New England - High speed rail link Springfield - Bradley - Hartford - New Haven Funded

The state has been awarded $120.9 million in federal high-speed rail grants toward double-tracking a passenger rail line between New Haven and Springfield, Mass., an $880 million project designed to shorten commuter trips between upstate and lower Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Full story here

http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/State-gets-121-million-for-New-Haven-to-722931.php

And the state's page here - http://www.nhhsrail.com/

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However, I'd be surprised if this becomes truly a "high-speed" rail link. It sounds like the project will decrease travel times, which can be accomplished a number of ways without substantially increasing the speed of trains. (Double tracking, for instance, will remove bottlenecks and allow for more service.) But it doesn't sound like it will be "high-speed" in the most broad sense of the term (125+ mph).

While I don't believe it, in Appendix D of the grant document there's a chart showing speeds of 115 on many parts of that route. I don't know what the Springfield to Montreal link will do speedwise.

They are hoping for 2:09 from Hartford and 5:32 from White River Junction to Manhattan.

There used to be two tracks. One set was removed more than a decade ago. :rolleyes:

And yet I-95 remains a total disaster.

There used to be two tracks. One set was removed more than a decade ago. :rolleyes:

And yet I-95 remains a total disaster.

The single-tracked section parallels the I-91, not the I-95.

There are many who feel that is the point, that if there is federal and state money available it should be used to improve the I-95 mess and not worry about a train line from New Haven to Montreal. Who believe the money would better be spent fixing the crossings so that the Accela could go full speed from New York to Boston and things like that.

Instead of solving a current problem, they are making one up that needs solving.

The single-tracked section parallels the I-91, not the I-95.

I know. That's exactly what I was referring to. It used to be double tracked. I know 'cause I played on them as a kid.

There are many who feel that is the point, that if there is federal and state money available it should be used to improve the I-95 mess and not worry about a train line from New Haven to Montreal. Who believe the money would better be spent fixing the crossings so that the Accela could go full speed from New York to Boston and things like that.

Instead of solving a current problem, they are making one up that needs solving.
Raise your hand if you're surprised. :rolleyes:

I'm actually a little surprised that the Q bridge is being replaced - and seemingly pretty quickly, at that. Significant progress every couple of weeks I drive through there. I am slightly nervous every time I cross the existing one.

The entirety of 95 needs an extra lane or two. From 55 in Branford (where the most recent construction ends) all the way to RI and the Fairfield county and Milford stretches need to be completely redesigned and reconstructed.

But at least we'll have trains from Canada to New Haven that 6k people a day will ride. Double:rolleyes:

Living in Springfield, and being a FF, I would love to be able to take the train from Springfield to BDL and back again on a weekly basis. What a shame that this isn't part of the 120 million dollar plan!

One often has to wonder what on earth people are thinking when they run a rail line so close to an airport without either diverting it so the train actually stops at the airport, or puts in a light rail or some other way of getting there.

If they want people to leave from BDL, putting in a rail link (since you are doing all this work anyways) would be a huge way to get people to go there.

What is the point of having a train that still requires a car on one or both ends? Why not a stop at BDL?

And this project also does _not_ include electrification of the right-of-way. So you would still have to change trains or engines in New Haven.

The money could be better spent on so many other rail priorities.

What is the point of having a train that still requires a car on one or both ends? Why not a stop at BDL?


Because according to the state (and I think they are very wrong)

Rail Airport Connection (alternatives include shuttle bus connection)
– Estimated $28 million capital cost
– No appreciable ridership difference

In their documents they don't want to spend the money because for whatever reason they don't think anybody will take it. They did leave the door open to provide it later, but with the service expected to lose (or be subsidized) to the tune of $8 million a year, I would not expect to see them adding any additional expense.

I really believe having to wait for the shuttle bus to the airport will kill any ridership to the airport

I really believe having to wait for the shuttle bus to the airport will kill any ridership to the airport

Not necessarily. Plenty of people use the BWI air/rail link, which requires a shuttle bus ride. Granted, BWI is a very different airport/market than BDL, but I'm just pointing out that having a shuttle bus is not automatically a deal-killer. It really depends on how dependable the connection is.

Springfield to New Haven is getting high-speed rail? Nothing against Springfield, New Haven, or anywhere else along I-91, but are there that many people who use that line that would really benefit from this compared to other things that could be done?

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut was awarded $30 million in leftover federal transportation funding Monday for a high-speed rail project between New Haven and Springfield, Mass., but the amount falls far short of what state leaders were seeking.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said he wants to know why the state did not receive a bigger share of the $2 billion that became available after Florida Gov. Rick Scott turned down the federal money for a high-speed rail project. Blumenthal said the state had sought $227 million.

From http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/05/09/business-us-new-england-rail_8457379.html

On Metro North that would not even buy two eight car passenger trains.

A good portion of the money will go to Amtrak, to Chicago - Detroit service, and San Francisco to LA

$30 million won't buy their Post-It notes. This is incredibly expensive infrastructure that won't ever pay off.

Well for $30M they might be able to reinstall the double-tracked rail line just within the city limits of Hartford. That second line was ripped up for scrap and sent to China, what, 6 years ago?