METRO NORTH NEW HAVEN RAIL COMMUTER COUNCIL

(Established in 1985 under Connecticut Public Act 85-239, now Sections 13b-212b and -212c

of the Connecticut General Statutes)

 

MINUTES OF MARCH 24, 2004 MEETING

AT BRIDGEPORT RAILROAD STATION

BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT

 

 

The meeting began at 7:00 p.m. 

 

Present were:  Chairman Rodney Chabot, Vice Chairman Jim Cameron, Ed Zimmerman, Peter Marcuse, Bob Jelley, Lee Carlson, Carl Leaman, Joe McGee and Jeff Maron, Members of the Council; John Longobardi, Fred Chidester, and Eugene Colonese, Metro North; Dennis Murphy, Ray Cox, Harry Harris, Michael Donnarumma, CDOT; Sean McLaughlin, MTA Police; Sue Prosi, SWRPA; Rob Varnon, CT Post; Gabrielle Birkner, Stamford Advocate; Derek Slap, NBC30; Kevin Rafferty, CST – HLS; Richard Stowe, Railroad Transportation Excellence Coalition; Molly McKay, Sierra Club; Kathryn Dzekian. Ph.D., Train V/W; Scott Crosby, John McDermott, John Henebry, Sharlie Rustici, Members of the Public.

 

The Minutes of the February 18 meeting were approved. 

 

 

WATERBURY BRANCH

 

There were a number of people interested in Waterbury branch service present at the meeting.  Peter Marcuse made three points:

 

1.         He thinks that the midday bus schedule ought to be on the complete New Haven line timetable (it is on the small Waterbury branch timetable, but not on the complete New Haven line timetable).

 

2.         He reported that the midday bus service is unsatisfactory.  It is much less comfortable than the train.  There is a problem with space for baby carriages, no room for baggage, and there is no waiting area in Waterbury with protection against bad weather.  (The train served as a waiting area because it was open for a period of time prior to departure.)

 

3.         There is no real railroad station at Waterbury, as there was until the 1950’s.  He went on to talk of the parking problem and the proposal of a transportation center for buses as well as trains. 

 

Harry Harris said that Metro North doesn’t want to put the midday bus schedule on the complete timetable, because it does not operate the buses.  Harry thinks it ought to be on the complete timetable.  He said he would continue to press the issue.  There was no explanation of why the bus schedule is on the small Waterbury branch timetable but cannot be on the complete timetable.

 

Harry Harris went on to say that ridership for the four months on the midday buses were about the same as the ridership had been on the trains.  He said that the whole issue of a railroad station, including parking, needs to be looked at.  The Waterbury Economic Development Commission wants a transportation center, but Harry Harris doesn’t agree with that.  The Governor has put $1 million in the budget to study the question.

 

A Waterbury rider reported that he rides the Waterbury train five days per week.  He doesn’t like the buses because they have no bathrooms and there is no room for baby carriages. 

 

Another Waterbury rider raised environmental issues about buses in place of trains. 

 

In answer to a question, Harry Harris said that the saving by substituting midday buses for midday trains was about $150,000 per year.

 

On the environmental issue, Lee Carlson said that diesel engines are kept running even when they’re not pulling trains. 

 

Asked about the subsidies on trains, Harry Harris said that the subsidy was $21 per rider on the Waterbury branch, $15 on the Danbury branch, $3.00-$4.00 on the New Canaan branch and $1.80 on the main line.  He said that the subsidy on Shore Line East was less than Waterbury.  Bob Jelley asked for substantiation of the subsidies that Harry Harris has reported and he said he will provide that information.

 

There was then a further discussion of Waterbury branch problems.

