CT METRO-NORTH, SHORE LINE EAST RAIL COMMUTER COUNCIL MEETING

 

                                       Wednesday - October 18, 2002

                                           Union Station, New Haven 

 

Attendance - The following Council members were present at this meeting:

 

Mr. Rodney Chabot - Chairman            Lee Carlson

Mr. Peter S. Myers                              Mr. Peter Marcuse

Mr. Bob Jelley                                   Mr. Carl Leaman

Mr. Jeff Maron

 

                   The following CDOT (Connecticut Department of Transportation)  personnel were present:

 

Mr. Irwin Inger                          Mr. Mike Donnarumma

Mr. Raymond Cox

 

The following Metro North Railroad personnel were present:

 

Mr. Frank Schweithelm              Mr. John Hogan

Mr. Joe Kanell                          Mr. Eugene Colonese

Mr. Fred Chidester                    Mr. Sean McLaughlin

 

The following Amtrak personnel were present:

 

Mr. Scott Howland            Mr. Gary Gilbert

 

The following Shore Line East Riders Association personnel were present:

 

Mr. E.C. Schroeder

 

The meeting was called to order by Mr. Rodney Chabot at 7:00 pm.  The September minutes were approved.  Chairman Chabot thanked Mr. Cox for  the guided tour of the repair shops in New Haven which preceded the meeting.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

1. Shore Line East Issues:

 

a.       Construction of the proposed new Shore Line East Stations was put on     hold due to problems with Amtrak concerning land, air rights, and costs.

 

b.       Shore Line East Line (SLE) ridership was highest ever; however ridership is temporarily down due to tunnel construction which will continue for       another  35 days.  One of the two tracks will be closed during this work.

 

c.       Concerning the Branford station, it was noted that the final construction will include additional parking spaces.  Meanwhile commuters are being bused to and from a satellite lot at considerable cost.    

 

         d.       State Street Station:   The initial use of the facility has exceeded expectations.  A telephone has just been installed, and a PA

                  system is in  the process of being installed.            

 

Security issues were discussed by Mr. Jelley concerning women departing on late trains.  More dual police presence was suggested.  The only reported incident was graffiti which has been removed.   

 

e.       New Haven Station:  Some Solari boards in the New Haven Station tunnel are being worked on.

 

f.        Saybrook as well as all rebuilt stations will have elevated platforms installed.

 

2.  Waterbury branch issues:

 

a.       There were no bus substitutions last month due to new locomotives being assigned to this line.

 

b.       Buses will be substituted for trains from October 25 through November 21 due to bridge maintenance.

 

c.       A new station in Waterbury is in the planning stages and bonding is being  solicited.

 

3.  Danbury branch issues:       

 

a.       There were two bus substitutions this past month due to late trains on the main line.

 

b.       CTC (Centralized traffic control) system for the branch will go out for bids during the first quarter of 2003. 

 

c.       Ridership is now at approximately 1200 to 1400 passengers per day.

 

4.  New Canaan branch issues:

 

a.       There were 35 bus substitutions due to downed wire from a wind storm, and due to a malfunctioning pantograph which ripped wire down at the New Canaan station.

 

4A.  Stamford station update:

 

a.       The station is due to be completed by the summer of 2003?

 

b.       When the new parking structure is completed, then the old existing  parking structure must be closed and rebuilt at an estimated cost of between $53,000,000 and $70,000,000.  This will take an additional year to complete.

 

5.   Shop back log and rehab program:

 

a.       52 to 53 cars are waiting for repairs; with winterization in progress.

 

b.       70% of the rehab work is being done in the New Haven shops.  This is a 7 year program for the M-2 cars which will cost approximately $150,000,000.

 

6.   Bar Car Rebuilding plans:

 

The cars are part of the M2 overhaul project.   Bids for materials have been favorable, and will likely be completed at the tail end of the M2 project.  The new design will result in more seats per car.

 

7.   Bike racks at the New Haven garage:

 

The New Haven Parking Authority has received three additional bike racks, which will be installed within the next week, and which will accommodate an additional 15 bikes.

 

8.   New ticket machine outages:

 

a.       Problems have been resolved.

 

b.       New TVM (ticket vending machine) installations will be completed  by November 2002.

 

9.   Status of new car orders:

 

a.       It has not yet been determined whether to order electric locomotive hauled trains or electric MU (M-8) cars.

 

 

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

1.       Disruptive kids on trains:

 

Mr. Jelley brought up this problem, which takes delicate handling.

 

 

2.       Time tables:

 

Mr. Colonese distributed new time tables which will become effective

on October 27, 2002.  There are no major changes.

 

 

Respectfully Submitted

 

______________________________

Peter S. Myers, Acting Secretary