Shore Line East
Encyclopedia
Shore Line East is a commuter rail service operating in southern Connecticut
, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation
(ConnDOT), SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor
from New London
west to New Haven
, with continuing service to Bridgeport
and Stamford
, and connecting service to New York, New York via the Metro-North Railroad
's New Haven Line. It operates along tracks owned by Amtrak
(New London to New Haven) and the state of Connecticut (New Haven to Stamford).
. This line (northeast of the junction with the New York and Harlem Railroad
in Woodlawn) was referred to as the Shore Line
, to distinguish it from the Main Line to Springfield, Massachusetts
.
In recognition of the large role played by the New Haven in the history and heritage of the state of Connecticut, ConnDOT paints SLE's diesel
-powered locomotive
s in the New Haven's colors and "NH" markings.
Shore Line East is not the first commuter train to run this route. The New Haven Railroad operated local service on this route up until its merger with Penn Central. In 1976, Amtrak brought the service back with the Clamdigger, a service running between New Haven and Providence. The train itself, however, was operated with only one or two Rail Diesel Cars.
SLE was established as a temporary service to newly-reopened local stations between Union Station
in New Haven and Old Saybrook
, to alleviate traffic congestion that arose from scheduled construction work on the parallel Interstate 95
.
The service began on May 29, 1990, with four trains each way during the morning and evening. The train was threatened to be cut in 1991 by then Gov. Lowell Weicker. But that was not to be as the restored service proved more popular than expected, and the service was made permanent, and extended one station east to New London in February 1996. To attract more riders, some peak hour trains were extended to provide one seat rides via SLE to employment centers in Bridgeport and Stamford beginning in December 2001.
Most weekend SLE trains also run local westbound in the morning, then express in the afternoon, stopping at Guilford. Eastbound service is reversed. This is due to the fact that Branford, Madison, Clinton, and Westbrook only have platforms on the eastbound track and thus switching is needed to platform a westbound train. All weekend trains run New Haven-Old Saybrook only.
A select number of SLE trains operate to and from New London Station on weekday mornings and evenings. New London SLE multi-ride pass holders are also allowed to board selected Regional
trains, or Acela Express
train #2151. There is no through service to New London on weekends. There are plans to increase the service to New London, which is limited by U.S. Coast Guard
requirements regarding the bridge crossing the Connecticut River. The first part of this plan was initiated on February 16, 2010 as an additional roundtrip in the peak period was extended to New London. Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell has promised to extend 4 more roundtrips to New London by the end of 2010.
Another 3 roundtrips were added on May 10, 2010.
All trains that do not operate west of New Haven make a connection to a Metro-North Railroad
train at New Haven, for service to and from points in Connecticut, Westchester County, New York
, and New York City.
Although SLE service is funded by ConnDOT, it is operated under contract by Amtrak. Amtrak owns and dispatches the Northeast Corridor east of New Haven. West of New Haven, the Corridor is owned by ConnDOT and dispatched by Metro-North.
s used on Metro-North's New Haven Line, which are also purchased in part by the state of Connecticut, all SLE trains are diesel push-pull train
s.
SLE runs diesel service because Amtrak had not yet electrified the Northeast Corridor between New Haven and Boston at the time service began. The original SLE service operated with 2 F-7s
and 10 Pullman-Standard coaches purchased from Pittsburgh's PATrain
. The cab cars were refitted with head-end power generators, as the locomotives did not have this feature since the train had been steam-heated while operating in Pittsburgh. These cars were retired not long after service began, as SLE was intended to be temporary itself.
In 1991, ConnDOT purchased Bombardier
Shoreliner III coaches, similar to ones already used on the Danbury Branch and Waterbury Branch
and leased GP-38s
and one GP-7W
from Guilford Transportation Industries. In 1994, ConnDOT purchased rebuilt SPV-2000 railcars from Amtrak
, known as Constitution Liners. In 1996, SLE took delivery of six GP40-2H diesels to replace the entire motive power fleet. , the Shoreliner coaches have been moved to Metro-North, and the Constitution Liners have been retired.
In late 2004
, SLE purchased 33 single level Mafersa coaches
from Virginia Railway Express
(VRE), to increase its fleet size and accommodate higher ridership, as well as to provide a critical reserve in case of mechanical breakdown. Mindful of the weather-related equipment failures that plagued both Connecticut commuter railroads in the winter of 2003-2004, Governor
Jodi Rell
directed that the new cars be put into service immediately, without even taking time to paint them in SLE livery
. As of late 2007, all former VRE coaches have been rehabilitated inside and out.