 

 

RAILROAD SECURITY

 

Kevin Rafferty of Connecticut Homeland Security and Sean McLaughlin of the MTA Police had been invited to the meeting to discuss railroad security, because of the Madrid train bombings.  Sean McLaughlin said that the MTA Police had been on high alert since the September 11, 2001 Arab attack.  There are 750 MTA Policemen.  The emergency service squad has 17 bomb- sniffing dogs.  Since the Madrid train bombings, 40 New York State Troopers and 20 Connecticut State Troopers have been riding on Metro North trains.  In addition, there are Metro North Police in plain clothes on some of the trains.  He gave the following emergency numbers: (212) 878-1000 and (800) 836-6673. 

 

Kevin Rafferty said that the State Police were on trains on a rotating basis.  They are suppose to walk around. 

 

 

WINTER OPERATIONS

 

Ray Cox reported that there were 60 cars in the maintenance shop in New Haven, 10 more than the normal 50.  The railroad was 15 cars short that day.  He reported that the additional maintenance bays from the acquisition of the Amtrak facility were still hoped to be operated by Metro North by July 1, but October 1 was probably more realistic.  The Amtrak shop has to be modified in order to do work on the Metro North cars.  He reported that the rehabilitation program was proceeding and 20 pairs had been completed. 

 

 

FARE INCREASE

 

Ray Cox reported that the DOT was preparing for a 5 ˝% fare increase on July 1.  He said that it was necessary to do $8 million worth of track maintenance per year, but last year $5 million was deferred because of inadequate funds. 

 

 

SHORE LINE EAST

 

Lee Carlson reported that on Monday, March 22, the 7:48 p.m. Shore Line East didn’t come to State Street on time, but arrived 35 minutes later.  There were no announcements at State Street.  Lee requested a phone number to call after Ride Works closes at the end of the business day so that people at State Street can find out about delayed or canceled trains.  Michele Salvatore, who works for a company responsible for announcements at State Street, claimed that the signs and public address system at State Street work.

 

Ray Cox reported that Amtrak had finally signed the contract to give the DOT access to construct the Guilford, Clinton and Branford stations.

 

Richard Stowe asked why the State Street station was not used more often for Metro North trains and Gene Colonese said that he was studying that question.

 

 

DANBURY BRANCH

 

Ray Cox reported that the planned signal system is being redesigned, yet again.  They thought steel poles could go in the ground but they have now learned that they can’t, so they are starting over using wooden poles.

 

Ray Cox said that the DOT will give the council a monthly list of design projects underway. 

 

 

NEW CANAAN BRANCH

 

Dick Bond, former First Selectman of New Canaan, said that it was December 7, 2003 that the train went through the fence at the end of the New Canaan branch, and it was still not repaired.  The DOT said that it’s going through channels to get the repair work done and said that before the next council meeting, it would write a letter to the Town telling the Town to do the work.  Dick Bond also mentioned ties and litter lying around and the DOT said that if the Town will clean it up, the State will coordinate.

 

 

STAMFORD STATION

 

Dennis Murphy from CDOT was present at the meeting.  He discussed the problem (discussed at the January Council meeting) of confusion between the vehicle exit signs and the pedestrian fire exit signs in the new garage.  Dennis Murphy admitted that there were too many pedestrian exit signs and said that he would like to eliminate some of them.  Jeff Marin reported that stop signs for cars are painted on the floor and are hard to see.  Dennis Murphy said he would check on that as well.  Jeff Marin reported that the train monitor is installed in the new overpass from the garage, but that it doesn’t work yet.  He also reported on water in the new overpass.  Dennis Murphy said that people had fallen on the wet floor but the problem is the gaps near the top of the side walls and said that he was studying something to keep water from coming in.   He reported also that the parking garage operator is hiring people to man additional exits during off-peak hours.  He said that the old garage has been reopened but it may be necessary to close one level at a time for inspection and repair work. 

 

 

CATENARY LINE DOWN MARCH 7, 2004

 

Rodney Chabot reported on the problem of Metro North trains discharging passengers at the Stratford station with no announcements of alternate transportation.  Various Metro North and DOT officials discussed the problem, which boiled down to the difficulty of getting bus drivers to come out on an emergency basis on a Sunday night.

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.

 

 

Bob Jelley

Secretary