, 2004, construction of a new platform began at Clinton as well as Guilford and Branford. [15] The rebuilt Clinton station, with a two car long, 200-foot-long high-level platform on the south side of the tracks, opened on July 25, 2005. [16]

A 2003 agreement between the Connecticut Department of Transportation (which operates Shore Line East) and Amtrak (who owns the tracks) included a requirement that all Shore Line East stations have second platforms added before Shore Line East service could be increased. [17] Having two platforms allows SLE trains to use both tracks, providing greater operational flexibility. Per the agreement with Amtrak, a second platform was to be added to Clinton station. The project was originally planned to start in early 2012, but was indefinitely delayed in 2011. [18] By mid-2012 the project was to be advertised to bidders in June 2013, it was then delayed indefinitely. [19] [20]

In October 2017, the state announced that construction would begin in March 2018 and be completed by December 2019. [21] It was announced in January 2018 that the then-$18 million project would be postponed again until new funding was identified. [22] [23] However, bidding for the project took place in August 2018. [24] [25] Funding was nearly withdrawn in December 2018, but town officials convinced the state to allow the project to proceed. [23] A groundbreaking for the $12.5 million project was held in June 2019, with completion then expected in January 2021. [23] [26] The second platform and footbridge opened on April 4, 2022, doubling the amount of service that stops at the station. [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northeast Corridor Line</span> Commuter rail line in New Jersey and New York

The Northeast Corridor Line is a commuter rail service operated by NJ Transit between the Trenton Transit Center and New York Penn Station on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor in the United States. The service is the successor to Pennsylvania Railroad commuter trains between Trenton and New York, and is NJ Transit's busiest commuter rail service. After arrival at New York Penn Station, some trains load passengers and return to New Jersey, while others continue east to Sunnyside Yard for storage. Most servicing is done at the Morrisville Yard, at the west end of the line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Station (New Haven)</span> Railroad station in Connecticut

New Haven Union Station is the main railroad passenger station in New Haven, Connecticut. It is the third such station in the city of New Haven, preceded by both an 1848 built station in a different location, and an 1879 built station near the current station's location. Designed by noted American architect Cass Gilbert, the present beaux-arts Union Station was completed and opened in 1920 after the previous Union Station was destroyed by fire. It served the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad for the next five decades, but fell into decline following World War II along with the United States railroad industry as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shore Line East</span> Commuter rail service in southern Connecticut, US

Shore Line East (SLE) is a commuter rail service which operates along the Northeast Corridor through southern Connecticut, United States. The rail service is a fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) and is operated under the CT Rail brand. SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor between New London and New Haven; limited through service west of New Haven to Bridgeport and Stamford has been suspended since 2020. Cross-platform transfers to Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line trains are available at New Haven for service to southwestern Connecticut and New York City. Pre-COVID, around 2,200 riders used the service on weekdays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stamford Transportation Center</span> Railroad station in Connecticut

Stamford station, officially known as the Stewart B. McKinney Transportation Center or the Stamford Transportation Center, is a major railroad station in the city of Stamford, Connecticut, serving passengers traveling on Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line, Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, and CTrail's Shore Line East. In addition, it is also a major bus terminal for Greyhound, Peter Pan, and CTtransit buses. In 2018, the station averaged over 15,000 Metro-North boardings on weekdays, making it the busiest station on the system aside from Grand Central Terminal. Its official name honors politician Stewart McKinney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Haven–Springfield Line</span> Railroad line in Connecticut and Massachusetts, U.S.

The New Haven–Springfield Line is a railroad line owned by Amtrak from New Haven, Connecticut, north to Springfield, Massachusetts, serving the Knowledge Corridor. As a branch of the Northeast Corridor just north of New Haven State Street station, it is served by approximately seven daily Northeast Regional round trips, some continuing from New Haven to Washington, D.C., along the Corridor and others terminating at New Haven as shuttles. On weekends, there is one train daily to Roanoke, Virginia. It is also served by the daily Vermonter, which starts in Washington, D.C., and continues north from Springfield, finally terminating in St. Albans, Vermont. The line is part of the Inland Route connecting Boston and New York via Hartford, Springfield, and Worcester, in contrast to the "Shore Line" along the Connecticut Shore and through Rhode Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Haven State Street station</span> Railroad station in Connecticut

