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New Haven-Springfield Shuttle
Valley Flyer
Shuttle train at New Haven Union Station in 2018
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
StatusOperating
LocaleConnecticut and Massachusetts
Current operator(s)Amtrak
Annual ridership270,353 (FY16)[1]
Route
TerminiUnion Station, New Haven, Connecticut
Union Station, Springfield, Massachusetts or John W. Olver Transit Center, Greenfield, Massachusetts
Stops12 (full route)
Distance travelled62 miles (100 km) (New Haven to Springfield); 102 miles (164 km) (New Haven to Greenfield)
Average journey time1 hour 20 minutes (New Haven to Springfield); 2 hours 43 minutes (New Haven to Greenfield)
Service frequency7 weekday round trips
4 Saturday round trips
5.5 Sunday round trips
Train number(s)405–432, 450–497
Technical
Rolling stockGE P42DC & P40DC locomotives, Amfleet coach cars, and Ex-Metroliner cab cars
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speedUp to 110 mph (180 km/h)[2]
Track owner(s)Amtrak
Route map
Legend
Vermonter to St. Albans,
Valley Flyer to Greenfield
Lake Shore Limited
Left arrow Chicago │ Boston Right arrow
0 mi
 Springfield enlarge…
Hartford Line Springfield Union Station (Massachusetts)#Bus operations
Massachusetts
Connecticut
15 mi
24 km
 Windsor Locks
Hartford Line Bradley International Airport
19 mi
31 km
 Windsor
Hartford Line Connecticut Transit Hartford
25 mi
40 km
 Hartford
Hartford Line CTfastrak Hartford Union Station#Bus
36 mi
58 km
 Berlin
Hartford Line Connecticut Transit New Britain and Bristol
43 mi
69 km
 Meriden
Hartford Line Meriden Transit Center#Connections
49 mi
79 km
 Wallingford
Hartford Line Northeast Transportation Company#Wallingford
Northeast Corridor to Boston
61 mi
98 km
New Haven
State Street
Shore Line East Hartford Line Connecticut Transit New Haven
62 mi
100 km
New Haven
Union Station
Shore Line East Hartford Line
Northeast Corridor to New York
This diagram:

Amtrak operates Shuttle trains between between New Haven, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts along its New Haven–Springfield Line. Some of these trips, named Valley Flyer, also operate between Greenfield, Massachusetts and Springfield or New Haven, using the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)'s Connecticut River Line. Trips to/from New Haven provide timed connections with Northeast Regional or Acela Express service at New Haven's Union Station.

During fiscal year (FY) 2018, 286,477 Amtrak passengers traveled between New Haven and Springfield, an increase of 16.9% from FY2017.[3] The service had a total revenue of $9,504,113 in FY2016, an 18.0% decrease from FY2015.[1] The drop in both ridership and revenue was primarily due to bus substitutions of trains to accommodate track work for the new Hartford Line commuter rail service.

Valley Flyer service began on August 30, 2019, as part of a two-year pilot program. The Shuttle and Valley Flyer services (as well as the Northeast Regional through trains that terminate to Springfield) are state-supported routes within Amtrak's system. Amtrak receives funding from the Connecticut Department of Transportation and Massachusetts Department of Transportation to operate these trains.

History

[edit]
A shuttle train of Budd SPV-2000 stock at Windsor Locks in 1980

As inherited from Penn Central in 1971, most service on the Springfield Line consisted of unnamed Budd Rail Diesel Car shuttles that connected with Northeast Corridor trains at New Haven, with limited through service to New York City.[4] In 1980, Connecticut invested $12 million to improve service on the line.[5] North Haven station was opened on October 25, 1980, and other stations were renovated.[6] A new fleet of 12 Budd SPV-2000 diesel railcars allowed an increase to 12 daily round trips under the Connecticut Valley Service name (plus two through trips) at that time.[7] However, service was cut in half in 1981 after ridership failed to increase.[5]

On January 12, 1986, Amtrak pulled the unreliable SPVs from the line and replaced them with Amfleet coaches pulled by diesel locomotives.[citation needed] North Haven and Enfield stations were closed on October 25, 1986 due to low ridership.[6] As New Haven was the northern limit of electrification on the Northeast Corridor, New York–Boston trains changed between electric and diesel locomotives at the station. The passenger coaches of Springfield shuttle trains were attached to southbound trains during the engine change, and detached from northbound trains; this eliminated the need for passengers to change trains. The Connecticut Valley Service name was soon dropped, and shuttle trains were named in timetables as sections of their connecting trains.[8] The elimination of the second track on the line beginning in 1990 sharply reduced capacity, limiting frequencies to four daily shuttle round trips plus several through trips.[9][10]

