New Canaan Branch
New Canaan Branch | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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standard gauge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electrification | Overhead line, 12.5 kV 60 Hz AC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operating speed | 40 mph (64 km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The New Canaan Branch is an 8.2-mile (13 km) long branch line of the Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line that begins from a junction east of downtown Stamford, Connecticut, north to New Canaan. It opened in 1868 as the New Canaan Railroad.
History
The New Canaan Railroad was chartered in May 1866 as a short branch of the
On August 7, 1898, the line was electrified using 500V DC overhead catenary.[4] On November 1, 1907, the use of 500-volt DC overhead catenary was discontinued, and in 1908, it was replaced with 11,000 volt AC operation.[5] Costs were reduced by supplying the line from the Cos Cob station instead of by independent power.[6]
The NYNH&H was merged into
Current operation
Like the New Haven mainline from
Improvements
As of July 2007, a Stamford East Side station is under consideration for the line or just past it on the New Haven Line.[10]
In 2011 the 3 tracks at the terminus: the 10-car main track, a middle track and what was a short 4-car "Bulk" track were improved. The "Bulk" track was extended absorbing a row of parking to meet the length of the middle and main track allowing for 3 full trains to 'stack' at the end of the line during the morning and evening rush hours. Electronic switching was added in the years following this improvement. This was recommended in the 2010 Branch Study.[11]
PTC (Positive Train Control) was installed on the branch in 2019 completing the full signalization of the branch line.[12]
In 2019 the Stamford Atlantic Bridge replacement project incorporated a new "Track 7" for the New Canaan Branch operation. A new Platform, canopy, and catenary lines were installed to support this new capacity at the Stamford Station. The platform construction was halted during 2022 and remains unfinished as of 2023.[13]
Improvements are planned on the line to make service more frequent. A siding and 2nd platform will be built at Springdale. Construction is expected to cost $15 million with construction starting in 2020.[14]
On May 30, 2023, and continuing through August 2023, the New Canaan Branch was shut down for track rehabilitation work, with all service being replaced by shuttle buses. The work entails replacing 8,000 rail ties, 1,600 feet (490 m) of rails, and insulating rail joints. Repairs will also be made to mud spots, drainage and rail anchors, along with replacing bridge timbers on the Noroton River Bridge and resurfacing the entire line. Upon completion, a stretch of the branch within the Stamford region will have its speed limit increased, from 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).[15]
Incidents
On August 20, 1969 at about 8:20 p.m., a northbound commuter train with a 3-man crew and about 60 to 80 passengers hit an empty southbound train carrying only 5 employees, killing 4 and injuring 40 just north of the Hoyt Street crossing in Darien. The lead cars of each train were almost completely destroyed. The National Transportation Safety Board report concluded that the cause was the northbound train's failure to stop at a meeting point as stated on train orders.[16]
On July 13, 1976, two trains collided, killing two and injuring 29.
The New Canaan Branch was severely impacted by
On February 14, 2023 at approximately 7:30 a.m., an out of service train being moved to enter passenger service overran the New Canaan station, running through the bumper block and crashing through the station fencing before coming to a stop. The engineer and conductor onboard were injured, but not seriously. While this incident caused a suspension of service on the branch throughout the morning rush and midday hours; following repairs, service was restored with the 4:39 p.m. train from Stamford.[23]
Stations
The following connecting services are available to Amtrak,[24] Metro-North Railroad,[25] Shore Line East,[26] and CT Transit.[27]
Zone | Location | Station | Miles (km)
from GCT |
Date opened |
Date closed |
Connections / notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 | Stamford | Stamford | 33.0 (53.1) | 1849 | Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line Amtrak: UConn Stamford ShuttleLimited service station | |
31 | Glenbrook | 35.2 (56.6) | July 4, 1868 | CTtransit Stamford: 344 | ||
Springdale | 36.9 (59.4) | |||||
Springdale Cemetery | July 17, 1972[28] | Penn Central consolidated the Springdale Cemetery station with Springdale on July 17, 1972.[28] | ||||
Darien | Woodway | Penn Central consolidated the Woodway station with Talmadge Hill on July 17, 1972.[28] | ||||
New Canaan | Talmadge Hill | 39.0 (62.8) | July 4, 1868 | |||
New Canaan | 41.2 (66.3) | July 4, 1868[29] |
There is also an employees only stop between Glenbrook and Springdale known as Reeve's Landing.[citation needed]
See also
References
- ^ "About the New Canaan Branch Line". Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ Rosemary H. Burns. "New Canaan Railroad History".
