New Haven–Springfield Line

The New Haven–Springfield Line was built by the Hartford and New Haven Railroad (H&NH) and began operations in 1844, forming the first all-rail route between Boston and New Haven, with steamship service on Long Island Sound completing service to New York. The Shore Line, today's Northeast Corridor, was completed in 1858, but the Springfield route continued to carry most traffic until the bridge over the Thames River at New London, Connecticut, opened in 1889.{{citation needed|date=February 2016}}

The H&NH was merged into the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (NYNH&H) in 1872, and the NYNH&H continued to operate regular service between New York City and Springfield over the line. Various services were also operated over the Inland Route, starting July 1, 1911, by agreement of the NYNH&H and the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad (lessee of the Boston and Albany Railroad).

During the 1940s period of peak passenger volume, the NYNH&H ran several New York City - Boston trains through the Inland Route, that is, via New Haven, Hartford, Springfield and Worcester, in the #50s series of train numbers. The service included an overnight train with sleeping car service. By the mid-1950s these trips needed transfers in Springfield.New Haven June 1946 timetable, consist table and Table 3'Official Guide of the Railways,' June 1949, consist table and Table 10New Haven April 1955 timetable, Table 3

By the startup of Amtrak on May 1, 1971, the Inland Route was no longer in use, but frequent Penn Central trains continued to serve the New Haven–Springfield Line.{{citation needed|date=February 2016}} Amtrak continued the Connecticut Yankee (by that time shortened to Philadelphia-Springfield) along the route. On May 17, 1971, Amtrak added a train between Philadelphia and Boston via the Inland Route. With the November 14, 1971 timetable, this was assigned the name Bay State, and extended south from Philadelphia to Washington, DC. The train was discontinued March 1, 1975, though on October 31 of that year, the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited began, restoring Springfield–Boston service.{{Cite web |url=http://allaboardohio.org/2015/10/31/amtraks-lake-shore-ltd-turns-40/ |title=Amtrak's Lake Shore Ltd turns 40! |last=Wicker |first=Tom |date=October 31, 2015 |website=All Aboard Ohio |access-date=April 9, 2018}}

On April 1, 1976, Amtrak acquired the New Haven–Springfield Line from the newly formed Conrail, along with most of the Northeast Corridor.{{Cite book |last=Karr |first=Ronald Dale |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/874835522 |title=The Rail Lines of Southern New England : a Handbook of Railroad History |date=2017 |publisher=Branch Line Press |isbn=978-0-942147-12-4 |edition=Second |location=Pepperell, Massachusetts |pages=86 |oclc=874835522}}

During the mid-1980s, due to the high cost of operating the New Haven–Springfield Line and the competing newly-constructed expressways, Amtrak removed {{convert|25|mi}} of track, turning the line from a double-track line to a line with a single track with passing sidings.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nhhsrail.com/objectives/history.aspx |title=Objectives & Scope |website=New Haven–Hartford–Springfield Rail Program |publisher=Connecticut Department of Transportation |access-date=July 1, 2018}}{{Cite book |title=The Rail Lines of Southern New England |last=Karr |first=Ronald Dale |publisher=Branch Line Press |year=1995 |isbn=0942147022 |page=78}} Of the {{convert|62|mi}} between New Haven and Springfield, {{convert|23.3|mi}} of double track and {{convert|38.7|mi}} of single track were left.{{Cite magazine |title=Connecticut: New Travel Options for the Northeast Region |date=June 2018 |url=http://www.apta.com/resources/hottopics/highspeedrail/Documents/SPEEDLINES_June2018.Final.pdf |magazine=SPEEDLINES |publisher=High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Committee |issue=23 |page=20 |access-date=July 1, 2018}}

File:New_Haven_train_76_crossing_the_Warehouse_Point_bridge,_July_1968.jpg in July 1968]]

