WALLINGFORD — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced Monday that TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts will jointly operate the CTrail Hartford Line, which is expected to provide more frequent service between New Haven, Hartford and Springfield.
Appearing at the train station under construction on North Cherry Street, Malloy also announced Monday afternoon that the start date of the CTrail Hartford Line has been pushed back from January to May in order to accommodate the installation of a second track between Hartford and Windsor.
“Creating the Hartford Line is just one part of our efforts toward building a best-in-class transportation system for Connecticut residents that drives growth, attracts businesses, and stimulates job creation, all while improving the overall quality of life for our residents,” Malloy said. “For the sake of our economy and our future, we cannot sit and let our infrastructure deteriorate.”
The state Department of Transportation conducted a bid process and cost-benefit analysis before selecting TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts.The two companies currently serve about 57 million riders and provide 318,000 trips annually across the country. Combined, they have provided services for 20 rail clients, including 11 train service startups.
The companies have operations and maintenance experience and commuter rail contracts in San Francisco, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Denver, Boston and New Jersey, as well as light rail, heavy rail and streetcar contracts throughout the country, according to Malloy.
Amtrak owns the line and will remain responsible for maintenance, including track signals, train dispatching and security.
“We look forward to working with our partners at CTDOT and Amtrak to ensure a seamless launch and provide the more frequent, convenient and faster rail service that riders in this corridor want and deserve,” Scott Perry, president of the TransitAmerica and Alternate Concepts joint venture, said in a statement.
“Amtrak looks forward to working with CTDOT’s new commuter service provider as we continue to operate the state’s intercity services on Amtrak’s New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Line,” said Michael DeCataldo, Amtrak’s vice president of operations for the east region.
When the Hartford Line service launches, a total of 17 round-trip trains between New Haven and Hartford will operate each weekday, with 12 of those round-trip trains continuing to Springfield. On weekends, a total of 13 round-trip trains will operate between New Haven and Hartford, with nine continuing to Springfield. Train schedules and additional service information will be announced later this year. Officials said the high-speed rail can take commuters from New Haven to Springfield in 81 minutes, or 10 percent faster than current rail speeds. The trains can travel as fast as 110 mph.
Monday’s announcement also signaled the launch of DOT’s marketing plan to sell the increased commuter rail service to state residents. Officials are meeting with interested parties and local businesses to develop a marketing strategy similar to the CTfastrak bus line roll out several years ago. It took 90 days to develop a strategy after the CTfastrak service announcement. Officials hope to have a Hartford Line marketing plan sooner. They anticipate 750,000 annual riders. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
The $5.6 billion transformation is part of New York's $100 billion infrastructure program, the largest in the nation. A central component of this plan is building a new Hudson Tunnel between New York and New Jersey and rehabilitating the existing tubes.
The Gateway project will connect travelers from across the Northeast corridor and bring riders into the heart of the system. This critical project is complemented by the development of the new Penn-Farley Complex, featuring the new Moynihan Train Hall, a $1.6 billion, 255,000 sq. ft. facility which is expected to open in 2020. The Penn-Farley Complex also includes the newly opened West End Concourse, which enables LIRR commuters to board trains without entering Penn. Additionally, the transformative East Side Access project will create the first direct LIRR service to the east side and increase capacity to and from Manhattan.
“With the complete transformation of the Long Island Railroad, New York is recapturing the bold ambition that made our infrastructure the envy of the nation and building for the future. The LIRR is the backbone of the region's economy, and the strength and resiliency of Long Island requires bold, transformative investments to bolster our transportation network,” Cuomo said. “From the previously unthinkable third track and second track projects to state-of-the-art technology and signal upgrades, we are daring to imagine better and delivering for the people of New York once again.”
Long Island Rail Road-specific components include the following:
Main Line Third Track
The $2 billion LIRR Expansion Project will add a third track to 9.8 mi. along the congested main line of the LIRR between Floral Park and Hicksville, and eliminate all seven street-level grade crossings within the project corridor. With 40 percent of LIRR passengers going through the main line, and the project corridor's critical central position in the LIRR system, delays in the project corridor have rippled across the entire LIRR and impacted thousands of commuters.
At the governor's direction and after 70 years of stagnation, the state, MTA, local officials and Long Island communities are moving forward on this $2 billion project. The transformative new plan differs significantly from past proposals. The plan takes no residential properties; eliminates seven street-level grade crossings; and widens or increases the height of seven bridges across the line to prevent bridge strikes. Additionally, five new energy-efficient parking facilities with the capacity for 3,500 vehicles are being built in coordination with the Villages of Mineola and Westbury and the Town of Oyster Bay. The facilities will include local on-site management offices.
As part of the transformative third track project, the state is undertaking a comprehensive noise abatement program — replacing all tracks and building the new third track with advanced dampening technology. The project includes sound-reducing walls along nearly 6 mi. of residential neighborhoods along the main line, and features architectural treatments to complement the surrounding environments. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE