NEWINGTON, Conn. — Most Hartford Line service by CTrail and Amtrak will be replaced by buses for almost two months beginning July 18 to allow the Connecticut Department of Transportation to complete infrastructure projects in Hartford and Windsor, Conn.
At Hartford Union Station, the platform canopy will be replaced, with new roofing and lighting over the passenger platforms, as well as gutter replacement to improve drainage and prevent flooding. A slope stabilization project in Windsor will include track work and maintenance of the Hartford Line communiation and signal system.
As a result, bus service will replace most trains from July 18 through Sept. 11. A detailed bus schedule will be posted by Friday, July 1; bus departures may be earlier than the usual train departure times. Train fares will be in effect for the bus service, which will stop at all Hartford Line stations.
A press release from the Connecticut DOT says the work cannot be done while the rail line is active, and that the service changes will allow the projects to be completed as quickly as possible. More information will be available at websites for the Hartford Line and Amtrak.
I lived in Hartford for four years during the 1970s. If the Hartford line can suspend train service for 42 days, with buses picking up the slack, why not just turn the corridor over to bus companies?
Peter Pan has five schedules a day to New York. Travel time is 2 hours 20 minutes. Amtrak has eight daily schedules. Travel time ranges from 2 hours 43 minutes to 2 hours 59 minutes.
The fare on Peter Pan is $43. The coach fare on Amtrak, which is heavily subsidized, ranges from $22 to $32; business class fares range from $61 to $177.
Peter Pan does not get any direct taxpayer support. In FY21 the New Haven to Springfield line had an operating loss of $5.5 million.
Just why the taxpayers should subsidize a rail passenger link is difficult to understand when it appears that buses are a better fit.
Some how the New Haven could run passenger and freight with out shutting down the line for routine repairs.
I believe the NH Hartford Line was double track.
I’m guessing Conn River line ridership is sufficiently low that ConnDOT believes there will be little long term impact. I don’t know what is involved with the Windsor slope stabilization project but I’m guessing if the Hartford platform canopy work were scheduled for night there would be little train interference. I see MBTA transit projects being conducted the same way – minimum inconvenience to the contractor with maximum inconvenience to the patron.
This announcement may impact the VERMONTER service. Nothing is posted yet at Amtrak or CT Rail identifying which trains will be impacted, but with both VERMONTERs running between Springfield and New Haven in the early-mid afternoon period (peak time for construction) this needs to be closely monitored. I will update this post hopefully after the Vermont Rail Advisory Council meeting tomorrow afternoon.