New rail creates transportation jobs in Connecticut
Posted on July 29, 2018
A new rail will create more transportation jobs in Connecticut.
The CTrail Hartford Line has launched for service. The passenger rail line, which has multiple stations in Central Connecticut along the I-91 corridor connecting New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield, is the first passenger rail line to open for service in Connecticut since 1990.
The governor marked the occasion first with a ceremony in New Haven, where he joined other officials for a brief ribbon cutting ceremony, and then boarded one of the distinctive red, white, and black-branded rail cars for a ride to Hartford’s Union Station, where the main grand opening ceremony was held.
A second train carrying Massachusetts officials departed Springfield and arrived in Hartford for the ceremony. As the trains arrived from each direction, they broke through Hartford Line banners that were suspended across the tracks.
Hundreds of federal, state, and local officials and members of the public attended the ceremony to celebrate the launch of the line, which has been under consideration for decades.
The CTrail Hartford Line begins regular operations on Saturday, June 16, 2018. For the first full weekend (June 16 and 17), the rail line will operate free of charge for all commuters. Full, expanded weekday service begins on Monday, June 18, with trains running approximately every 45 minutes during the morning and evening peak periods. The expanded service will be in addition to the existing Amtrak service in the corridor, and trains will reach speeds of 110 miles per hour.
Stations along the line from north to south include New Haven Union Station, New Haven State Street, Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin, Hartford, Windsor, Windsor Locks, and Springfield. Trains will run approximately every 45 minutes during the morning and evening peak periods.
The line utilizes twenty-seven miles of new double-track along previously existing single-track sections, allowing more frequent trains to travel through the corridor. Additionally, new train stations were built in Wallingford, Meriden, and Berlin, and high-level platforms and other upgrades have been made at the Hartford and New Haven State Street stations.