The final iteration of Inland Route service began with the November 10, 1996, timetable, with the extension of the daily Virginia Service train 85/86 to Boston via Springfield. That train was later truncated, and the former Washington–Boston Bay State was reinstated via the Inland Route.{{Cite news |title=Amtrak says: Riders wanted; Lack of support may derail trains |last=Kush |first=Bronislaus B |date=December 28, 1996 |work=Telegram & Gazette |page=A1}} By the October 28, 2002, schedule, trains 140 (weekend) and 142 (weekday) provided northbound Inland Route service, while the only weekend service was provided southbound via the 147. Train 142 was dropped October 27, 2003, and the November 1, 2004, timetable dropped 140 and 147, ending the use of the Inland Route.{{citation needed|date=February 2016}}

On May 22, 2012, construction started on the CT Fastrak busway between New Britain and Hartford in the northern two track slots between Hartford and {{stl|CT Transit|Newington Junction}}.{{Cite web |url=https://www.courant.com/2012/05/22/after-more-than-12-years-work-starts-in-earnest-on-busway/ |title=Busway: After More Than 12 Years, Work Starts In Earnest On Busway |website=Hartford Courant}} The southern two track slots are used for the active double-track rail line. Any future re-addition of a third or fourth track would require removing or relocating the busway.

The connection between a new double track section from Hartford to Windsor and an existing section from north of Windsor to south of Windsor Locks was completed on September 25, 2018, leaving less than {{convert|12|mi|spell=in}} of single track on the line.{{cite press release |url=https://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?A=1373&Q=605158 |title=CTDOT ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF A SECOND RAIL TRACK ON THE CTrail HARTFORD LINE BETWEEN HARTFORD AND WINDSOR |publisher=Connecticut Department of Transportation |date=September 25, 2018 |access-date=September 25, 2018}} The new section was not expected to allow additional service, but to increase reliability.{{Cite news |url=http://www.courant.com/business/hc-biz-hartford-line-windsor-20180611-story.html |title=Despite New Commuter Line, Rail Upgrades Lag North Of Hartford |first=Rebecca |last=Lurye |newspaper=Hartford Courant |date=June 12, 2018 |access-date=September 25, 2018}}

One proposal to replace the aging Interstate 84 viaduct through Hartford as part of the I-84 Hartford Project is an at-grade roadbed, which would require relocating the rail tracks and busway north of the new road. The viaduct crosses the tracks and busway twice, a route dictated by the placement of abutting development back when the viaduct was constructed in the 1960s. Subsequent demolition has made the proposal to move the tracks a viable option to consider.{{Cite web |url=http://i84hartford.com/analysis |title=Alternatives Analysis |website=I-84 Hartford Project |publisher=Connecticut Department of Transportation |access-date=January 4, 2018}}

{{main|Amtrak Hartford Line}}

Amtrak runs Hartford Line trains between Springfield, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut. These trains connect with Northeast Regional or Metro-North New Haven Line service at New Haven's Union Station, usually by a cross-platform or same-track transfer. The Hartford Line trains are in the 400 series, with the last two digits usually denoting the number of the Amtrak train it is connecting to. In September 2019 Amtrak adopted the state of Connecticut’s Hartford Line branding for its trains on the line, replacing the Shuttle designation. The branding is shared with the state operated CTrail commuter trains which also serve the corridor. Together the two services make up the Hartford Line commuter rail program.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hartfordline.com/files/upload/schedule/2019_apr14_schedule_printable.pdf |title=CTrail Hartford Line Schedules: Effective April 14, 2019 |date=April 14, 2019 |access-date=May 20, 2019 |website=Hartford Line |archive-date=October 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012072833/http://www.hartfordline.com/files/upload/schedule/2019_apr14_schedule_printable.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/timetables/Northeast-Schedule-W04-030419.pdf |title=Northeast Corridor Boston/Springfield–Washington Timetable |website=Amtrak |date=April 4, 2019 |access-date=May 20, 2019}}