- ^ Economics, Association of American Railroads Bureau of Railway (1915). Trial Bibliography on the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.
- ^ "New Canaan Railroad History". www.vizettes.com. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ Thirty-Eighth Year General Statement On The Affairs Of The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company For The Year Ending June 30, 1909. New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad Company. 1909. p. 7.
- ^ "Conversion of New Canaan Branch From 500-Volt D.C. To 11,000-Volt A.C. Operation". Electric Railway Journal. 33 (20). McGraw Hill Publishing Company: 900–903. May 15, 1909.
- ^ Christopher T. Baer. "PRR CHRONOLOGY 1971 (June 2005 Edition)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 29, 2014. Retrieved May 13, 2008.
- ^ Christopher T. Baer. "PRR CHRONOLOGY 1972 (June 2005 Edition)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 25, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2008.
- ^ Peter A. Cannito. "On MTA Metro-North Railroad's 25th Anniversary". Archived from the original on April 24, 2008. Retrieved May 13, 2008.
- ^ Hughes, C.J. (July 8, 2007). "Living in Glenbrook, Conn.; The Little Town in the City". New York Times. p. RE9. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
Anticipating growth, and aiming to alleviate crowding in Stamford's main station, the city may add a second stop in Glenbrook, either on the New Haven line or the New Canaan spur, possibly near the Courtland Avenue overpass, where one existed until the 1950s, Mr. Lecar said.
- ^ CT DOT (2010). "Rt 8 Corridor Study" (PDF).
- ^ "Rail News - Metro-North to improve infrastructure on New Canaan Branch. For Railroad Career Professionals". Progressive Railroading. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
- ^ "Atlantic Street Bridge Replacement | Stamford, CT". www.stamfordct.gov. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
- ^ "Let's Go CT Transportation Ramp Up Dashboard". www.letsgoct.com. Connecticut Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
- ^ "CTDOT Preps for Track Improvements on Metro-North New Canaan Branch Line". Railway Track and Structures. March 17, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ Penn Central Company Collision of Trains N-48 and N-49 at Darien, Connecticut August 20, 1969 (Report). Washington, D.C.: National Transportation Safety Board. October 14, 1970. NTSB-RAR-70-3.
- ^ "Two killed, 29 are hurt in New Canaan rail crash". The Day, New London, CT. Front. AP. July 14, 1976. pp. 1, 5. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ Knight, Michael (October 10, 1976). "Connecticut Transportation Unit Links Train Wreck to Speeding". New York Times.
- ^ "RAILROAD ACCIDENT REPORT: COLLISION OF TWO CONSOLIDATED RAILROAD CORPORATION COMMUTER TRAINS, NEW CANAAN, CONNECTICUT, JULY 13, 1976". May 19, 1977. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
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(help) - ^ Cassidy, Martin B. (November 8, 2012). "New Canaan Line restoration work continues". Stamford Advocate. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
- ^ "MTA Metro-North Railroad". Metro-North Railroad. Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
Regular train service resumes on the New Canaan Branch on Tuesday, November 13.
- ^ Cassidy, Martin B. (November 13, 2012). "Leaves foul morning rail commute". Stamford Advocate. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
- ^ Gurciullo, Brianna; Yankowski, Peter (February 14, 2023). "Service resumes on Metro-North's New Canaan Branch after derailed train". StamfordAdvocate. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ "Amtrak" (PDF).
- ^ "Metro-North Railroad". MTA. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b "CT Transit Stamford System Map" (PDF). CT transit. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
- ^
- ^ "New Canaan Train Station". Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2008.
- Philip C. Blakeslee, A Brief History Lines West Of The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Co. (1953)