Discussion relating to the operations of MTA MetroNorth Railroad including west of Hudson operations and discussion of CtDOT sponsored rail operations such as Shore Line East and the Springfield to New Haven Hartford Line

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, nomis, FL9AC, Jeff Smith

  by excitebike
 
It's now been almost ten years since I started this thread. :wink: Time to check in on the progress!
Image
The canopy is mostly done but there is still no progress on the connection between the existing track 5 platform and the new track 7 one. Maybe another 10 years and it will be finished.
  by BranchRider
 
Great photo, looks like they've only migrated one catenary tower to the far side and only have 1 other tower in. That would appear to be complex work as compared to laying the tracks or making the platform connection.
  by Jeff Smith
 
It still doesn't look close to completion. The platforms are done, as is the canopy, but the gantries still have to be moved out of the way. I don't think, in any case, that this makes sense operationally as during non-peak there's no need for track 5 to be kept clear. It will be a pain in the ass for transfers as well. The dispatchers do a terrible job of moving jobs through there anyway.
  by BranchRider
 
Agree the transfers are a pain unless the transferring train is on track 5 and even then, its not a great connection as its at the end of the platform.
They haven't created a 'bridge' from the current platform to the new one.
One has to wonder if expansion projects like this were slowed down with the revenue reduction of covid.
  by BranchRider
 
The MTA announced they would close the New Canaan Branch this summer for track improvements and run substitute busing.

The press release does mention the bridge work associated with the Track 7 Expansion but notably is silent on the track itself.

https://portal.ct.gov/DOT/CTDOT-Press-R ... ranch-Line

Any word from other sources on the slow progress of moving catenary lines out of the future track bed? The Garage seems to be actually moving along.
  by west point
 
The work schedule seems very slow. 8000 ties and 1600 feet of rail certainly does not seem to need 13 weeks. Now the bridge work might take somewhat longer but 6 weeks also seems to be enough? Maybe CT is using older methods to replace track and bridges?
  by RandallW
 
I wonder if they need to remove and then replace catenary for any of this work. I'd think that could explain to long duration.
  by excitebike
 
Hey guess what -- it was inevitable, but after 22 years of Stamford station being my train station, I'm about to move (to Tarrytown and the Hudson line!). Let's check on the status of this thread I started over 11 years ago now..

Image
Image

Virtually no progress since last year. The project appears to be completely stalled.
Also interesting is that the new easterly access to the platform for track 4 down to Atlantic Street, completed back in 2018 as part of a station improvement project, is still fenced off, five years later. Weeds have completely overgrown the new stairs and signage.