Waterbury Branch

Last updated

Waterbury Branch
Waterbury Branch train near Naugatuck, December 2012.jpg
A Waterbury Branch train near Naugatuck in 2012
Overview
StatusTemporarily replaced by buses
Owner Naugatuck Railroad (1849–1887)
NYNH&H (1887–1969)
Penn Central (1969–1971)
ConnDOT (1971–present)
Locale Naugatuck River Valley of Connecticut, USA
Termini
Stations6
Service
Type Commuter rail
System Metro-North Railroad
Operator(s) Penn Central (1969–1976)
Conrail (1976–1983)
Metro-North Railroad (1983–present)
Rolling stock GE Genesis P32AC-DM
Brookville BL20GH
EMD GP40-3H
Shoreliner coaches
History
Opened1849
Technical
Line length28.5 mi (45.87 km)
Number of tracks1
CharacterSingle track, diesel motive power
Track gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification None
Route map
Waterbury Branch
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87.5 mi
140.8 km
Waterbury
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Waterbury Yard
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82.5 mi
132.8 km
Naugatuck
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78.5 mi
126.3 km
Beacon Falls
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75.0 mi
120.7 km
Seymour
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71.1 mi
114.4 km
Ansonia
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BSicon HST.svg
69.5 mi
111.8 km
Derby–Shelton
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BSicon GRZq.svg
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Zone 51
Zone 20
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BSicon STRl.svg
BSicon eHST.svg
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Devon Transfer (closed)
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Housatonic River
Railroad Bridge
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59.0 mi
95 km
Stratford
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Zone 20
Zone 19
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55.4 mi
89.2 km
Bridgeport
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Distances shown from Grand Central Terminal

The Waterbury Branch is a branch of the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line, running north from a junction in the Devon section of Milford to Waterbury, Connecticut. Originally built as the Naugatuck Railroad, it once continued north to Winsted. The part north of Waterbury is now leased from CTDOT by the Railroad Museum of New England, which operates excursion trains from Thomaston station through their operating subsidiary Naugatuck Railroad ( reporting mark NAUG); this name was chosen in homage of the original railroad. The trackage ends in Torrington, but Metro-North service on the branch ends at Waterbury. There are conceptual plans to extend service from its current terminus in Waterbury to Hartford via Bristol and New Britain. Currently, riders that want to continue to New Britain and Hartford have to transfer to an express bus operated by CTtransit at Waterbury. All trains on this branch operate as shuttles between Waterbury and Bridgeport.

Contents

All platforms currently consist of low-level platforms with the exception of the terminal stations at Bridgeport and Waterbury. A new station consisting of a high-level platform at Derby-Shelton is currently awaiting construction, while new station plans at Ansonia, Seymour, Beacon Falls, and Naugatuck are currently awaiting designs and funding.

For most of its route, the branch runs parallel to the Naugatuck River, viewable on the right side northbound and the left side southbound.

History

In 1906, work on double-tracking the branch between Seymour and Waterbury was underway. [1] It was completed in 1907. [2]

In September 2015, it was announced that out of governor Dannel Malloy's 30-year-$100 billion transportation plan, $350 million has been included to improve service along the branch. [3] The upgrades were to include a new signal system with multiple passing sidings to increase service – as it was the last remaining dark territory of the Metro-North system – along with newer equipment and station rehabilitation. [4] Signalization enabled multiple trains to safely operate on the branch at a time, while allowing for increased capacity and overall safer train operation. New passing sidings were constructed at Derby and Beacon Falls, while existing sidings at Devon and Waterbury were upgraded, allowing trains to pass each other in single-track territory and thereby increase service frequency. [5]

Centralized Traffic Control was activated on November 7, 2021. [5] Taking advantage of the newly constructed signal system, an increase in service frequency from 15 to 22 trains per day (12 southbound, 10 northbound) was implemented on July 10, 2022 with super express connecting trains from Bridgeport, saving commuters up to 60 minutes on their round-trip commute time. [6]

As of 2022, the Connecticut Department of Transportation was studying the feasibility of installing catenary wire on the Waterbury Branch. [7]

Major damage from catastrophic flooding washed out the line in several locations on August 18, 2024. All service was suspended in favor of replacement bus service while repairs took place. [8]

Stations

The following connecting services are available to Amtrak, [9] Metro-North Railroad, [10] CT Transit, [11] and Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority. [12]

