MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 17, 2003 MEETING

AT SACIA OFFICES, ONE LANDMARK SQUARE

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT

 

 

The meeting began at 7:30 p.m. 

 

Present were:  Members Rodney Chabot, Chairman, Jim Cameron - Vice Chairman, Jeff Maron, Joe McGee , Carl Leaman, and Bob Jelley; Harry Harris and Ray Cox from Connecticut DOT; Gene Colonese, Joe Kanell, Sherry Herrington, George Okvat, Ted Bowen and Sergeant John Mullen from Metro North Railroad; Irwin Inger and Gary Gilbert from Amtrak; Kathy Dzekian and Linda Barrios, Waterbury branch commuters; Rob Varnon from Connecticut Post;  Matt Strozier of the Stamford Advocate and Scott Crosby, member of the public.

 

The Minutes of the July 30, 2003 meeting were approved.

 

SHORE LINE EAST

 

Ray Cox said that average August daily ridership was 1,626; average daily ridership for the year to date was 1,506.  He also said that train 1674, the late evening train that replaced a bus (which in turn had replaced a train), had average ridership of about 10 passengers.

 

In answer to a question about the audio and visual announcement systems at State Street Station, Ray Cox said that the automated audio system is old and does not work, and that dial-up announcements are too slow to be practical.  He did not explain why the visual announcement system is not used.  A contract for a new $750,000 audio announcement system for all of Shore Line East is being advertised. 

 

In answer to another question, Harry Harris said that the State has a low bidder for the new Branford, Guilford and Clinton railroad stations.  The contract will be awarded on October 8 and construction should begin in mid-November.

 

 

 

 

AUGUST 14 BLACKOUT

 

Harry Harris explained that when he learned of the blackout, which began at 4:11 pm, he went down to New Haven to help direct operations.  There was no power anywhere on the New Haven line.  Because the rush hour had already begun, it was difficult to call in buses to transport railroad passengers until 6:00 or 6:30 pm, after the normal bus rush hour.  Shore Line East diesel equipment was called in to help on the New Haven line by towing electric trains to the nearest station, but that was difficult because there were no signals. 

 

Communications were out everywhere, and most telephones didn’t work, all of which added to the difficulty. 

 

Harry Harris said that he thought everyone had done a good job in a very difficult situation. 

 

Ray Cox said that the Shore Line East trains had transported 3,000 – 5,000 people on the New Haven line, and that the Shore Line East trains were replaced by buses.  There was a problem caused by construction on the Connecticut turnpike east of New Haven, and that construction had to be shut down in order to let traffic through.

 

Sherry Herrington reported that there was no power at Grand Central terminal because the emergency generator failed and required six hours to repair.  In addition, trains stuck in the Park Avenue tunnel had to be evacuated.  At 3:00 am on Friday morning, diesel trains were brought into Grand Central Terminal and started taking passengers out.  An every two-hour diesel schedule began about 11:00 am on Friday. 

 

Harry Harris said that the State was looking into having a better communications system, possibly using internal lines or satellite, in the future.

 

Bob Jelley said that he had been at Grand Central Terminal on Thursday evening, and that he recognized that the large number of people waiting outside the terminal were not being told when they could expect trains to run again.  He opined that this might be part of the City’s and State’s plan to keep people thinking that the power would be on shortly, in order to avoid a repeat of the riots and looting of 1977.  He said that he thought the railroad had done a good job. 

 

Carl Leaman said that in any future shutdown, various town bus services should perhaps be called to take people further east.

 

Rodney Chabot brought up the subject of a refund for monthly ticket holders.  Harry Harris said that the Department of Transportation and Metro North had rejected that idea on the theory that the blackout was not the railroad’s fault and that people were given rides in one form or another. 

 

Scott Crosby mentioned that there was a railroad collision during the blackout in Larchmont in which ten railroad employees were injured, and the question was raised as to why the railroad hadn’t disclosed this information. 

