New Haven Line

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line runs from New Haven, Connecticut southwest to Woodlawn, New York on the Harlem Line, where New Haven Line trains continue south to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. Northeast of New Rochelle, New York it is also part of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, but it is owned by Metro-North. The line was formerly part of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad (the New York and New Haven Railroad until 1872), which had trackage rights over the New York Central Railroad's New York and Harlem Railroad into Grand Central. From west to east, three branches split---the New Canaan Branch, Danbury Branch, and Waterbury Branch.

Penn Central, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the states of New York and Connecticut signed an agreement November 25, 1969 for New York to buy the section of the line in that state and Connecticut to lease their section (to New Haven).^[1] The actual acquisition was done on January 1, 1971, and included the three branches. ^[2]

Contents 1 Station stops 2 On the Drawing Board 3 Multiple Unit Equipment 4 M8 Current Designs 5 Notes 6 External links

[edit] Station stops

State	Town/City	Milepost	Station	Connections
New York	Manhattan	0.0	Grand Central Terminal	NYC Transit 4, 5, 6, 7, Shuttle, Buses
		4.2	Harlem-125th Street	NYC Transit 4, 5, 6, Buses
	Hudson Line splits
	Melrose and Tremont stations are bypassed
	Bronx	8.9	Fordham	NYC Transit B, D, Buses
	Botanical Garden, Williams Bridge, and Woodlawn stations are bypassed
	Harlem Line splits
	Mount Vernon	14.0	Mount Vernon East	Bee-Line Bus
	Power change from third rail to catenary
	Pelham	15.1	Pelham	Bee-Line Bus
	Line joins Northeast Corridor
	New Rochelle	16.6	New Rochelle	Amtrak Regional, Bee-Line Bus
	Larchmont	18.7	Larchmont	Bee-Line Bus
	Mamaroneck	20.5	Mamaroneck
	Harrison	22.2	Harrison
	Rye	24.1	Rye
	Port Chester	25.7	Port Chester
Connecticut	Greenwich	28.1	Greenwich	Norwalk Transit, Connecticut Transit - Stamford
		29.6	Cos Cob
		30.2	Riverside
		31.2	Old Greenwich	Connecticut Transit - Stamford
	Stamford	33.0	Stamford	Amtrak Acela Express, Regional and Vermonter; Shore Line East; Connecticut Transit - Stamford
	New Canaan Branch splits
	Darien	36.2	Noroton Heights	Connecticut Transit - Stamford
		37.7	Darien
	Norwalk	39.2	Rowayton
		41.0	South Norwalk	Norwalk Transit
	Danbury Branch splits
	Norwalk	42.0	East Norwalk	Norwalk Transit
	Westport	44.2	Westport
		47.2	Green's Farms
	Fairfield	48.9	Southport	Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority
		50.5	Fairfield
	Bridgeport	55.4	Bridgeport	Amtrak Regional and Vermonter; Shore Line East; Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority
	Stratford	59.0	Stratford	Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority
	Waterbury Branch splits
	Milford	63.2	Milford	Milford Transit, Connecticut Transit - New Haven
	New Haven	72.3	New Haven-Union Station	Amtrak Acela Express, Regional and Vermonter; Shore Line East; Connecticut Transit - New Haven
		74.0	New Haven-State Street	Shore Line East, Connecticut Transit - New Haven

[edit] On the Drawing Board

As of 2006, plans were being discussed to build Metro-North stations in West Haven and Orange. The stretch between Milford and New Haven, passing through those two municipalities, is the longest on the New Haven Line without a station. The South Central Regional Council of Governments commissioned a study, issued in April 2005, that showed that stations in both municipalities would be viable, but favoring West Haven.^[3] The Transportation Strategy Board made a similar recommendation.^[4] Gov. M. Jodi Rell later included money for both in the state budget, with West Haven again given priority. ^[5] Whether stations actually will be built in either town was not certain as of January 2007.

There are also plans for a third station in Fairfield, to be called Fairfield Metro Center.

[edit] Multiple Unit Equipment

Since most of the main line and the New Canaan Branch is equipped with 12.5 kV 60 Hz overhead catenary, as opposed to just the 750V DC third-rail of the Hudson and Harlem Lines, different rolling stock that can operate off either power system runs on the New Haven Line. This rolling stock, originally produced by the Budd Company in two batches (144 in 1973 and 100 in 1976), was initially branded as the Cosmopolitans (model M2) with later versions being made on license by Tokyu Car (model M4, 1988) and Morrison-Knudsen (model M6, 1993). Cosmopolitans can be easily spotted by their red stripe along the side, the presence of pantographs on the lead cars in each set, and a dynamic braking grid on the roof.

All New Haven Line electric trains change over between third rail and catenary between Mount Vernon East and Pelham, at speed. Inbound trains to Grand Central Terminal lower their pantographs in this area, while outbound trains raise them; the third rail shoes stay in the same position both in and out of third rail territory. Both catenary and third rail overlap for a quarter of a mile between Mount Vernon East and Pelham to facilitate this changeover.

Most of the M2's are slated for retirement in 2009-2010 when the Kawasaki-made M8 enters service.

[edit] M8 Current Designs

The M8 is to be built by Kawasaki Rail Car. The interior design of this EMU evidences the influence of another Metro-North car, the M7a, which is currently used in revenue service on the Harlem and Hudson Lines. Funding for the M8 also came from the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT), as the cars will be used on the New Haven Line.

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• Metro-North Railroad official site
• Amateur photos along the New Haven Line (from a train)
• New Haven line photos (passing it by I-95 highway)
• Fix My Station Photo Campaign