RIDING THE METRO NORTH WATERBURY LINE
By Jack M. Turner
After riding Metro North’s commuter lines to New
Caanan, CT and Danbury, CT in August 2010, my lone regret was being
unable to include the line to Waterbury. As I drove through
surprisingly beautiful Connecticut countryside from Hyannis, MA to
Waterbury, CT on a mid-October 2013 Saturday, satisfaction grew as I
anticipated riding the route I had previously missed.
A three car train with the locomotive in push mode
on the rear was waiting as I parked near the railroad platform.
With this being a weekend, there was no problem finding a parking space
and there was no parking charge. Departing Waterbury at 4:08pm,
the train quickly left the city behind and joined a small river for a
scenic route that featured views of several large hills to the north
and forested countryside on both sides. The late afternoon train
was surprisingly busy but there were a few vacant seats in the 3 and 2
across rows. After pausing at Naugstuck, Beacon Falls, and
Seymour, the train cut between vast warehouses and stopped at the next
stop, Ansonia.
Cab control car 6119 “Manitoga” at Waterbury
A scenic river view from the train east of Waterbury
Beyond the next stop, Derby-Shelton, falling leaves
blown down in the train’s wake made for a nice view as we passed more
forested areas. Several nice homes appeared on the left side as
we approached the suburbs of Bridgeport and at 4:56pm we joined the
Northeast Corridor. Seven minutes later we pulled into Bridgeport
using the Track 3 platform on the west side of the station. This
made for a nice place to sit on a bench and watch train after train
pass along the busy Northeast Corridor. Included were a number of
Amtrak trains that ran non-stop through Bridgeport on a center track, a
few Amtrak regional trains that stopped at Bridgeport, and numerous
Metro North trains linking New Haven and New York.
The river reappears farther east
A northbound Metro North train to New Haven seen from my train arriving in Bridgeport
Metro North engine 115 pushed the train from Waterbury to Bridgeport
A northbound Amtrak Regional seen from the west platform at Bridgeport
It is worth noting that the Bridgeport station has a
fairly large waiting room, restrooms, and a café counter in the west
side station building. The east side has only a small waiting
room with no facilities. There are a few fast food places within
walking distance, however, I decided to enjoy the parade of trains
during the layover. After about an hour on the west side
platform, I walked downstairs, through the pedestrian tunnel beneath
the tracks, and upstairs to the east side platform. The railway
action continued to be heavy though the view was a little less to my
liking than it had been on the western platform. One benefit was
the view of an arriving Long Island Sound ferry boat as the harbor was
directly behind the east platform.
A northbound Metro North train seen from the west platform at Bridgeport
A northbound Amtrak Regional seen in the evening from the east platform
A southbound Amtrak Regional seen from the east side platform
One benefit of the east side platform at Bridgeport is great views of the Long Island Sound ferry
The return train departed Bridgeport at 6:43pm and
once again was well patronized. I had observed 15 trains during
the layover, a solid number considering this was on a weekend
day. The consist for the return trip was the same one that had
brought me eastward though engine # 115 was now leading. The
train spent the layover on a siding beyond the station and pulled up
for boarding moments before departure.
With autumn darkness enveloping the train, there
were no scenic highlights to enjoy. Three or four passengers were
carried past the stop at Ansonia as the short platform necessitated
unloading from the forward vestibule. A clear announcement to
this effect was made for the prior stop at Derby/Shelton, but none was
heard as we approached Ansonia. The unfortunate passengers waited
patiently in the vestibule between the last two cars until the train
began moving before hurrying forward to no avail. Soon thereafter
the conductor made an announcement admonishing passengers to detrain
from the front vestibule at all stops except Waterbury.
Interestingly, the train did not stop and request permission to back
up, rather, the carry-bys were dropped at the next stop, Seymour.
One had to wonder how these folks would get back to Ansonia and whether
railroad management became aware of this issue. After making the
final two stops, we pulled into Waterbury at 7:37pm to conclude an
enjoyable outing on the Metro North.
The Waterbury train stop is located in close
proximity to downtown and is within walking distance of the Courtyard
Marriott hotel. I found this hotel convenient, clean, and quiet,
perfect for the purpose of taking a ride on the Metro North. With
free parking in a garage next to the hotel, scenic views on the south
side, and a number of restaurants within a close drive, this is a great
spot to stay when visiting this city. The following morning I
drove to New Haven to catch Amtrak back to Florida, an uneventful and
fairly routine journey. Avis has a rental counter inside the
beautiful New Haven station which was convenient for my
itinerary.
A view from the Courtyard Marriott in Waterbury
Another view from the Courtyard Marriott
The front of Waterbury’s Courtyard Marriott
Front of the New Haven train station
Inside the New Haven station
Ticket windows in the New Haven station
This model train is displayed in the New Haven station
A classic Solari board lists upcoming train departures at New Haven
Managing to ride the Cape Flyer from Boston to
Hyannis in the morning and a commuter train between Waterbury and
Bridgeport in late afternoon was quite an accomplishment as it required
steady driving across three states and a fairly long day.
However, everything worked like clockwork and I was pleased to cover
two interesting rail lines I had never ridden previously.
