NEW CANAAN, Conn. – The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT) will begin track work on the Metro-North Railroad New Canaan Branch May 30. The electrified 8-mile single-track branch carries 41 trains each weekday. Service includes several New Canaan-Grand Central Terminal through trains; others include New Canaan-Stamford shuttles, connecting with New Haven Line trains. CDOT owns the line, which is operated by Metro-North with Kawasaki M8 electric M.U. cars.
Substitute bus service will replace all train service from May 30 into August. Express and local buses will be available at select New Canaan Line stations during peak morning and evening hours. The Metro-North construction program includes replacement of approximately 8,000 ties with a Pandrol fastening system, 1,600 feet of rail, insulated rail joints, and bridge timbers over the Noroton River Bridge. The program also includes the remediation of mud spots at several locations, reinstatement of drainage along portions of the branch, reinstallation of new rail anchors, and surfacing the entire line.
When finished, an existing speed restriction in the Stamford area will be eliminated, allowing trains to travel 20 mph faster through this section. Work to lift the speed restriction includes the replacement of 830 ties, 1,200 feet of rail and bridge timbers over the Canal Street Bridge, Elm Street Bridge, and East Main Street Bridge, surfacing the entire stretch, and maintenance of the switch by Elm Street.
“We understand this work will pose an inconvenience, and we worked hard with Metro-North to provide express and local bus service to ensure passengers can reach their destination. We appreciate our customers understanding the importance of this work and remaining patient as the final phase of this project is completed over the summer,” Connecticut Department of Transportation Public Transportation Bureau Chief Ben Limmer said in a statement.
This is going to be a real mess. New Canaan line users are almost all commuters to New York. They will not endure a slow bus service to get them to Stamford. The parking lots at Darien and Noroton Heights (on the mail line), which are already very busy, are going to fill quickly and cause a lot of frustration.