The ticket offices at Berlin and Meriden were shut down effective at the close of business on Friday March 4. The station waiting rooms will close by 3:00pm on Friday, March 11. Connecticut Dept. of Transportation has control of both buildings - Berlin was leased long-term to CDoT by owner Amtrak, and Meriden was reportedly purchased from the city by CDoT over a year ago. This is all part of the first phase of the Hartford Line reconstruction program that should see the restoration of double track between North Haven and the south end of Hartford.
Their future: Berlin, a NYNH&H company design from the 1890s rebuilt after a fire in 1900, had been awarded transportation enhancement grant funding about 8 years ago, design work was done by Michael Baker Engineering and the project should see the building returned to a vintage appearance. Work has already begun in some areas. Whether or not the building will reopen after completion "is up to The State" according to Amtrak sources. Although it could have remained open for another month or so according to construction workers, the State requested that Berlin would close at the same time as Meriden.
Meriden, a design from the Penn Central era c 1970, will be demolished within the month according to construction workers, who said its existence is now holding up platform construction.
In both areas plus Wallingford new high level platforms with an "up and over" structure are well along in construction. These structures have been called "stations" but are unheated and have no waiting or rest rooms. I'll be interested in what will happen in Meriden - even as a staffed station there were problems with undesirables hanging around and making a mess of the area. Wallingford and Berlin should fare better.
Currently Amtrak service is minimal with usually 6 runs in each direction weekdays, 2-3 of them covered by buses running in place of trains to allow uninterrupted track construction to take place.
Their future: Berlin, a NYNH&H company design from the 1890s rebuilt after a fire in 1900, had been awarded transportation enhancement grant funding about 8 years ago, design work was done by Michael Baker Engineering and the project should see the building returned to a vintage appearance. Work has already begun in some areas. Whether or not the building will reopen after completion "is up to The State" according to Amtrak sources. Although it could have remained open for another month or so according to construction workers, the State requested that Berlin would close at the same time as Meriden.
Meriden, a design from the Penn Central era c 1970, will be demolished within the month according to construction workers, who said its existence is now holding up platform construction.
In both areas plus Wallingford new high level platforms with an "up and over" structure are well along in construction. These structures have been called "stations" but are unheated and have no waiting or rest rooms. I'll be interested in what will happen in Meriden - even as a staffed station there were problems with undesirables hanging around and making a mess of the area. Wallingford and Berlin should fare better.
Currently Amtrak service is minimal with usually 6 runs in each direction weekdays, 2-3 of them covered by buses running in place of trains to allow uninterrupted track construction to take place.