New Haven State Street station is a commuter rail station located on State Street in downtown New Haven, Connecticut. The secondary railroad station in the city, it is located 0.8 miles (1.3 km) northeast of the much larger New Haven Union Station and is intended to offer easier access to New Haven's downtown business district. It is served by Shore Line East and Hartford Line commuter trains, Amtrak Hartford Line trains, Springfield-terminating Northeast Regional trains, and Valley Flyer trains, and a limited number of Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line trains. Originally proposed in 1996, State Street opened on June 7, 2002. A second platform opened on June 8, 2018, in time for the beginning of Hartford Line service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingston station (Rhode Island)</span> Railway station in Kingston, Rhode Island

Kingston is a historic railroad station located on the Northeast Corridor in the village of West Kingston, in the town of South Kingstown, Rhode Island. It was built at this location in 1875 by the New York, Providence and Boston Railroad, replacing earlier stations dating back to the opening of the line in 1837. Current rail services consist of Northeast Regional trains in each direction, most of which stop at the station. Historically Kingston provided commuter rail service to Providence and Boston via Amtrak's commuter rail services. The MBTA is looking at extending their commuter service on the Providence/Stoughton Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Saybrook station</span> Regional rail station in Connecticut, US

Old Saybrook station is a regional rail station in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. It is served by both Amtrak Northeast Regional intercity trains and CTrail Shore Line East commuter service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New London Union Station</span> Railway station in New London, Connecticut, US

New London Union Station is a railroad station on the Northeast Corridor located in downtown New London, Connecticut, United States. Union Station is a station stop for most Amtrak Northeast Regional trains and all CTrail Shore Line East commuter rail trains, making it the primary railroad station in southeastern Connecticut. It serves as the centerpiece of the Regional Intermodal Transit Center, with connections to local and intercity buses as well as ferries to Long Island and Fishers Island, New York, and Block Island, Rhode Island. The station has one side platform and one island platform serving the two-track Northeast Corridor; the latter platform also serves a siding track that connects to the New England Central Railroad mainline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westbrook station (Connecticut)</span> Railway station in Westbrook, CT

Westbrook station is a regional rail station on the Northeast Corridor, located off Connecticut Route 153 just north of the village center of Westbrook, Connecticut. It is served by the CTrail's Shore Line East commuter rail service; Amtrak's Acela Express and Northeast Regional services run through the station without stopping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madison station (Connecticut)</span> Railway station in Madison, Connecticut

Madison station is a passenger rail station along CTrail's Shore Line East commuter rail line, which runs on the Northeast Corridor between New Haven and New London. Madison station consists of a mid-sized parking lot and one high-level side platform on the southbound side of the tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guilford station</span> Railway station in Guilford, Connecticut

Guilford station is a regional rail station on the Northeast Corridor, located slightly south of the town center of Guilford, Connecticut. Owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, it is served by the CTrail Shore Line East service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Branford station</span> Railway station in Branford, Connecticut

Branford station is a station on the Northeast Corridor located in Branford, Connecticut, and served by Shore Line East regional rail service.

<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.

<i>Hartford Line</i> (Amtrak) Amtrak service between Springfield, MA and New Haven, CT

The Hartford Line is a train service run by Amtrak primarily between Springfield, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut, along Amtrak's New Haven–Springfield Line.

<i>Beacon Hill</i> (train) Amtrak commuter train between Boston and New Haven

The Beacon Hill was a daily 157-mile (253 km) commuter rail service operated by Amtrak between Boston, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut, from 1978 to 1981. The Beacon Hill was one of the last long-haul commuter services operated by Amtrak. Service consisted of a single rush-hour round trip, with service eastbound to Boston in the morning and westbound to New Haven in the evening.

The Clamdigger was a daily passenger train which ran along the Northeast Corridor during the 1970s. The train had two iterations: from 1898 to 1972 it was a local commuter service under the New Haven Railroad, Penn Central, and Amtrak between New London and New Haven, while from 1976 to 1978 it was a long-distance commuter service operated by Amtrak from Providence to New Haven. In 1978, it was canceled and replaced with the Beacon Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Groton station (Connecticut)</span>

Groton station was one of the shortest-lived Amtrak passenger rail stations, in service from January to April 1978 during the last incarnation of Amtrak's Clamdigger service. Previous stations at several locations in Groton were served from 1852 until the mid-20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niantic station</span> Former train station in Connecticut, United States

Niantic was a train station on the Northeast Corridor located in the Niantic village of East Lyme, Connecticut. Opened in the 1850s, it was rebuilt in 1899 and again in 1954 by the New Haven Railroad. It closed in 1972, then reopened from 1978 to 1981 for use by the Amtrak Beacon Hill. A new station has since been proposed to be built in Niantic to serve the Shore Line East commuter rail service.