ZoneLocationStation Miles (km)
from GCT
Date
opened
Date
closed
Connections / notes
19 Bridgeport Bridgeport Wheelchair symbol.svg 55.4 (89.2)1840 [13] Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
Amtrak: Northeast Regional', Vermonter
Greater Bridgeport Transit: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 17, 19X, 22X, 23, Coastal Link [12]
Greyhound Lines, Peter Pan Bus Lines
Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry
Sacred Heart University Transit Shuttle, University of Bridgeport Shuttle
20 Stratford Stratford 59.0 (95.0)Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
Greater Bridgeport Transit: 1, 10, 16, 23, Coastal Link [12]
51 Derby Derby–Shelton 69.5 (111.8)1849Greater Bridgeport Transit: 15, 23
CTtransit New Haven: 255
Ansonia Ansonia 71.1 (114.4)1849CTtransit New Haven: 255
Seymour Seymour 75.0 (120.7)1849CTtransit New Haven: 255
Beacon Falls Beacon Falls 78.5 (126.3)1849
Naugatuck Naugatuck 82.5 (132.8)1849 CTtransit Waterbury: N1, N2, T74
Waterbury Waterbury Wheelchair symbol.svg 87.5 (140.8)1849 CTfastrak: 925, 928

Rolling stock

Waterbury Branch train with depowered SPV-2000 coaches at Waterbury in 2003 ConnDOT 6699 with Constitution Liners at Waterbury, June 2003.jpg
Waterbury Branch train with depowered SPV-2000 coaches at Waterbury in 2003

The Waterbury Branch uses Brookville BL20GH, GE Genesis P32AC-DM, and EMD GP40-3H locomotives and Shoreliner passenger coaches. Prior to the arrival of push-pull coaches, the branch used self-propelled Budd RDC and SPV-2000 railcars, the latter of which were later converted to coaches. A typical shuttle consists of three cars.

In August 2023, CTDOT approved a contract with Alstom for 60 single-level passenger cars. The cars will replace the existing Shoreliner coach fleet on the Waterbury Branch and the Danbury Branch, as well as Mafersa coaches on the Hartford Line. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2026. [14] [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metro-North Railroad</span> Commuter rail service in New York and Connecticut

Metro-North Railroad, trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public authority of the U.S. state of New York. Metro-North serves the New York Metropolitan Area, running service between New York City and its northern suburbs in New York and Connecticut, including Port Jervis, Spring Valley, Poughkeepsie, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, White Plains, Southeast and Wassaic in New York and Stamford, New Canaan, Danbury, Bridgeport, Waterbury, and New Haven in Connecticut. Service in Connecticut is operated under contract with the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Metro-North also provides local rail service within the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx.

<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">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 operates during weekday rush hours. 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">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">New Canaan Branch</span> Metro-North Railroad branch in Connecticut

The New Canaan Branch is an 8.2-mile (13 km) long branch line of the Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line that begins from a junction east of downtown Stamford, Connecticut, north to New Canaan. It opened in 1868 as the New Canaan Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danbury Branch</span> Metro-North Railroad branch in Connecticut

The Danbury Branch is a diesel branch of the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line in the U.S. state of Connecticut, running from downtown Norwalk north to Danbury. It opened in 1852 as the Danbury and Norwalk Railroad. Until the early 1970s, passenger service continued north from Danbury to Canaan, Connecticut, and Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Metro-North took over operation of the line from Conrail in 1983, and the modern-day branch is mostly single-tracked.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naugatuck Railroad</span>

The Naugatuck Railroad is a common carrier railroad owned by the Railroad Museum of New England and operated on tracks leased from the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The original Naugatuck Railroad was a railroad chartered to operate through south central Connecticut in 1845, with the first section opening for service in 1849. In 1887 the line was leased by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, and became wholly owned by 1906. At its greatest extent the Naugatuck ran from Bridgeport north to Winsted. Today's Naugatuck Railroad, formed in 1996, runs from Waterbury to the end of track in Torrington, Connecticut. From Waterbury south to the New Haven Line, Metro-North Railroad operates commuter service on the Waterbury Branch.

