The wishes of New Canaan rail commuters have been answered! Effective Monday April 20^th, a new, earlier train will whisk them to Grand Central with no change of trains in Stamford. The new train #1707 will depart New Canaan each weekday morning at 5:38 am and will arrive at Grand Central at 6:44 am. The one hour, six minute service compares to the previous early train (#1709) which left New Canaan at 5:58 am and after a switch of trains in Stamford delivered riders to GCT at 7:10 am, a point-to-point duration of one hour twelve minutes. That 5:58 am train #1709 is being replaced by the earlier, direct service.

The new, early train will make all station stops on the New Canaan branch line serving the communities of New Canaan, Darien and Stamford, as well as stops in Greenwich, Port Chester, Rye and 125^th St., according to the following timetable:

"Metro-North should be commended for answering riders' calls for earlier service," says CT Rail Commuter Council Chairman Rodney Chabot, a New Canaan resident. The Rail Commuter Council has fought for this train for over two years since New Canaan resident Ned Brooks presented 400+ petition signatures from riders.

• 30 -