In 2008, Shore Line East purchased P40's
from Amtrak which had been previously leased. CDOT logos are now patched over the Amtrak logos, although the Amtrak paint scheme remains.
In a March 2009 progress report on the project to procure new M8 cars
for use along the Metro North New Haven Line, the Department of Transportation revealed that the cars will be equipped to also draw power from the 25 kV AC
lines in use along SLE starting in 2010.
Despite these improvements, parking remains an issue at Shore Line East stations, perhaps due to oil price increases since 2003 causing increased ridership.
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, USA. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation
Connecticut Department of Transportation
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The current Commissioner of ConnDOT is Jeffrey Parker...
(ConnDOT), SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
from New London
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
west to New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, with continuing service to Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
and Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, and connecting service to New York, New York via the Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
's New Haven Line. It operates along tracks owned by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
(New London to New Haven) and the state of Connecticut (New Haven to Stamford).
History
The section of the Northeast Corridor SLE operates on was once the New York-Boston mainline of the New York, New Haven and Hartford RailroadNew York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , was a railroad that operated in the northeast United States from 1872 to 1968 which served the states of Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts...
. This line (northeast of the junction with the New York and Harlem Railroad
New York and Harlem Railroad
The New York and Harlem Railroad was one of the first railroads in the United States, and possibly also the world's first street railway. Designed by John Stephenson, it was opened in stages between 1832 and 1852 between Lower Manhattan to and beyond Harlem...
in Woodlawn) was referred to as the Shore Line
Shore Line Railway (Connecticut)
The Shore Line Railway was a part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad system, running east from New Haven, Connecticut to New London along the north shore of Long Island Sound...
, to distinguish it from the Main Line to Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
.
In recognition of the large role played by the New Haven in the history and heritage of the state of Connecticut, ConnDOT paints SLE's diesel
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
-powered locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s in the New Haven's colors and "NH" markings.
Shore Line East is not the first commuter train to run this route. The New Haven Railroad operated local service on this route up until its merger with Penn Central. In 1976, Amtrak brought the service back with the Clamdigger, a service running between New Haven and Providence. The train itself, however, was operated with only one or two Rail Diesel Cars.
SLE was established as a temporary service to newly-reopened local stations between Union Station
Union Station (New Haven)
Union Station, also known as New Haven Railroad Station, is the main railroad passenger station in New Haven, Connecticut. Designed by noted American architect Cass Gilbert, the beaux-arts Union Station was completed and opened in 1920 after the previous Union Station was...
in New Haven and Old Saybrook
Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Old Saybrook is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,367 at the 2000 census. It contains the incorporated borough of Fenwick, as well as the census-designated places of Old Saybrook Center and Saybrook Manor.-History:...
, to alleviate traffic congestion that arose from scheduled construction work on the parallel Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Connecticut
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...
.
Current service
Most weekday SLE trains run local westbound from Old Saybrook to New Haven in the morning, with some nonstop eastbound service. This traffic pattern is reversed in the afternoon and evening rush. A handful operate through New Haven to or from Stamford.Most weekend SLE trains also run local westbound in the morning, then express in the afternoon, stopping at Guilford. Eastbound service is reversed. This is due to the fact that Branford, Madison, Clinton, and Westbrook only have platforms on the eastbound track and thus switching is needed to platform a westbound train. All weekend trains run New Haven-Old Saybrook only.
A select number of SLE trains operate to and from New London Station on weekday mornings and evenings. New London SLE multi-ride pass holders are also allowed to board selected Regional
Regional (Amtrak)
The Northeast Regional is an intercity rail service operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern United States. In the past, it has also been known as the NortheastDirect, Acela Regional, and Regional. It is by far the busiest Amtrak route, carrying 7.15 million passengers in fiscal year 2010...
trains, or Acela Express
Acela Express
The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...
train #2151. There is no through service to New London on weekends. There are plans to increase the service to New London, which is limited by U.S. Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
requirements regarding the bridge crossing the Connecticut River. The first part of this plan was initiated on February 16, 2010 as an additional roundtrip in the peak period was extended to New London. Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell has promised to extend 4 more roundtrips to New London by the end of 2010.
Another 3 roundtrips were added on May 10, 2010.
