State Rep. Klarides-Ditria Talks Metro-North Repairs

Dear Neighbors,   Below is a notice from the Department of Transportation that service on the Waterbury Branch Rail Line will be suspended on the weekends starting March 24th to make critical updates to the Devon bridge.   Suspension of Weekend Service for Critical Repairs to the Devon Bridge   The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) and Metro-North Railroad will be performing critical maintenance work on the Devon Bridge, which carries the New Haven Line over the Housatonic River between Milford and Stratford, during the following weekends: March 24-25, April 7-8, April 14-15, April 21-22, April 28-29, May 5-6, May 12-13, and May 19-20. Because of the track configuration over the bridge, this work will suspend rail service on the Waterbury Branch during these weekends. Alternate bus service will be provided throughout the outage. Normally scheduled train service will run through Friday night and will resume with regular service Monday morning. The work planned during the weekend outages includes critical repairs to the 200-foot high towers at the bridge that carry the power and signal cables over the river. The repairs include replacement of the guy wires that support the towers, repairs to the structural steel, and the installation of walkways and ladders that allow maintenance personnel access to the power and signal cables. This work requires special construction methods because of the height of the towers. Bus schedules for the planned outages will approximate the existing train schedule and notices will be posted at stations and online at www.ct.gov/dot and www.mta.info/mnr.

Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti Rides the Rails

ANSONIA -Mayor David Cassetti rode the Metro North line Monday with Senator Chris Murphy, mayors and first selectmen, from Waterbury to Bridgeport and State Sen. Joan Hartley, to talk to riders and discuss issues regarding the rail line.

The intent is to draw attention to the need for repairs and additions to our rail service, trains and stations. Mayor Cassetti is seeking funds to improve Ansonia's train station.

(This is from the City of Ansonia's Facebook page)

Conroy hails restoration of early-morning train service

HARTFORD - State Rep. Theresa Conroy, D-Seymour, announced Metro North Waterbury Branch Line early-morning service to Stamford will be restored starting Monday.

 

“The restoration of this train is just a first step,” Conroy said. “We need to make sure DOT and Metro North invest in the Waterbury Branch Line to make sure our commuters can get to work on time.”

Conroy worked with Valley legislators, the Valley Council of Governments, the Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, and U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy to restore the service which had been cut by the rail line.

“I want to thank Sen. Blumenthal, Sen. Murphy and our local team who shined a bright spotlight on Metro North until they restored this service,” Conroy said.

The restoration of the 5:28 a.m. train from Waterbury will allow commuters to reach their connecting trains in Stamford without undue delay.

“A thriving Waterbury Branch Line will yield economic growth in the Valley,” Conroy said. “Metro North should be working to expand the Waterbury Line instead of making shortsighted cuts.”

This is a press release from Conroy's office.

 

Crisco seeks fed intervention to hold Metro-North accountable

Lawmakers call on transit leaders to testify
HARTFORD - Citing the mounting problems that have plagued the Metro-North Railroad over the course of the last two years, state Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, joined Democratic and Republican legislators Monday to ask the Chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the new President of Metro-North Railroad to testify before the General Assembly.

Sen. Crisco

“We’re here today because it is simply unacceptable what our state’s commuters have had to suffer through,” Crisco said.
“A series of accidents and a breakdown in the functionality of Metro-North have thrown into question the safety and reliability of the railroad. It is the responsibility of our government to step in and aid Metro-North in whatever way necessary to improve safety and restore credibility to the railroad. Commuters are calling out to us for help, and as constituent servants it is our responsibility to make these concerns known.”

The legislators sent a letter outlining their requests and concerns to the MTA, federal and state transportation officials, Governor Malloy and the state’s Congressional delegation.

The letter asks Thomas F. Prendergast (MTA Chairman and CEO) and Joseph Giulietti (Metro-North Railroad President) to come before the Transportation Committee, proposes measurable goals for Metro-North to improve its credibility, and asks for federal and state assistance in both aiding Metro-North in meeting these goals and securing necessary funding to support critical infrastructure improvements.

Metro-North Railroad represents one of the largest, busiest and most important transit systems in the country.
Nearly 40 million riders rely on the New Haven Line every year. Any disruption has an immediate ripple effect on business and jobs, and equipment breakdowns have considerably slowed train traffic or brought it to a halt. Rail commuters have reacted to this steadily worsening situation with an outcry for help.

A series of failures arising from mismanagement, negligence, and aged railroad infrastructure has reached a crisis point, resulting in the injury and death of scores of commuters. The legislators drew attention to a partial list of the serious accidents, fatalities, examples of poor management and lack of oversight, alleged fraud and criminal activity that speak to a breakdown in the management structure of Metro North.

The legislators urged Metro-North to establish measurable goals to achieve a safer and more dependable standard of service.
The most salient issues for commuters include:

—adherence to national safety standards and protocols that are currently not being met
—a commitment to immediately resolve passenger problems that are now occurring on a weekly basis
—providing evidence of management oversight of all employee activities

The legislators insisted that the situation must be addressed now to restore trust in Metro-North’s ability to run its operations. However, Connecticut has little to no leverage since it is locked into a 60 year contract with Metro-North.

On Sunday Malloy announced a $10 million plan to upgrade the electric infrastructure which provides power to the New Haven Line. The legislators hailed this project as a major step in the right direction, but stressed that the state cannot solve all of Metro-North’s major problems alone.

They suggested the federal government may wish to provide Metro-North with managerial and technical expertise to resolve the serious problems that they are experiencing. This assistance could be a valuable transitional tool for the new leadership of the railroad as it works to fill the existing void in its management.

The legislators also called attention to Metro-North’s aging infrastructure, and asked the state’s Congressional delegation and the U.S. and Connecticut Departments of Transportation to prioritize funding for repairs and maintenance on Metro-North, with particular attention to the New Haven Line.

Some of the railroad’s catenary lines and track are over 100 years old and are particularly vulnerable to severe weather conditions, which occur regularly and should not serve as an excuse for poor service.
Adequate funding is also needed for a reliable power supply that is vital to any well-functioning and secure rail system.

This is a press release from Crisco's office.