by shadyjay
It happened yesterday... my Metro North trip where I covered all 3 CT branchlines, plus the mainline from New Haven to Stamford. The trip started at New Haven, purchased all my tickets via a TVM. Itinerary was:
NHV-BPT
BPT-WAB-BPT
BPT-SNO
SNO-DAN-SNO
* go to SS 44/Berk Switch Tower Museum *
SNO-STM
STM-NCN-STM
STM-NHV
Trip cost me about $30 in rail tickets and $9 for parking at NHV. All connections were met, except a late arriving SNO-STM train which arrived just as my New Canaan train was leaving, so I had an hour to spend at Stamford. Never rode on the branches before... Waterbury looks like it could easily be double-tracked all the way without too many obstacles. Saw some old signals on the lower half between the mainline and Derby Jct, most likely from the NYNH&H days. One old signal is still lit, SB, before hitting the mainline, with an amber/yellow light and an "A" mark.. I'm guessing Approach? Was also surprised as to how crowded the Waterbury train was, especially heading back to Bridgeport.
My first time riding behind BL20GHs... Waterbury and Danbury both had CDOT-owned units. Both seemed to perform well.
Danbury train had a decent crowd as well. Caught some action at the Danbury Railway Museum from the station parking lot. Shuttle train left the station after unloading and remained in the layover yard on the other side of the DRM until the next train south.
At South Norwalk, they had Tracks 1 & 4 out of service and this was slowing/delaying some trains in the area. Had time to walk over to check out the SS 44/Berk Switch Tower Museum... pretty nice job on the restoration. Amazing how much was involved switching tracks... not just the tracks, but you had to unlock signals at the other end of the switch levers.
New Canaan Branch was "short" but has a really nice station at the end. Also observed one of the M-2s on my train had the original 1970s lettering visible... the two-tone M (not in a circle) with "NEW HAVEN" underneath.
Back at Stamford, made my connecting train back to New Haven, though we had bridge plates from all stations east of Stamford up to Fairfield. Arrived back at New Haven, grabbed a bite to eat, and headed for home.
Pics, and a video are at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt/ ... chLineTrip#
NHV-BPT
BPT-WAB-BPT
BPT-SNO
SNO-DAN-SNO
* go to SS 44/Berk Switch Tower Museum *
SNO-STM
STM-NCN-STM
STM-NHV
Trip cost me about $30 in rail tickets and $9 for parking at NHV. All connections were met, except a late arriving SNO-STM train which arrived just as my New Canaan train was leaving, so I had an hour to spend at Stamford. Never rode on the branches before... Waterbury looks like it could easily be double-tracked all the way without too many obstacles. Saw some old signals on the lower half between the mainline and Derby Jct, most likely from the NYNH&H days. One old signal is still lit, SB, before hitting the mainline, with an amber/yellow light and an "A" mark.. I'm guessing Approach? Was also surprised as to how crowded the Waterbury train was, especially heading back to Bridgeport.
My first time riding behind BL20GHs... Waterbury and Danbury both had CDOT-owned units. Both seemed to perform well.
Danbury train had a decent crowd as well. Caught some action at the Danbury Railway Museum from the station parking lot. Shuttle train left the station after unloading and remained in the layover yard on the other side of the DRM until the next train south.
At South Norwalk, they had Tracks 1 & 4 out of service and this was slowing/delaying some trains in the area. Had time to walk over to check out the SS 44/Berk Switch Tower Museum... pretty nice job on the restoration. Amazing how much was involved switching tracks... not just the tracks, but you had to unlock signals at the other end of the switch levers.
New Canaan Branch was "short" but has a really nice station at the end. Also observed one of the M-2s on my train had the original 1970s lettering visible... the two-tone M (not in a circle) with "NEW HAVEN" underneath.
Back at Stamford, made my connecting train back to New Haven, though we had bridge plates from all stations east of Stamford up to Fairfield. Arrived back at New Haven, grabbed a bite to eat, and headed for home.
Pics, and a video are at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt/ ... chLineTrip#