By Peggy Darlington (about) (contact)
The New Haven line runs from Grand Central to New Haven,
Connecticut sharing the Park Avenue
Tunnel and then the Harlem
Line to Woodlawn. New Haven Line trains stop at Grand Central;
125th Street, recently renamed as Harlem-125th Street; and
Fordham. The New Haven Line has three branches, New Canaan, Danbury,
and Waterbury.
We will begin our ride to New Haven at Mount Vernon
East which has four tracks, two wall platforms and a
crossunder.
We arrive at Pelham, with the same
arrangement as Mount Vernon. North of the station, the Amtrak line
from Penn Station (via Queens and the Hell Gate Bridge) merges via a
two track connection at "Shell" tower. The New Haven branch trains
perform the changeover to catenary power, and the power change over is
smooth with only a brief interruption to blower fans and lights.
New Rochelle is next, located in a cut on
the east side and at grade on the west side. There are five tracks
passing through the station, with platform arrangement, from west to
east, as follows: wall platform for southbound trains, two bypass
tracks with no platform, and finally an island platform for northbound
trains. The station house is located on the southbound side. There is
a crossover connecting the platforms. This station is also served by
occasional Amtrak trains. Directly adjacent to the station on the west
is the New York Thruway (I-95). From here to New Haven, I-95 will not
be too far apart from the railroad, although it may not be adjacent at
all times.
Larchmont is next and we revert to four
tracks, two wall platforms and a crossover at the south end. An old
low platform was observed at the north end of the current
station. Mamaroneck follows. An unusual feature of the
two high wall platforms is construction of these platforms on top of
the old low platforms. Only ornamental rails reveal the presence of
old low platforms. There is a crossunder.
Harrison follows, with four tracks and two
wall platforms. There is a station house on the west side. The station
is at grade and old low platforms were seen at the south end of both
platforms. The station is currently undergoing needed
renovation. Rye is next. The town of Rye is the home of
America's first theme park, Rye Playland, which is now on the National
Register of Historic Places. The station has four tracks, two wall
platforms and a crossover. Old low platforms were seen at the south
end of both platforms. Renovation might be planned since survey marks
were found.
Port Chester follows, also with four
tracks, two wall platforms and a crossunder. A highlight of this
station is an abandoned right-of-way to the northeast, part of the
former New York, Westchester, and Boston
Railroad. There was no rail, ties or wire on this
right-of-way. Station renovation may be planned as survey marks were
found.
Departing Port Chester, we leave New York and enter
Connecticut. Greenwich is the first stop. There are
four tracks, two wall platforms, a crossover and old low platforms on
the south end. Here too, renovations may be pending due to survey
marks on the platform. Cos Cob is next with four tracks
and two wall platforms. The station house is on the west side and old
low platforms are still used as exits on the north end of the
station. The line passes the New Haven's Cos Cob power generating
plant and crosses a drawbridge on the way to the next station,
Riverside. This near-grade station has four tracks with
two wall platforms and a crossover. The station house is on the west
side. Old Greenwich is next and with the exception of a
crossunder instead of crossover is identical to Riverside. Old low
platforms are at the south end of the east platform.
Stamford is next. Amtrak trains also stop
here, and Amtrak is funding the major renovations still
underway. Connections are available for the New
Canaan Branch. The main station is over the tracks, all platforms
having a crossover. Track arrangement from west to east is: Wall
platform, track 5; island platform track 5 and 3 (doors can open both
sides on track 5), center bypass track (track 1), island platform
(tracks 2 and 4), wall platform (track 4; doors can open on both sides
for trains on track 4). Current track usage at Stamford has
southbound Amtrak and Metro North Express Trains using the inside
track (track 3) and locals using Track 5, northbound Express and
Amtrak on Track 2 and terminating locals on Track 4. Stamford is also
home to a Metro North maintenance facility and storage yards for
Amtrak and Metro North trains.
We enter Noroton Heights. Four tracks, two
wall platforms, with a crossover. Currently, due to renovations, the
easternmost track is covered with a temporary bridge. Old low
platforms are to the north of the station. The station house is on the
west side, and a bus-stop style shelter on the east side. The same
temporary bridges are also located at the next two stations.
Darien is next and has the same track
layout. There is a crossunder. The station house is on the west
side. There are remains of low platforms at both ends of both
platforms. Rowayton follows and has four tracks and two
wall platforms. Like Darien, we have temporary bridges covering the
easternmost track. These three stations are getting their needed
repairs.
South Norwalk follows. The station appears
to have four tracks and two wall platforms. A closer observation
reveals a surprise, there are six tracks and the wall platforms are
actually island platforms. The north end has two extra tracks, which
are connections to the Danbury Branch. The
main station house is on the northbound platform and a small station
house on the southbound platform. The station has a crossunder. The
older station house is on the east side and the new one on the west
side. A tunnel connects both platforms.
East Norwalk follows with four tracks and
two short wall platforms and a crossunder. Westport is
next and with the exception of an old low platform north of the
station is identical to East Norwalk. Green's Farms is
next. (The map calls this station Green's Farm but station signage
says Green's Farms.) There are four tracks and two short wall
platforms. The station house is on the west side and a bus-style
shelter is on the east side.
We arrive at Southport. This station has
four tracks and two short wall platforms, which are offset. A wood
station house is on the west side, and a brick station house is on the
east side. Fairfield is next with four tracks, two
medium length wall platforms and both a crossover and crossunder. The
main station house is on the east side, but there is a station house
on both platforms.
