Connecticut Branch Line Questions

Well, typically MNR branchline operations use the same sets on the shuttle trains each day. As for dwell time between when your train from New Canaan arrives back at STM and then when your Main Line train to Bridgeport arrives into STM, my suggestion would be to try to take the Main Line train at STM after the one you intend to take. This is to factor in time with delays. Plus Stamford is an excellent station to railfan. As for changing trains at SONO for Danbury, there may be times when you will have to walk underneath to the other side to get to the platform for the train to Danbury. The Danbury shuttles typically layover on the northernmost stub track. At Bridgeport, when you change for the Waterbury shuttle, you just stay on the platform where your NHV bound train dropped you off at and the guy heading to Waterbury follows right behind him on the same track. Please be advised that for the next couple of years, many Waterbury Branch trains may be bustituted because of a track and signalling improvement project going on on the Waterbury Branch. In the end, this will enable CDOT to let MNR run more trains on the Waterbury Branch which has been the most forgotten MNR branchline. Watch out in Waterbury, station isn't in a great area and the same with Bridgeport. There is no waiting room at Waterbury and I would not be hanging out at the station after dark or even during the daytime too long. Branchline connections are usually held but up to a certain point. I'm not sure if they would wait for Main Line trains running 30 minutes late.

diburning wrote: ↑Mon May 17, 2021 8:27 am On weekdays, do they turn the same set at New Canaan, Waterbury, and/or Danbury? (Do they go right back? For example, does the 10:18AM arrival into New Canaan turn into the 10:28AM departure?) Since these stations only have one platform, the answer is probably yes, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Is 10 minutes enough time to connect at Stamford to change directions? (ie the train from New Canaan arrives into Stamford at 10:45AM, will I have enough time to change for a train to Bridgeport at 10:55AM?)

Connecting from the main line going eastbound to a branch line, and vice versa, is it just a cross-platform transfer at Sourth Norwalk (for Danbury), and at Bridgeport, I'd have to go under and then back up for Waterbury, right? Do they hold the branchline or shoreline trains for these connections if one or the other is late?

How often are the branchline trains late, and often by how much?

Yes, at off-peak the same set turns at New Canaan. During the rush hour there's some shuffling around in the little 3-track yard there. Given that the branch is only ~7 miles long (it's really almost more like a glorified trolley line) it takes a lot for their to be a delay. Unless there's a serious problem-- train hits a car dodging the gate at Talmadge Hill or something-- you're not likely to be more than 2-3mins off the advertised time.

Ten minutes should be plenty of time to cross over at Stamford.

The South Norwalk connection varies. Sometimes the Danbury train is waiting in one of the pocket tracks; sometimes it follows the main line train into the station on the same platform. There's at least one late-afternoon run (or at least, there is in normal times) that originates in Stamford instead of SoNo, as well.

Have zero info to offer about the Waterbury. Never ridden it

Back around 2009, I did all 3 branchlines in one weekday. I started in NHV, rode to Bridgeport, then a roundtrip on the Waterbury Branch, then a mainline train to South Norwalk, then a roundtrip on the Danbury Branch, a visit to the SoNo Switch Tower Museum, then a mainline train to Stamford, a roundtrip to New Canaan, then back on the mainline to New Haven. At the northern terminus of all 3 branches, the train I came in on turned for the next southbound. At SoNo, the shuttle I believe was utilizing the Track 5 pocket, so it was a simple same-platform turn.

Be sure to listen for announcements or check station platform signs to see what platform to make the connection to the shuttle. At Bridgeport, the shuttle is usually staged west of the station and after the mainline train clears east, it will pull onto Track 4, the same platform for typical EB arrivals. Of course, all subject to change due to track work. IIRC, I have arrived on an EB into Bridgeport on Track 3 once.

Since it was a weekday, there was high frequency of trains, espec on the mainline so I had options. Everything ran on time so there wasn't much of an issue. Many shuttles are dedicated connections to/from mainline trains (within reason probably) so you shouldn't have to worry too much.

Most difficult part of the trip back then was buying all the tickets. I used a TVM and had to purchase each section of the mainline individually, while the branches I could just get a roundtrip.

SJ: Good trip report - you overpaid and purchased extra tickets that were not necessary - if you realized that
MNCR sells prepaid New Haven Line(s) (TVM or ticket office) VIA tickets - from your itinerary you would have
needed just four fares:

*New Haven-Waterbury VIA Bridgeport*
*Waterbury-Danbury VIA South Norwalk*
*Danbury-New Canaan VIA Stamford*
*New Canaan-New Haven VIA Stamford*
(*The VIA point is where direction of travel changes)

I plotted out a similar trip in the past using these type of tickets - the LIRR also sells tickets of this type which
can save at times considerable money over purchasing two separate tickets.

On a MNCR TVM enter your origin and than destination station for each ticket.
At a ticket office mention the origin, destination and the "by way of" direction change VIA point.
You can change the origin/destination at any machine and purchase all tickets from the same TVM.
Not only will it eventually save time - you will save money by not purchasing extra tickets - and remember the
high on-board penalty fare surcharge that you will not have to deal with.

DB: Enjoy Visiting SW CT on MNCR...MACTRAXX