All trains that do not operate west of New Haven make a connection to a Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
train at New Haven, for service to and from points in Connecticut, Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
, and New York City.
Although SLE service is funded by ConnDOT, it is operated under contract by Amtrak. Amtrak owns and dispatches the Northeast Corridor east of New Haven. West of New Haven, the Corridor is owned by ConnDOT and dispatched by Metro-North.
Rolling stock
In contrast to the electric multiple unitElectric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s used on Metro-North's New Haven Line, which are also purchased in part by the state of Connecticut, all SLE trains are diesel push-pull train
Push-pull train
Push–pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end.A push–pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via some form of remote control, such as multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a control cab at the other...
s.
SLE runs diesel service because Amtrak had not yet electrified the Northeast Corridor between New Haven and Boston at the time service began. The original SLE service operated with 2 F-7s
EMD F7
The EMD F7 was a Diesel-electric locomotive produced between February 1949 and December 1953 by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors and General Motors Diesel . It succeeded the F3 model in GM-EMD's F-unit sequence, and was replaced in turn by the F9. Final assembly was at GM-EMD's La...
and 10 Pullman-Standard coaches purchased from Pittsburgh's PATrain
PATrain
The PATrain, also known as the Mon Valley Commuter Rail, is a defunct commuter rail service formerly operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County in the Monongahela Valley...
. The cab cars were refitted with head-end power generators, as the locomotives did not have this feature since the train had been steam-heated while operating in Pittsburgh. These cars were retired not long after service began, as SLE was intended to be temporary itself.
In 1991, ConnDOT purchased Bombardier
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
Shoreliner III coaches, similar to ones already used on the Danbury Branch and Waterbury Branch
Waterbury Branch
Metro-North Railroad's Waterbury Branch is a branch of the New Haven Line, running north from a junction east of Stratford to Waterbury. Originally built as the Naugatuck Railroad, it once continued north to Winsted...
and leased GP-38s
EMD GP38
An EMD GP38 is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1966 and December 1971. Power was provided by an EMD 645 16-cylinder engine which generated ....
and one GP-7W
EMD GP7
The EMD GP7 is a four-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel between October, 1949 and May, 1954. Power was provided by an EMD 567B 16-cylinder engine which generated . The GP7 was offered both with and without control cabs, and...
from Guilford Transportation Industries. In 1994, ConnDOT purchased rebuilt SPV-2000 railcars from Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, known as Constitution Liners. In 1996, SLE took delivery of six GP40-2H diesels to replace the entire motive power fleet. , the Shoreliner coaches have been moved to Metro-North, and the Constitution Liners have been retired.
In late 2004
2004 in rail transport
-January events:* January 1 – METRORail light rail service in Houston, Texas, opens.-February events:* February – Pacific National takes over Australian Transport Network....
, SLE purchased 33 single level Mafersa coaches
Mafersa coaches
Mafersa coaches are railroad cars originally built for Virginia Railway Express. They have rounded roofs and manually operated entry doors. In 2004, they were sold to Shore Line East. Because of their lack of automatic doors they are prohibited from running into Grand Central Terminal...
from Virginia Railway Express
Virginia Railway Express
The Virginia Railway Express is a regional/ commuter rail service that connects the Northern Virginia suburbs to Union Station in Washington, D.C., via two lines: the Fredericksburg Line from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the Manassas Line from Broad Run/Airport station in Bristow,...
(VRE), to increase its fleet size and accommodate higher ridership, as well as to provide a critical reserve in case of mechanical breakdown. Mindful of the weather-related equipment failures that plagued both Connecticut commuter railroads in the winter of 2003-2004, Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Jodi Rell
Jodi Rell
Mary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...
directed that the new cars be put into service immediately, without even taking time to paint them in SLE livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
. As of late 2007, all former VRE coaches have been rehabilitated inside and out.
In 2008, Shore Line East purchased P40's
GE Genesis
GE Genesis is a series of passenger locomotives produced by GE Transportation Systems, a subsidiary of General Electric...
from Amtrak which had been previously leased. CDOT logos are now patched over the Amtrak logos, although the Amtrak paint scheme remains.
In a March 2009 progress report on the project to procure new M8 cars
M8 (railcar)
The M8 is an electric multiple unit railroad car built by Kawasaki for use on the New Haven Line of the Metro-North Railroad. It will replace the current fleet of 240 M2's which are nearing 40 years old and the 54 M4's which entered service in 1987.-Design:...
for use along the Metro North New Haven Line, the Department of Transportation revealed that the cars will be equipped to also draw power from the 25 kV AC
25 kV AC
The 25 kV Alternating current railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially for high-speed rail.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
lines in use along SLE starting in 2010.