We rise to a high embankment and then a viaduct as we
enter another Amtrak Station, Bridgeport. The station
has four tracks and two wall platforms with crossunders and station
houses on both platforms. A small maintenance-of-way yard is to the
northeast of the station. Within the confines of the station, I-95
passes diagonally overhead. Old low platforms were found north of the
station. The main station is on the west side. The station also houses
the Greyhound bus station as well as the ferry to Port Jefferson, Long
Island. The northbound station platform is actually over the water!
Stratford is next, with connections to the
Waterbury Branch. The station has four tracks
and two short wall platforms and a crossunder. Old low platforms were
spotted at the south end. Between here and Milford, our next station,
the westernmost track is in various stages of absence, sometimes only
one rail, only crossties, or just nothing, possibly due to track
replacement work since the catenary wire is still in
place. Milford has three tracks and two short wall
platforms. Old low platforms were seen at the south end. The station
house is on the west side.
We arrive at New Haven after a two-hour
ride from Grand Central. This is an Amtrak Station and Amtrak's
presence is obvious. The station is named Union Station. A yard is
located to both sides of the station for both Amtrak and Metro
North. The main station is on the west side at street level and is
also home to New Haven's Greyhound Bus station. A tunnel connects all
platforms. From west to east platforms and tracks are as follows:
Island platform, tracks one and three; island platform, tracks four
and two; one bypass track; island platform, tracks eight and six,
island, no track number and track ten. There is no evidence of tracks
numbered five, seven and nine. Connections can be made to Shore Line
East service.
This line is one track and is served by two car electric
trains. The line runs from Stamford to New Canaan. Departing
Stamford, our first station is Glenbrook. The station
has a grade crossing and is on the east side of the high
platform. There is no station house, just a bus shelter.
Springdale follows also with a grade crossing and a
glorified bus shelter on the east side of the high
platform. Talmadge Hill is next also with a grade
crossing. The station is on the west side. There is no station house,
just two bus shelters. Leaving the station behind the line starts
climbing before we finally descend into the last stop, New
Canaan. The high platform is on the west side and features a
very nice station house. The station has a second track to the east of
our line which ends in a bumper block as does our track north of the
station.
The Danbury Branch runs from South Norwalk and is served
by two car diesel trains. This line's character is very
rural. Conversations with the conductor revealed the branch does carry
a full load during peak hours. Our first station is Merritt
7, named after a nearby business park with the same name. We
have a low platform at street level with a grade crossing on the west
side. Wilton follows with a high platform and a station
house on the east side. Cannondale follows, also with a
high platform and a grade crossing. The platform is on the east
side. There is a possible closed station house on both sides. The east
station house is closed and the west station house appears to be a
gift shop. Branchville follows and is identical except
for only an west station house now a gift shop.
Redding follows with a high platform on the
west side. The station suffers an identity crisis; station signs show
the name as "West Redding" while the maps and conductor say
"Redding". There is a grade crossing north of the station. Leaving
Redding behind we descend and enter Bethel which has a
high platform on the east side. There is a modern station house made
of brick. For a change of pace there is no grade crossing at this
station! South of the station, there is an old station house, which is
now in commercial use.
We arrive at Danbury with three tracks, and
a grade crossing northeast of the station. There is a high island
platform serving the east track and center track. The westernmost
track bypasses the station while the east track ends within the
station at a bump block. The two west tracks curve to the northeast
and head towards a yard. A highlight of this line is a view of the
Danbury Railroad Museum which time did not permit me to explore except
for photos from the station.
This line runs from Bridgeport to Waterbury and is served
by two car diesel trains. The line has one track.
We leave Bridgeport on the main line and pass through
Stratford before we turn off to the northwest via a single track. The
curve is long and wide and the wheels did squeal. The line climbs an
embankment giving a postcard view to the west and to mountains further
west. We briefly level off on a plateau then start to descend. After a
curve to the northwest, a siding appears to the northwest of our line,
which splits into two tracks to an unknown destination. We continue to
the northeast and enter our first station,
Derby/Shelton. The station has one low platform on the
west side including a station house with a hip roof. The station is at
grade level and features a bus shelter. There is no grade crossing at
this station.
Ansonia follows, with a short low platform
on the east side and is ADA compliant with a mini lift. The platform
has a bus shelter made of wood that needs paint. North of the station,
we pass an industrial zone before reverting to a rural character. We
pass a rock dam and nice lake to our west. This branch reminds me of
the Hudson Line. Civilization
intrudes and we arrive at our next station, Seymour. The
station has a low platform on the west side. A brick bus shelter
passes for a station house.
We descend further, picking up speed and again
civilization interrupts our view of nature. We have arrived at
Beacon Falls. The low platform is on the east side and
is a strange platform, not quite low and not quite high. Rather it is
about mid-level and features a mini-lift. We continue northward and
continue our descent. We are now in a deep earthen valley that soon
broadens out. Industry intrudes again and we arrive at
Naugatuck with a low platform on the west side. There is
a station house here but it is in a state of disrepair and is closed.
We continue our descent and soon pass through an
industrial area on both sides, with the buildings almost within
touching distance of our train. We pass through a freight yard and
enter Waterbury, our last stop. The station has a high
platform on the east side and an ornate station house that
unfortunately is closed. The track continues north of the station
after passing a low platform also on the east side. In place of this
station house, we now have a bus shelter. I found a sign indicating
renovations were made in 1997.
Of all the Metro North lines and branches, this branch
earns top billing from me (five stars) followed by the Hudson line (4
stars) and the main New Haven Line (3 1/2 stars). Danbury ranks as two
stars, as does the Harlem line. The New Canaan Branch gets 2 1/2
stars. I had to downrate the New Haven because of the shared trackage
with the Harlem line and the awful Melrose Station!
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