On October 28, 1995, most Northeast Corridor service including the shuttle trains were consolidated under the NortheastDirect brand. Electrification was extended to Boston in 2000, and engine changes were eliminated over the next two years. The cumbersome split/merge procedure was abandoned in favor of dedicated shuttle trains with cross-platform connections to through trains. The shuttle trains began to use Former Metroliner cab cars, which had become available when replaced by new equipment on West Coast routes. This allowed them to operate in push–pull format, eliminating the need to wye or loop the trainsets at New Haven and Springfield. The NortheastDirect name was dropped in September 2001; Northeast Corridor trains became the Acela Regional (later Regional then Northeast Regional), while the shuttle trains became unnamed.

Mail service

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Mail cars on Shuttle Train 490 at Meriden in 2002

Until Amtrak discontinued all mail-hauling operations in 2005, the postal distribution center in Springfield, MA, was a significant customer. Up until about the year 2000, Springfield was served by a dedicated mail train which would run overnight up the Inland Route to Springfield. After this train was canceled, mail cars were instead added to the early morning Train 190, to make pickups at large cities along the Northeast Corridor. At New Haven these mail cars would be removed from the rear of Train 190 and added to Shuttle Train 490, sometimes sandwiching the locomotive in the middle of the train.

Hartford Line expansion

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Until August 2015, daily service in each direction on the Springfield Line consisted of four Shuttles, the Vermonter, and one or two Northeast Regional trains.[11] Between August 3, 2015 and December 31, 2017, several round trips on weekdays were replaced by buses to accommodate double track construction for the Hartford Line commuter service.[12]

On June 9, 2018, the service began offering three additional round trips on weekdays and some other smaller schedule changes were made as part of expanded service on the line. The changes also now allow some connections with Amtrak's premium Acela Express service in New Haven. Two southbound trains on weekdays and one northbound train on Mondays through Thursdays and Sundays can connect with Acela trains. On September 10, 2018, as part of a schedule change made to Hartford Line trains, all Amtrak Shuttles and Northeast Regionals started stopping at New Haven's State Street station.[13]

Valley Flyer service

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On June 12, 2018, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced that two daily round trips would be extended to Greenfield in 2019 as a pilot program.[14] By February 2019, the two-year pilot was expected to begin in June 2019; however, by that May it was delayed to later in the year.[15][16]

Operation

[edit]

The Shuttles are numbered in the 400 series, usually denoting by the last two digits which Northeast Regional train the Shuttle is connecting with.[17] Typical consists run in push-pull configuration with a General Electric P40DC locomotive pulling an Amfleet coach and a 9600-series ex-Metroliner cab car. Normally the ex-Budd Metroliner leads northbound trains, while the GE Genesis usually leads most southbound trains. Crew bases are at Springfield and New Haven, with diesel locomotive servicing taking place at New Haven.[citation needed]

The New Haven–Springfield corridor is served by all Northeast Regional trains in the 140 series (except trains 145 and 149) as well as trains 136 and 157. These trains run from Springfield to Washington, D.C. or Virginia without the need to change trains. The corridor is also served by Amtrak's Vermonter.[17]

Hartford Line

[edit]
Main article: Hartford Line

New commuter rail service on the line began on June 16, 2018.[18] Expanded Amtrak Shuttle service on the line launched one week earlier on June 9, 2018.[19] Connecticut DOT provides eight round trip commuter trains on weekdays under its new CTrail branding that are operated by its new contractor, a joint venture between TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts Inc.[20] Half of these trains operate between New Haven and Hartford, with the other four running the whole line between New Haven and Springfield. Amtrak has also added three new Shuttle round trips on top of its previous service. This brings the total round trips on the line to sixteen between New Haven and Hartford, with twelve of them operating along the full line to Springfield.[21] On weekends and holidays, CTrail operates six New Haven–Hartford round trips and three New Haven–Springfield round trips. Amtrak continues to offer its existing weekend service with some minor schedule changes. Together, twelve–thirteen round trips are offered on weekends.[21] Amtrak accepts CTrail commuter tickets aboard the trains in the Shuttle series and has adjusted its own fares to match CTrail for trips between New Haven and Springfield.[22]

