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 NOVEMBER 16, 2005 MEETING

AT SACIA OFFICES

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT

 

 

The meeting began at 7:00 pm.

 

Present were:  Chairman Rodney Chabot, Vice Chairman Jim Cameron, Bob Jelley, and Jeff Steele, Members of the Council; Gene Colonese, Jeff Watson, and Joe Kanell, Metro North Railroad; Jim Boice, Peter Richter and Carmine Trotta, Connecticut DOT; Jim McKenna, MTA Police; Sue Prossi, SWERPA; John Austin, Sr., Consumer Advocate; Patrick R. Linsey, Norwalk Hour; Steve Gazillo and David Chase, Washington Group.

 

The Minutes of the October 19, 2005 meeting were approved with modifications.

 

DANBURY BRANCH ELECTRIFICATION

 

The Washington Group, which is doing a study of Danbury branch electrification, made a presentation about the progress of their study.  They were represented by Steve Gazillo and Dave Chase.  They explained that the real purpose of the study was travel time improvement as well as extension of service to New Milford.  The study is on the web at www.danburybranchstudy.com.  One part of the study deals with improving track alignment, considering double tracking, and considering more than the three present passing sidings.  The study is investigating what things are necessary in order to get five minute, ten minute and fifteen minute time improvement on the Danbury line.  Mr. Gazillo noted that improving alignment means taking property to straighten curves. 

 

Mr. Gazillo noted that the State’s prediction of ridership in 2020 is 3,000 trips per day.  If the Danbury branch is extended to New Milford, the State’s prediction is 1,600 additional trips per day.

 

Mr. Gazillo said that the Washington Group estimates a cost of $75 million to electrify the Danbury branch, $9-$31 million for Sidings, $6.5 million for track work and $90 million for new cars. 

 

Rodney Chabot asked if the State’s ridership figures were really correct, and predicted that ridership after electrification would be higher than the State’s estimate. 

 

OCTOBER RIDERSHIP

 

Gene Colonese reported on the October 2005 ridership figures (attached).  Mr. Chabot asked why Shore Line East on-time performance had dropped in October and Mr. Colonese said it was because 7 trains had been canceled and those cancellations figure into the on-time performance figures. 

 

HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT

 

Jim Cameron asked why Connecticut got only $500,000 out of the $37.5 million homeland security grant for the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut area.  Peter Richter said that Connecticut DOT was part of the working group, along with MTA, Port Authority and New Jersey Transit, that divided up the grant.  He said that Connecticut got its proportional share based on ridership, mileage, number of stations, and risk, although it was less than Connecticut wanted. 

 

MAIN LINE ISSUES

 

Mr. Cameron asked about the catenary torn down between Stamford and Noroton Heights on Saturday evening, November 12.  He noted that the wires had been repaired very quickly.  Mr. Colonese explained that the 5:57 pm train from New Haven tore down the wires but the 6:07 from Grand Central to New Haven was also involved.  4,000 feet of wires were down on all five tracks.  Joe Kanell said two tracks were back in service by 1:00 and all the tracks were back in service by Monday morning.  The reason that all five wires came down is because span wires hold the wires apart on a curve and when one wire is pulled down, the span wire pulls the rest of the wires with it. 

 

Jeff Steele asked about the use of bar cars on morning trains.  Mr. Colonese explained that bar cars are part of a pair of cars, but also bar cars have seats that can be used for passengers. 

 

In answer to a question from Mr. Cameron, Mr. Colonese explained that Metro North is now going to tell conductors how many cars to initially open on trains, rather than leaving it to the conductors discretion.  It is hoped that this will alleviate the closed car issue.

 

SHORE LINE EAST

 

In answer to a question about repair work on some of the Virginia cars necessary before they can be put into service, Mr. Richter explained that the first request for proposals early this spring had listed a number of things to be done, and that the only response, from Kowasaki, had overheads that were too high.  Then it was decided to do less work.  In the meantime, the State’s procedure for letting contracts had changed and as a result a new request for proposals only went out in early November.  Mr. Richter noted that the Virginia cars cannot be sent to Harmon for work, because equipment underneath the car would hit the third rail.  As a result, the Virginia cars cannot go west of Pelham on the Metro North tracks. 

 

Bob Jelley, on behalf of Lee Carlson, raised the question of the electric clocks at State Street being always three or four minutes fast. 

 

FLEET REPLACEMENT ON THE NEW HAVEN LINE

 

Mr. Richter reported that further work is being done on the specifications.  He said that Alstom had dropped out of the group qualified to bid, leaving Bombardier, Kowasaki and Siemans.  Mr. Chabot expressed pleasure that Alstom had dropped out, because, he said, there had been many reports of Alston’s poor performance osn contracts with Amtrak and MTA.  Mr. Jelley reported that he and his law firm, Wiggin and Dana, has represented Bombardier in the past on aircraft matters and that the firm continues to represent Bombardier on such matters. 

 

Mr. Boice said that the first new production cars were expected in late 2008.  Various members of the Council expressed skepticism that cars would be available that soon. 

 

LOCOMOTIVES

 

In answer to a question about the eight locomotives leased from Amtrak, Mr. Richter reported that seven were on the property and one was in Albany and would be back in the next few weeks.  He said that the State had sent out requests for proposals on six new dual-mode locomotives that could run both diesel and third rail. 

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

 

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 21 at 6:00 p.m. at Union Station in New Haven.

 

Bob Jelley

Secretary

 

 

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