<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">Bridgeport station (Connecticut)</span> Railroad station in Bridgeport, Connecticut, US

Bridgeport station is a shared Amtrak and Metro-North Railroad train station along the Northeast Corridor serving Bridgeport, Connecticut and nearby towns. On Metro-North, the station is the transfer point between the Waterbury Branch and the main New Haven Line. Amtrak's inter-city Northeast Regional and Vermonter service also stop at the station. In addition the transfer point for Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority buses, the departure point for the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry across Long Island Sound to Port Jefferson, New York, and both the Total Mortgage Arena and the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater are located adjacent to the station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naugatuck station</span> Railroad station in Naugatuck, Connecticut, US

Naugatuck station is a commuter rail station on the Waterbury Branch of the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line, located in Naugatuck, Connecticut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seymour station</span> Metro-North Railroad station in Connecticut

Seymour station is a commuter rail stop on the Waterbury Branch of the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line, located in Seymour, Connecticut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derby–Shelton station</span> Metro-North Railroad station in Connecticut

Derby–Shelton station is a commuter rail station on the Waterbury Branch of the Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line, serving the cities of Derby and Shelton, Connecticut. It is the southernmost stop on the Waterbury Branch before trains merge onto the Northeast Corridor.

<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">Central Naugatuck Valley</span> Place in Connecticut, United States

The Central Naugatuck Valley is a region of Connecticut in New Haven and Litchfield counties located approximately 70 miles (110 km) northeast of New York City and 110 miles (180 km) southwest of Boston, United States. The region comprises 13 towns: Beacon Falls, Bethlehem, Cheshire, Middlebury, Naugatuck, Oxford, Prospect, Southbury, Thomaston, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott, and Woodbury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mafersa coaches</span>

The Mafersa coaches are a class of 38 passenger railroad cars built by Brazilian manufacturer Mafersa. Originally built for Virginia Railway Express (VRE) in 1991–92, they are currently operated by Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) for CT Rail service and by QIT-Fer et Titane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoreliner</span> Locomotive-hauled rail car used by the Metro-North Railroad

Shoreliners are a class of locomotive-hauled rail car used by the Metro-North Railroad. They are similar to the Comet coaches used by New Jersey Transit. Ownership of the fleet is split between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the Connecticut Department of Transportation, as part of the latter's operating agreement with the MTA. MTA coaches have blue window bands, while CTDOT coaches have red ones. Many of the Shoreliner cars are named in honor of people and places significant to their service area, such as The Connecticut Yankee and Washington Irving.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waterbury station</span> Metro-North Railroad station in Connecticut

Waterbury station is a commuter rail stop on the Waterbury Branch of the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line, located on Meadow Street in Waterbury, Connecticut. It is the northern terminus of the Waterbury Branch.

The Metro-North Railroad is a commuter railroad serving northern suburbs of New York City. It principally uses a fleet of electric railcars for its services; diesel locomotives and push-pull coaches are in use as well for non-electrified portions of the system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CT Rail</span> Commuter rail in Connecticut, USA

CT Rail, stylized as CTrail, is the brand for commuter rail services overseen by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), in the U.S. state of Connecticut, with services on the Hartford Line extending into Massachusetts. CTDOT oversees two lines: Shore Line East, between New Haven and New London, Connecticut, and the Hartford Line, from New Haven, through Hartford, to Springfield, Massachusetts.

References

  1. Thirty-Fifth Year General Statement On The Affairs Of The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company For The Year Ending June 30, 1906. New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad Company. 1906. p. 5.
  2. "Annual Report of N.Y., N.H. & H." Hartford Courant. October 3, 1907. p. 11 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Waterbury Branch Commuters Using Metro-North to Hear Details On Connecticut". Fox Business. Associated Press. September 2, 2015.
  4. "Metro-North Waterbury branch rail line improvements underway". Shelton Herald. May 10, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  5. 1 2 Hartley, Scott A. (November 8, 2021). "Metro-North activates CTC on Waterbury Branch, completing system". Trains.com. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  6. "NEW YORK - WATERBURY: WEEKDAY SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE: July 10, 2022" (PDF).
  7. Brone, Abigail (May 24, 2022). "CT's Shore Line East shifts to all-electric trains; 'It's faster, it's a lot more comfortable'". CT Insider. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  8. Trains Staff (August 22, 2024). "Metro-North's Waterbury Branch could remain closed for five weeks". Trains. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  9. "AMTRAK® SYSTEM TIMETABLE" (PDF). June 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2018.
  10. "NEW YORK–NEW HAVEN" (PDF).
  11. "CT Transit Stamford System Map" (PDF). CT transit. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  12. 1 2 3 "System Map - Mapa de sistema". GBT. November 5, 2017. Archived from the original on February 10, 2019. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  13. "Bridgeport, CT (BRP)". Great American Stations. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
  14. "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.
  15. "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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