News Release
National Railroad Passenger Corporation
60 Massachusetts Avenue NE
Washington, DC 20002
www.amtrak.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATK-08-051

Contact: Media Relations (212) 630-6933, (202) 906-3860


June 20, 2008
Thames River Bridge Rail Service Outage Set for June 24-27

Limited substitute train and bus service schedule confirmed during four-day outage
NEW YORK - Amtrak has scheduled limited alternate train and bus service during the rescheduled replacement of the moveable span of Amtrak's Thames River Bridge in New London, Conn., Tuesday, June 24 through Friday, June 27. During that four-day period, regularly scheduled Amtrak service between New York and Boston will be suspended and limited alternate train and bus service will be provided in the New York-Boston region.

Because of the bridge outage, Amtrak has scheduled three Boston-New Haven-New York Inland Route trains (via Hartford and Springfield) and limited connecting bus service to bypass the bridge outage during the four-day period from June 24 through June 27.

Work on the 90-year-old drawbridge, which connects Groton and New London, Conn., was postponed due to unexpected complications encountered by Amtrak's contractors in dismantling the old draw span's massive concrete counterweight.

After more than two years of preparation and construction, Amtrak will install a new vertical lift span to replace the movable bascule portion of the bridge, marking the final stage of a multi-year, $83 million project designed to improve the reliability of the bridge, reduce the chance of operational failures, and minimize train delays. Amtrak apologizes for any additional inconvenience resulting from the shift in plans.

For detailed information on train and bus schedules during the outage, customers may check amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.

Alternate Service Highlights

Monday, June 23

Late afternoon trains 94, 178 will terminate at Springfield and New Haven, respectively. Train 66 will terminate in New York City.
Tuesday through Friday, June 24 through 27

All Acela Express service is canceled north of New York City. (Acela will operate normally between New York and Washington.)
Three Northeast Regional round-trips will operate between New York and Boston via Hartford and Springfield (the "Inland Route"), offering coach, business class and café service.
Four daily round-trip express bus schedules will operate between Providence and New Haven, connecting with trains at those cities. These buses will operate express with no intermediate stops.
Four daily round-trip express bus schedules will operate between Kingston, R.I. and New Haven, connecting with trains at those cities. These buses will operate express making no intermediate stops.
Three daily round-trip trains will operate between New London, Conn., and New Haven, with an intermediate stop at Old Saybrook, Conn. These trains will connect at New Haven with other Amtrak trains to points west and south, and two of the three trains will accommodate Connecticut DOT monthly ticket holders.
One round-trip train will operate between Westerly, RI and Boston, operating in the morning northbound and the evening southbound.
During the bridge outage, no Amtrak service will be provided at Route 128, Mass. to points south, and passengers are directed to either Providence or Boston. MBTA service between Providence and Boston will operate normal service during the outage.
During the bridge outage, no service will be offered at Westerly, R.I. to points west and south.
Mystic, Conn., will have neither bus nor train service during the outage, and passengers should go to New London or Westerly.
Saturday, June 28

Regularly scheduled service resumes (except for train 195 and 99, which will have modified schedules.)
During the bridge outage, Amtrak personnel and signs will be utilized to assist passengers with the adjusted schedules at stations along the Shoreline Route.

Passengers wishing to use regularly scheduled bus services between Boston and New York or New Haven may contact Greyhound or Peter Pan bus companies:

Greyhound
1-800-231-2222
www.greyhound.com