Wallingford (Amtrak station)
Encyclopedia
Wallingford is a train station
in the city
of Wallingford, Connecticut
served by Amtrak
's , , and the Vermonter
. The station is located adjacent to the town green, between Hall Avenue and Quinnipiac Avenue, near where both intersect with Colony Street (U.S. Route 5
).
Of the twelve Connecticut stations served by Amtrak, Wallingford was the eleventh busiest in FY2010, boarding or detraining an average of approximately 40 passengers daily.
, and was built in a manner similar to that of Windsor Station
. The interior of the building closed as a station in 1994 and is now used for adult education and the New Haven Model Railroad Club but trains still stop there today. The line through Wallingford was doubled tracked until 1990 when the second track was removed. Today there are 15 passenger trains a day in addition to daily round-trip freight on the Springfield Line during the daytime. Wallingford Station has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
since 1993. There are currently plans by Amtrak
and the Connecticut Department of Transportation
to add a new service called the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line
. ConnDOT
has stated that the station building will be returned to active service or a new station built half a mile north on Parker Street to accommodate the increased number of passengers.
and is a prominent local landmark. The building is also the site of the city's annual "Celebrate Wallingford" block party.
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
in the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Wallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 43,026 at the 2000 census.- History :Wallingford was established on October 10, 1667, when the Connecticut General Assembly authorized the "making of a village on the east river" to 38 planters and freemen...
served 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...
's , , and the Vermonter
Vermonter
Amtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day....
. The station is located adjacent to the town green, between Hall Avenue and Quinnipiac Avenue, near where both intersect with Colony Street (U.S. Route 5
U.S. Route 5
U.S. Route 5 is a north–south United States highway running through the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. Significant cities along the route include New Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; and Springfield, Massachusetts. From Hartford northward to St...
).
Of the twelve Connecticut stations served by Amtrak, Wallingford was the eleventh busiest in FY2010, boarding or detraining an average of approximately 40 passengers daily.
History
The depot at Wallingford was built in 1871 by the Hartford & New Haven Railroad on the Springfield LineNew Haven-Springfield Line
The New Haven–Springfield Line or Hartford Line is a railroad line owned by Amtrak from New Haven, Connecticut north to Springfield, Massachusetts. As a branch of the Northeast Corridor at New Haven, it is served by approximately seven daily Regional round trips, some continuing from New Haven to...
, and was built in a manner similar to that of Windsor Station
Windsor, Connecticut (Amtrak station)
Windsor is a historic train station in Downtown Windsor, Connecticut located on the New Haven-Springfield Line, as well as a spur of the Northeast Regional....
. The interior of the building closed as a station in 1994 and is now used for adult education and the New Haven Model Railroad Club but trains still stop there today. The line through Wallingford was doubled tracked until 1990 when the second track was removed. Today there are 15 passenger trains a day in addition to daily round-trip freight on the Springfield Line during the daytime. Wallingford Station has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since 1993. There are currently plans 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...
and 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...
to add a new service called the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line
New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail Line
The New Haven–Hartford–Springfield commuter rail line is a planned commuter rail line with a southern terminus at Union Station in New Haven, Connecticut, and a northern terminus at Union Station in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States...
. ConnDOT
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...
has stated that the station building will be returned to active service or a new station built half a mile north on Parker Street to accommodate the increased number of passengers.
Mansard Roof
Wallingford's train station has a distinctive mansard roofMansard roof
A mansard or mansard roof is a four-sided gambrel-style hip roof characterized by two slopes on each of its sides with the lower slope at a steeper angle than the upper that is punctured by dormer windows. The roof creates an additional floor of habitable space, such as a garret...
and is a prominent local landmark. The building is also the site of the city's annual "Celebrate Wallingford" block party.
External links
- Wallingford Amtrak Station (USA Rail Guide -- Train Web)
- "Wallingford, Conn., railroad station, n.d. New Haven Railroad Photographic Negatives Collection (1991-0134.ph115)." - photograph, Railroad History Archive, University of ConnecticutUniversity of ConnecticutThe admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
Libraries Collection.