CT Rail

CT Rail, stylized as CTrail, is the brand for commuter rail services overseen by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), in the U.S. state of Connecticut, with some service extending into Massachusetts. CTDOT oversees two lines: Shore Line East, between New Haven and New London, Connecticut, and the Hartford Line, from New Haven, through Hartford, to Springfield, Massachusetts.[1]

CT Rail
From top-left: GP40-3H at Hartford, Mafersa coaches at Old Saybrook, Kawasaki M8 at New London, and signage at State Street station
Overview
OwnerConnecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT)
LocaleConnecticut and Western Massachusetts
Transit typeCommuter rail
Number of lines2
Number of stations22
Daily ridership4,255 (2019)
Annual ridership1,410,500 (2019)
Websitectrail.com
Operation
Began operation1990
Operator(s)TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts (Hartford Line)
Amtrak (Shore Line East)
Reporting marksCNDX
Technical
System length121 miles (195 km)
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

Services are operated under contract, with Shore Line East operated by Amtrak along the Northeast Corridor, and the Hartford Line operated by a joint venture of TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts.[2][3][4] CT Rail trains, along with other CTDOT rail operations, use the reporting mark CNDX.[5]

Lines

CT Rail operates two commuter rail lines: the Hartford Line and Shore Line East.[2] Both lines utilize portions of the Northeast Corridor, with most trains terminating at Union Station in New Haven.[6]

Hartford Line
Main article: Hartford Line

The Hartford Line runs between New Haven Union Station in New Haven and Springfield Union Station in Springfield. The line is a joint venture between the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).[7] Service began on June 16, 2018. CT Rail Hartford Line tickets are also accepted on Amtrak's Hartford Line, however, the Vermonter inter-city service does not participate despite running along the same route.[8] The majority of the Hartford Line's route is along the New Haven–Springfield Line, with two stations in New Haven, Union Station and State Street, being on the Northeast Corridor.[6]

Shore Line East
Main article: Shore Line East

CT Rail's Shore Line East commuter rail service runs between New London and New Haven, with limited service continuing onto Bridgeport and Stamford. When service initially started along the line on May 29, 1990, CT Rail commuter trains were intended to be a temporary measure in order to reduce congestion along Interstate 95 during a highway construction project. However, the service was made permanent due to more ridership than initially anticipated. The line has an average daily ridership of about 2,100 riders and runs along the Northeast Corridor for its entire length. Since May 2022, Shore Line East has used Kawasaki M8 electric multiple units to provide service on the line.

Rolling stock

Current

CT Rail uses the following rolling stock for its commuter rail operations: All Electric Multiple Unit cars are used on the electrified Shore Line East running on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor while locomotive hauled trains with passenger coaches are used on Amtrak's non-electrified Hartford Line. M8 electric cars are shared between Shore Line East and Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line.

Builder Model Photo Active Road numbers Year built Year Rebuilt Year acquired Notes
Locomotives
GE P40DC 12 6700–6711 1993 2018– 2005, 2015 Being rebuilt since 2018.[9][10] All are ex-Amtrak units.
EMD GP40-3H 6 6694–6699 1971[6] 2018 1996[6]
Siemens SC42-DM 6 (on order) 428-433 2025-2026 (planned)[11] N/A 2026-2027 (planned) Will be pooled with 27 Metro-North units
Coaches
Mafersa Coaches 33 1701–1719 (cab cars, odd numbers only)
1730–1774 (coach cars, even numbers only)		 1991–1992 2004 Ex-Virginia Railway Express.

Used for Hartford Line service

MBB Coaches 16[12][13] 501, 503, 505, 508, 509, 516, 517, 522, 526, 527, 528, 532, 1505, 1509, 1518, 1520 1988[14] 2017–2018[12] Leased from MBTA.[15][12]
Electric Multiple Units
Kawasaki M8 Railcar
471 9100–9474 2011–2015, 2019–2022 N/A 2011–2022 Used for Shore Line East service

Future rolling stock

In June 2023, the MTA board approved purchase of an option order of six Siemens Charger SC-42DM units on behalf of ConnDOT, which will replace the four existing P32AC-DM locomotives in the Metro-North equipment pool and allow for service increases on the Danbury and Waterbury branches. Delivery of the locomotives is expected to be completed in 2027.[16]

In August 2023, CTDOT approved a $315 million contract with Alstom for 60 single-level passenger cars. The cars will replace the existing coach fleet on the Hartford Line along with the Metro-North Waterbury Branch and Danbury Branch. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2026.[17][18]

See also

References
  1. "Office of Rails". CT.gov – Connecticut's Official State Website. Retrieved 2021-03-12.
  2. "CTrail". CT.gov – Connecticut's Official State Website. Retrieved 2021-03-12.
  3. "Launch of New Hartford Passenger Line Part of 'Train Renaissance'". UConn Today. 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  4. "Hartford Line | Service Provider". www.hartfordline.com. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  5. "AAR Railroad Reporting Marks (2021)". www.railserve.com. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  6. "Hartford Line | Route & Stations | Service Map". www.hartfordline.com. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  7. "Connecticut bets big with Hartford Line". Railway Age. 2018-06-19. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  8. "CT Rail Hartford Line: Timetables, fare prices, details on new Springfield-Hartford-New Haven commuter rail service". masslive. 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  9. "Notice of Contract Award" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Transportation. April 25, 2018.
  10. "News Photo: First CDOT P40 rebuild debuts". Trains News Wire. March 8, 2021.
  11. "MTA Metro-North orders six additional locomotives from Siemens Mobility for Connecticut Department of Transportation". Siemens Mobility Global. Retrieved 2023-09-27.
  12. "Rail Car Repairs, Leasing Issues Put Hartford Line Start Date in Doubt". Hartford Courant. April 4, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  13. "What the Hartford Line Brings to Customers". Hartford Line. 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  14. "MBTA Vehicle Inventory". NETransit. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  15. New Haven – Hartford – Springfield Rail Program [@NHHSRail] (March 13, 2018). "For the Hartford Line's service launch, CTDOT is leasing legacy Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) coaches from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). The SLE train used last weekend was for testing and training purposes only" (Tweet). Retrieved March 22, 2018 – via Twitter.
  16. "Metro-North Railroad Procurements". Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 20, 2023.
  17. "Alstom to supply 60 single-level coach cars to the Connecticut Department of Transportation for its statewide rail system" (Press release). Alstom. August 9, 2023.
  18. "Governor Lamont Announces Purchase of 60 New Rail Cars to Modernize Commuter Rail Lines" (Press release). Connecticut Department of Transportation. August 9, 2023.
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