Stations

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Milepost[23] State Town/city Station[24] Connections[17][24][25][26]
0 MA Springfield Springfield Union Station Amtrak: Lake Shore Limited, Northeast Regional, Vermonter
CTrail: Hartford Line
14.6 CT Windsor Locks Windsor Locks Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Vermonter
CTrail: Hartford Line
19.1 Windsor Windsor Amtrak: Northeast Regional
CTrail: Hartford Line
25.3 Hartford Hartford Union Station Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Vermonter
CTrail: Hartford Line
35.9 Berlin Berlin Amtrak: Northeast Regional
CTrail: Hartford Line
43.3 Meriden Meriden Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Vermonter
CTrail: Hartford Line
49.0 Wallingford Wallingford Amtrak: Northeast Regional
CTrail: Hartford Line
61.4 New Haven State Street Amtrak: Northeast Regional
CTrail: Hartford Line, Shore Line East
Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line (limited service)
62.0 Union Station Amtrak: Acela, Northeast Regional, Vermonter
CTrail: Hartford Line, Shore Line East
Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference FY2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "AMTRAK RUNS TEST TRAINS OF UP TO 110 MPH IN PREPARATION FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE HARTFORD LINE ON JUNE 16" (Press release). Connecticut Department of Transportation. June 6, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  3. ^ "Amtrak FY16 Ridership and Revenue Fact Sheet" (PDF). Amtrak. April 17, 2017. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  4. ^ "Nationwide Schedules of Intercity Passenger Service". National Railroad Passenger Corporation. May 1, 1971. p. 9 – via The Museum of Railway Timetables.
  5. ^ a b Madden, Richard L. (October 20, 1982). "SENATOR BAKER APPEARS IN HARTFORD FOR WEICKER AND STATE REPUBLICANS". New York Times.
  6. ^ a b Belletzkie, Bob. "Stations: NI-NO". Tyler City Station.
  7. ^ "Connecticut Valley Schedule". Amtrak. October 28, 1980.
  8. ^ Amtrak National Train Timetables. Amtrak. April 27, 1986. p. 13 – via Museum of Railway Timetables.
  9. ^ "Section 1: Introduction". NEW HAVEN-HARTFORD-SPRINGFIELD LINE HIGH SPEED INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL PROJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT EVALUATION (PDF). Federal Railroad Administration. May 2012. p. 1.
  10. ^ Karr, Ronald Dale (2017). The Rail Lines of Southern New England (2 ed.). Branch Line Press. p. 86. ISBN 9780942147124.
  11. ^ "NRPC Form W4–200M–1/12/15: Northeast Corridor Boston / Springfield and Washington, D.C." (PDF). National Railroad Passenger Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 3, 2015.
  12. ^ "Amtrak Begins Substitute Bus Operation to Facilitate Construction on Hartford Line" (Press release). Connecticut Department of Transportation. July 31, 2015. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
  13. ^ "CTDOT Announces Hartford Line Service Changes for Weekend of September 7-10, 2018 and a New Schedule Effective September 10, to Accommodate Track Work" (Press release). Connecticut Department of Transportation. September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2018. Effective September 10, 2018, a new Hartford Line train schedule will take effect through September 30th to accommodate continuing track work. Along with this new schedule, all Hartford Line trains will now stop at New Haven State Street Station.
  14. ^ Tuthill, Paul (June 12, 2018). "Commuter Trains To Run North Of Springfield Starting In 2019". WAMC. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  15. ^ Kinney, Jim (February 1, 2019). "Springfield-Holyoke-Northampton-Greenfield passenger trains a go for summer". Mass Live.
  16. ^ Fritz, Anita (May 2, 2019). "Greenfield to see extended passenger rail service by end of summer". Greenfield Recorder.
  17. ^ a b c "Northeast Corridor Boston/Springfield–Washington Timetable" (PDF). Amtrak. April 4, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  18. ^ Porter, Mikaela; Owens, David (June 17, 2018). "Thousands Take A Free Ride On Hartford Line's Inaugural Run". Hartford Courant. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  19. ^ "Connecticut DOT gears up for Hartford Line testing". June 6, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  20. ^ "Gov. Malloy Announces TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts Selected as Service Provider for the Hartford Line". The Office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy (Press release). Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  21. ^ a b "CTrail Hartford Line Schedules: Effective April 14, 2019" (PDF). Hartford Line. April 14, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  22. ^ "Tickets & Fares". Retrieved June 13, 2018.
  23. ^ "Executive Summary" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Transportation. p. 4. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  24. ^ a b "Stations". Hartford Line. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  25. ^ "Metro-North New Haven Line Timetable" (PDF). Metro-North Railroad. January 22, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  26. ^ "Shore Line East Rail Service Information" (PDF). Shore Line East. January 22, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
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Category:New Haven–Springfield Line Category:Amtrak routes Category:Passenger rail transportation in Connecticut Category:Passenger rail transportation in Massachusetts

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