CTDOT: Hartford Line

What? The project to rebuild and relocate the highway and the 84/91 interchange is moving ahead, as it should. The state already spends a fortune every year to keep it from falling down, and moving it would open up so much land in Hartford that's desperately needed for housing and reconnecting the city.

Things are still in planning; the Greater Hartford Mobility Study will release their report next month. I went to their public meeting a couple weeks ago.

daybeers wrote: ↑Mon Nov 20, 2023 8:19 am Yes, the Hartford Line is entirely double tracked south of OAKWOOD interlocking at Oakwood Avenue in West Hartford. This project will extend it north to about PARKVILLE in Hartford until the station is relocated and viaduct rebuilt, but that's far in the future due to the highway and related projects.

There is indeed a crossover a little south of Oakwood Ave. But the tracks continue to be double north of there to where they become single between Hamilton St. and Park St.

NEC CIP FY23-27.pdf - NEC-CIP-FY23-27-Hartford-Line-Double-Track-Phase-3B.pdf - "Hartford Line Rail Program: Double Track (Phase 3B-Contracts 1 thru 3)"

Contract #1 - West Hartford to Hartford (MP 33.4 to MP 35.1 Removal of existing freight siding and installation of 1.7 miles of second track in West Hartford between "Wood" and "Park" interlockings.) The proposed Track 2 installation would begin at the existing "Wood" interlocking and extend north for approximately 1.7 miles to a point just south of the Park Street railroad bridge in Hartford at the existing "Park" interlocking. ... A new turnout would be installed on Track 1 for the Track 2 connection just south of the Park Street Bridge.

Contract #2 is for Windsor to Windsor Locks, and contract #3 is for Enfield.

The Hartford Line is nearly completely sold out for tomorrow. I expect them to destroy the single-day paid ridership record, as even Regional 148 (8 car set) is completely sold out. Just using the indicators on the Amtrak site, ridership on Amtrak alone (not CTrail, which is running high-capacity backup service in addition to their regular schedule) looks to be about 2,200-2,500. With CTrail, I wouldn't be surprised if they got close to 4,000.

The track from just south of Oakwood to near Parkville would just need to be welded rail - not sure about signals.
The plan to move 84 to the east makes no sense, It would require a tighter turn to the east than currently exists. I think they need to simply use the same ROW (the westbound lanes already are below grade) and update Union station with another elevator as they rebuild the viaduct and create a permanent hi level platform. I think triple tracks that platform would be good to cover future possibilities in case commuter rail is added to more routes -perhaps 20+ years out. Did the funding cover the Ct river bridge? It would make sense to look at rail connection to the airport like exists in many other cities.

Yes the tracks do continue north of Oakwood Avenue, but it's a freight siding restricted to 10 mph with jointed rail and ties that barely hold the rails together. I would imagine a new signal would have to be installed before Park Street.

The plan is to move the 84/91 interchange north, not east. The highway takes up hundreds of acres in the capital city, which is a large part of why Hartford is the way it is. The highway destroyed neighborhoods, disconnected communities, and made traversing the city itself much more dangerous and inconvenient.

Look up the Greater Hartford Mobility Study for more info. They will release their final report next month along with lots of data. We'll know more then.

Amtrak #453 (Windsor Locks-NHV) is cancelled more often than not in the mornings. Five of the last six days by my count that it's been replaced with bus service.

Oh jeez. I wonder why that is; I'll put an inquiry in.