 

 

WATERBURY BRANCH

 

Ray Cox said that there had been only four bus substitutions in August.  The discontinuation of Waterbury branch service will begin on September 26, and there will be no railroad service for about forty days during necessary catenary work at Devon on the main line.  Buses will replace all trains.  The new timetable beginning on October 27 will show the elimination of the two mid-day trains in each direction and their replacement with three bus roundtrips.  Ray Cox said that there would be 15 minutes between bus and train arrivals and departures at Bridgeport.  Harry Harris reported that he had had a number of meetings in the valley with all of the valley officials to explain the reason for the replacement of midday trains by buses. 

 

Linda Barrios and Kathy Dzekian presented petitions seeking continuation of train service.  Linda Barrios talked of the fear of elimination of all trains.  Ray Cox said that the train ride from Waterbury to Bridgeport was 59 minutes and the expected bus time was 1 hour and 10 minutes.  He promised that there would be no elimination of other Waterbury trains. 

 

Both Harry Harris and Ray Cox stressed that the replacement of two trains in each direction with three buses in each direction was an improvement in service.  The members of the Council expressed disagreement with this position, and mentioned the difficulty of transporting luggage, baby carriages, etc. on buses.  Gene Colonese gave ridership figures on the Waterbury trains being eliminated:

 

12:30 from Bridgeport:  19

2:16 from Waterbury:  46

3:33 from Bridgeport:  38

4:44 from Waterbury:  23

 

 

DANBURY LINE

 

Harry Harris announced that the contract for a signal system on the Danbury branch was being put out to bid.  The project will be advertised on October 30, bids will be open on December 24, the contract will be awarded on January 27, 2004 and construction will begin at the end of February, 2004.  In addition, the feasibility of re-electrification is being studied.

 

A question was raised as to whether there was a plan to electrify the Danbury branch to Wilton, where a new garage is being built, and then substitute buses between Wilton and Danbury.  Harry Harris said that there had been proposals by the Transportation Strategy Board to have hub parking lots on both the Danbury and Waterbury branches north of the Merritt Parkway.  He denied that there was any plan to replace any additional trains with buses. 

 

 

STAMFORD RAILROAD STATION

 

Ray Cox said that work at the Stamford railroad station has been completed.  He said that the new garage will open at the end of October.  The old garage is being evaluated for necessary repairs, but the plan is to close only one or two floors of the old garage for repairs at one time.  Jeff Maron raised the question of confusion with use of monthly cards at the garage and its two entrances.

 

Harry Harris said that there would be an information meeting in Stamford about the new taxi starter system at the railroad station.  There will be a $2.00 fee for all taxis using the railroad station.  This is to cover the cost of starters, police protection, etc.  This is the first railroad system like this, but it is being done at Bradley Airport.  The new taxi operating system will begin in mid-November.  Members of the Council suggested that the $2.00 surcharge was too much. 

 

 

SHOP BACKLOG AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM

 

It was reported that car rehabilitation is on schedule. 

 

 

TRANSPORTATION STRATGEGY BOARD UPDATE

 

Jeff Maron suggested inviting Transportation Strategy Board members to a meeting to discuss how to spend the $25 million they have received in the present State budget.  Harry Harris said that the continuing cost of the Shore Line East thru-trains to Stamford comes out of the $25 million.  He said that it will be several months before there is any plan for spending the $25 million.

 

He further reported that the State Bond Commission had approved $4 million for Harbor Yard parking in Bridgeport.  The Commission has also approved $9 million for parking on the New Haven line, but there is no plan yet for how that will be spent. 

 

 

EQUIPMENT SALE AND LEASEBACK

 

The Phase I contract for the sale and leaseback of all rolling stock and buses will be signed on September 25. 

 

 

NEW TIMETABLE

 

Gene Colonese reported that there are few changes in the new fall timetable.  There will be a new early train to Grand Central Terminal, leaving New Haven at 4:30 am.  He also reported that pay telephones are being removed from trains because they are not much used. 

 

The meeting ended at about 9:30 pm.

 

Bob Jelley

Interim Secretary

 

 

Next Meeting:  Wed. October 15^th, 7:00 pm, CDOT Offices, Union Station, New Haven