<i>Valley Flyer</i> (Amtrak train)

The Valley Flyer is a train service run by Amtrak between New Haven, Connecticut and Greenfield, Massachusetts along Amtrak's New Haven–Springfield Line and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Connecticut River Line.

References

  1. ↑ "Commuter Trains Have Smooth Start". The Hartford Courant . May 30, 1990. p. D9. Retrieved July 13, 2021– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  2. ↑ "Attachment 8: Shore Line East station ridership" (PDF). Facility Management Services for Various Railroad Station Facilities for Region C. Connecticut Department of Transportation. 2021.
  3. 1 2 Karr, Ronald Dale (1995). The Rail Lines of Southern New England. Branch Line Press. pp. 94–96. ISBN   0942147022.
  4. ↑ Bailey & Co. (1881). "View of Clinton, Connecticut 1881" – via UConn Libraries.
  5. 1 2 Roy, John H. Jr. (2007). A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses. Branch Line Press. p. 41. ISBN   9780942147087.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Belletzkie, Bob. "CT Passenger Stations, CL-CR". Tyler City Station.
  7. ↑ "Last Run Made By 'Clamdigger'". Bridgeport Telegram . January 29, 1972. p. 32. Retrieved July 13, 2016– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  8. ↑ Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A GENERAL CHRONOLOGY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY ITS PREDECESSORS AND SUCCESSORS AND ITS HISTORICAL CONTEXT: 1972" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society.
  9. ↑ Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A GENERAL CHRONOLOGY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY ITS PREDECESSORS AND SUCCESSORS AND ITS HISTORICAL CONTEXT: 1976" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. p. 34.
  10. ↑ "National Train Timetables". National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). October 31, 1976. pp. 15, 22 – via The Museum of Railway Timetables.
  11. ↑ Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A General Chronology Of The Pennsylvania Railroad Company Its Predecessors And Successors And Its Historical Context: 1977" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. p. 32.
  12. ↑ "National Train Timetables". Amtrak). April 30, 1978. p. 18 – via The Museum of Railway Timetables.
  13. 1 2 Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A General Chronology Of The Pennsylvania Railroad Company Its Predecessors And Successors And Its Historical Context: 1978" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society.
  14. ↑ National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) (April 30, 1978). "National Train Timetables". The Museum of Railway Timetables. p. 18. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Work on several Shore Line East stations scheduled to begin May 24th" (PDF). Rideworks Review. May 17, 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2005. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Station Info: Clinton". Shore Line East. Connecticut Department of Transportation. July 25, 2005. Archived from the original on December 25, 2005. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Expanding Rail Service" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Transportation. January 1, 2007. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Public Information Meeting Regarding Improvements to the Clinton Shore Line East Railroad Station". Connecticut Department of Transportation. March 8, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  19. ↑ "State Projects Scheduled for Advertising: August 2012 through July 2013" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Transportation. August 10, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 17, 2012. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  20. ↑ Garrety, Karina (April 9, 2014). "Clinton Train Station on Hold". Harbor News. Archived from the original on May 14, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  21. ↑ O'Connell, Eric (October 17, 2017). "Upgrades to Clinton Train Station to Start in March". ZIP06.
  22. ↑ "Gov. Malloy, CTDOT Indefinitely Postpone Hundreds of Transportation Projects Across Connecticut" (Press release). State of Connecticut. January 10, 2018.
  23. 1 2 3 O’Connell, Eric (May 14, 2019). "Delayed Train Station Renovation Promised in Clinton". Zip06.
  24. ↑ "Project No. 310-0059; Clinton Railroad Station – North Platform Improvements and Pedestrian Bridge". Connecticut Department of Transportation. July 2018.
  25. ↑ O’Connell, Eric (August 6, 2018). "Clinton's Long-Delayed Station Upgrades Expected in Spring". Zip06.
  26. ↑ "Officials break ground on improvement project at Shore Line East Clinton station". The Middletown Press. June 26, 2019.
  27. ↑ "New Boarding Platform at Clinton Railroad Station Opening Monday, April 4 on Shore Line East" (Press release). Connecticut Department of Transportation. April 1, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.