{{main|Hartford Line}}

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation studied adding a dedicated New Haven–Hartford–Springfield Commuter Rail Line between New Haven and Springfield to create a more accessible commuter connection to the Metro North commuter lines between New York City and Southwestern Connecticut, and also give more transit options to people commuting within the Knowledge Corridor region surrounding Hartford and Springfield. As part of this, extending or adding stations and right of way and new rail options were investigated. The study culminated in a final report in 2005, which was presented for a grant application to the Federal Transit Administration New Starts program.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/documents/dpolicy/nhr/docs/Recommended_Action_1.pdf |title=New Haven Hartford Springfield Commuter Rail Implementation Study: Recommended Action |website=Connecticut Department of Transportation |access-date=April 9, 2018}}

Construction added {{convert|27|mi}} of double track{{Cite web |url=http://www.nhhsrail.com/pdfs/winter%202018%20final%20draft.pdf |title=Winter 2018 Newsletter |date=January 17, 2018 |website=NHHS Rail Program |access-date=January 17, 2018}}{{Cite web |url=http://hartfordline.com/about/ |title=What the Hartford Line Brings to Customers |website=Hartford Line |date=2018 |access-date=May 19, 2018}} as well as {{Convert|2|mi}} of new passing sidings, leaving less than {{Convert|12|mi}} of single track. Five new interlockings were built and new signal systems were installed, including the installation of Positive Train Control. Bridges and culverts on the line have been repaired, rehabilitated or replaced. Stations at {{stl|CTrail|Wallingford}}, {{stl|CTrail|Meriden}}, and {{stl|CTrail|Berlin}} were completely rebuilt, while {{stl|CTrail|New Haven State Street}} and {{stl|CTrail|Hartford}} had improvements made.

New Hartford Line commuter rail service on the line began on June 16, 2018.{{Cite web |url=http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-hartford-line-opens-20180615-story.html |title=Thousands Take A Free Ride On Hartford Line's Inaugural Run |last1=Porter |first1=Mikaela |last2=Owens |first2=David |date=June 17, 2018 |access-date=June 18, 2018}} Expanded Amtrak Shuttle service on the line launched one week earlier on June 9, 2018.{{Cite news |url=https://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/Connecticut-DOT-gears-up-for-Hartford-Line-testing--54827 |title=Connecticut DOT gears up for Hartford Line testing |date=June 6, 2018 |access-date=June 6, 2017}} Connecticut DOT provides eight round trip commuter trains on weekdays under its CT Rail branding that are operated by its new contractor, a joint venture between TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts Inc.{{Cite web |url=http://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/Press-Room/Press-Releases/2017/07-2017/Gov-Malloy-Announces-TransitAmerica-Services-and-Alternate-Concepts-Selected-for-the-Hartford-Line |title=Gov. Malloy Announces TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts Selected as Service Provider for the Hartford Line |website=The Office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy |publisher=Connecticut DOT |access-date=July 24, 2017}} Half of these trains operate between New Haven and Hartford, with the other four running the whole line between New Haven and Springfield.{{Cite web |url=http://www.hartfordline.com/files/upload/schedule/2019_apr14_schedule_printable.pdf |title=CTrail Hartford Line Schedules: Effective April 14, 2019 |date=April 14, 2019 |access-date=May 23, 2019 |website=Hartford Line |archive-date=October 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012072833/http://www.hartfordline.com/files/upload/schedule/2019_apr14_schedule_printable.pdf |url-status=dead }} Amtrak 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. On weekends and holidays, CT Rail operates four 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, 12–13 round trips are offered on weekends.

The Springfield–New Haven corridor is served by some Northeast Regional trains in the 136 and 140 series. These trains provide direct service from Springfield to Washington, D.C., without the need to change trains in New Haven.

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|New Haven–Springfield Line}}

• [https://www.nhhsrail.com/ New Haven–Hartford–Springfield Rail Program]
• [https://www.hartfordline.com/ Hartford Line]
• [https://www.nhhsrail.com/pdfs/ea/appendix_06.pdf New Haven–Hartford–Springfield Track Chart]

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Category:New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad lines

Category:Rail infrastructure in Connecticut

Category:Rail infrastructure in Massachusetts

Category:Railway lines in the United States