�������������������������������������� 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:
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.
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