Growth of the system
Shore Line East has been growing in recent years as state officials seek to improve service and reduce traffic congestion. Recent improvements include:- 2003: State Street StationState Street Station (New Haven)State Street Station is the secondary railroad passenger station in New Haven, Connecticut located northeast of the primary station in the city, Union Station. The station opened on June 7, 2002, for Shore Line East trains and June 24, 2002, for Metro-North Railroad trains...
opens in New Haven, closer to downtown than Union Station. - August 2005: New stations with high-level platforms open at BranfordBranford (Shore Line East station)Branford is a station along the Shore Line East commuter railroad between Stamford and New London, Connecticut. Branford is also a station on the northern section Northeast Corridor. Amtrak does not stop at this station but Amtrak trains can often be seen passing this station...
and ClintonClinton (Shore Line East station)Clinton is a passenger rail station along the Shore Line East commuter railroad between Stamford and New London, Connecticut. Clinton is also a station on the northern section of the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak does not stop at this station but Amtrak trains can often be seen passing this station...
, replacing stations with low-level platforms. - November 28, 2005: New station with high-level platforms and 176 parking spaces opens at GuilfordGuilford (Shore Line East station)Guilford is a passenger rail station along the Shore Line East commuter railroad between Stamford and New London, Connecticut. Guilford is also a station on the northern section of the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak does not stop at this station but Amtrak trains can often be seen passing this station...
, replacing an earlier station with low-level platforms. - September 24, 2007: New Madison Station under construction.
- November to December, 2007: First-ever weekend service on the line. Weekend service was cut after the holidays.
- July 2008: Weekend service begins again.
- July 28, 2008: New MadisonMadison (Shore Line East station)Madison is a passenger rail station along the Shore Line East commuter railroad between Stamford and New London, Connecticut. Madison is also a station on the northern section of the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak does not stop at this station but Amtrak trains can often be seen passing this station...
station opens for service. - February 16, 2010: An additional roundtrip train has been extended to/from New London.
- May 10, 2010: 3 additional roundtrips were extended to New London.
Despite these improvements, parking remains an issue at Shore Line East stations, perhaps due to oil price increases since 2003 causing increased ridership.
Station stops
- Stamford (shared with Amtrak and Metro-North)(limited service)
- Bridgeport (shared with Amtrak and Metro-North)(limited service)
- Stratford (one eastbound/day only)
- Milford (one eastbound/day only)
- Union Station (New Haven) (shared with Amtrak and Metro-North)
- State Street Station (New Haven) (shared with Metro-North)
- BranfordBranford (Shore Line East station)Branford is a station along the Shore Line East commuter railroad between Stamford and New London, Connecticut. Branford is also a station on the northern section Northeast Corridor. Amtrak does not stop at this station but Amtrak trains can often be seen passing this station...
- GuilfordGuilford (Shore Line East station)Guilford is a passenger rail station along the Shore Line East commuter railroad between Stamford and New London, Connecticut. Guilford is also a station on the northern section of the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak does not stop at this station but Amtrak trains can often be seen passing this station...
- MadisonMadison (Shore Line East station)Madison is a passenger rail station along the Shore Line East commuter railroad between Stamford and New London, Connecticut. Madison is also a station on the northern section of the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak does not stop at this station but Amtrak trains can often be seen passing this station...
- ClintonClinton (Shore Line East station)Clinton is a passenger rail station along the Shore Line East commuter railroad between Stamford and New London, Connecticut. Clinton is also a station on the northern section of the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak does not stop at this station but Amtrak trains can often be seen passing this station...
- WestbrookWestbrook (Shore Line East station)Westbrook is a passenger rail station along the Shore Line East commuter railroad between Stamford and New London, Connecticut. Westbrook is located along the northern section of the Northeast Corridor, the busiest railway in the United States...
- Old Saybrook (shared with Amtrak)
- New London (shared with Amtrak)
See also
- Connecticut Rail Commuter CouncilConnecticut Rail Commuter CouncilThe Connecticut Rail Commuter Council is an independent state board that acts as an advocate for commuters on the Metro-North and Shore Line East railroads....
is the official state advocate for commuters. It brings station and rail line problems to the attention of officials.