Editor’s Note: Connecticut Commuter Rail Council Chairman Jim Gildea submitted this summary of a meeting his organization held this week in Derby:
The Connecticut Commuter Rail Council met on the Waterbury branch on August 28, 2019 at the offices of the Derby Valley Transit District. It was a well-attended meeting with about 40 Waterbury branch commuters as well as local leaders and state legislators.
The Waterbury branch meetings are amongst the most heavily attended Council meetings along the various branches.
Representatives from Metro North and the Connecticut Department of Transportation presented an outline and update on the passing siding and signalization project currently under construction on the Waterbury branch line.
This work calls for four fully signalized passing sidings along the branch that would allow for a potential increase in service along the branch.
Currently, the CT DOT indicated that once this project is complete, they would like to add at minimum two additional peak drains in the morning and two additional peak trains for the evening commute thereby doubling branch peak service.
This project, which had a previous completion date of December 2020, now has been pushed out to be completed by June 2021 with the hope that additional service would commence in January 2022.
The DOT indicated that over the next 24 months they would be working to secure the additional train sets needed to run additional service.
At this same meeting, the DOT gave an overview on the branch fleet upgrade project. Rich Andreski, Public Bureau Chief, told commuters that the department feels 110 train cars would be needed to operate service on the 4 New Haven Line branches as well as to provide for an increase in ridership.
These 110 cars would service Shoreline East, Hartford line, Danbury branch and the Waterbury branch line. There is an initial order for 60 cars, which are funded.
At this time, it did not appear as if these 60 cars would be slated for the Waterbury branch. The additional 50 cars that would make up the 110 needed, currently do not have funding and the department was uncertain of their status at this time.
Commuters present this meeting also had an opportunity to talk to Metro North and the Department Transportation.
They expressed concerns with the cleanliness of the train cars, restrooms and overall level of service on the Waterbury branch, including communication.
They further expressed frustration with the timing of the passing siding project and how long it was taking since it has been previously communicated to have a completion date of December 2020.
Commuter Dashell Farrow from Waterbury told those in attendance “these train passing siding delays would not be so bad if the Department of Transportation and Metro-North provided the branch the common courtesy of having clean cars, on-time performance and reasonable communication expectations.”
Commuter Donna Johnson from Derby said “the bathrooms you ask us to use are so dirty and unsanitary that any of the members of the Department of Transportation or Metro-North would never use them if they were commuters on the rail branch.”
State Representative Kara Rochelle, a vocal supporter of the Waterbury branch Lane, discussed the economic benefit associated with the line and the fact that 4 of the towns along the corridor; Ansonia, Derby, Waterbury and Naugatuck were amongst 4 cities out of 20 that had the highest level of economic distress and the need to do what is ever necessary to complete this project.
Other legislators in attendance were State Representative Ron Napoli, State Senator George Logan, Naugatuck Mayor Peter Hess, Derby Mayor Rich Dzieken and Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti. Senator Richard Blumenthal and Senator Christopher Murphy’s offices were also represented.
The Waterbury branch is a significant benefit to the economic conditions of all the towns and cities along the corridor. It is vital that these passing sidings are completed as quickly as possible and the legislative delegation across the corridor pushes the Department of Transportation and Metro-North to not only complete this project but ensure they have the equipment necessary to increase service.
