| Southport | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Southport station as seen from onboard Northeast Regional train. |
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| Station statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Address | 400 Center Street (Westbound), Fairfield, CT 06490 |
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| Lines | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connections | Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority: Coastal Link | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Structure | At-grade | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 side platforms | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Parking | 179 spaces | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1884 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Closed | Gutted by fire on January 4, 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebuilt | Reopened late February 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrified | 12,500V (AC) overhead catenary | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Connecticut DOT; leased to Town of Fairfield | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Traffic | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passengers (2006) | 72,020 0% | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Southport Metro-North Railroad station is one of two New Haven Line stations serving the residents of Fairfield, Connecticut.
Southport is 48.9 miles from Grand Central Terminal and the average travel time from Grand Central is one hour, 12 minutes though this varies depending on run and time of day.
The station has 179 parking spaces, 99 owned by the state.[2] In 1989, the station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as Southport Railroad Stations.[3]
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On January 4, 2008, the saltbox-style westbound station house, one of the few remaining original station houses on the New Haven Line, was gutted by fire. According to a fire marshal, human activity was most likely involved in causing the fire. Whether that activity was intentional or accidental is not known and may never be known. Most of the damage caused by the fire turned out to be water damage so the station was renovated rather than replaced as earlier reports predicted.[4] The building which burned housed an art gallery, as well as a passenger waiting area. However, most of the artwork was saved.
According to the Fairfield Parking Authority, the original structure was not damaged as seriously as originally thought, and reconstruction commenced. While the building was undergoing this $3 million restoration, a temporary waiting room was available to passengers. The station house was formally re-opened by Governor Rell in late February 2009. ArtPlace is interested in moving back into the building.[5][6]
The station has two offset high-level side platforms, each four cars long. The northern platform, adjacent to Track 3, is generally used by westbound (Manhattan-bound) trains. The southern platform, adjacent to Track 4, is generally used by eastbound (New Haven-bound) trains.
The New Haven Line has four tracks at this location. The two inner tracks, not adjacent to either platform, are used only by express trains.
There is a wooden station house next to the Manhattan-bound platform and a brick one next to the New Haven-bound platform. Both date back to the late 19th century and were constructed by the New Haven Railroad. The Manhattan-bound station house contained a waiting room and an art gallery until it burned (see above). The New Haven-bound station house, built 1884,[7] is no longer in railroad use and instead contains a restaurant.
The village or hamlet of Southport, which serves as the downtown area for the Southport section of the Town of Fairfield, is a short walk from the station. From the eastbound platform, it begins at the foot of Station Street. There, one finds Pequot Avenue lined with two rows of quaint shops within one- and two-story commercial buildings. Nearby there are condominium complexes, the Wakeman Boys & Girls athletic club with a gymnasium, tennis courts, and playing field, the Pequot Library, two churches, and the Pequot Yacht Club at Southport Harbor. Most of the streets in this area are lined with sidewalks and single-family detached houses.
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