WATERBURY, Conn. — Train service on Metro-North’s Waterbury Branch, halted since the line suffered significant damage from flooding in August, will resume on Monday, Oct. 28, the Connecticut Department of Transportation has announced.
Major washouts near Beacon Falls and Seymour, Conn., after a major storm Aug. 18 have prevented any train operations. During an examination of the damage a few days later, officials said it would take millions of dollars to repair the damage, with Connecticut DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto saying operations might not be back to normal until early 2025 [see “Metro-North’s Waterbury Branch could remain closed ….,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 22, 2024].
Crews from CTDOT, Metro-North, and O&G Industries have been working on repairs since. The repairs near Seymour required constructions of temporary access roads to reach the damage; nearly 7,000 tons of material has been needed to fill a washout approximately 85 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 22 feet deep.
“The damage sustained along the Waterbury Branch Line was devastating and access to these areas was incredibly difficult,” Eucalitto said in a press release announcing the reopening plans. “It’s remarkable what crews and contractors have been able to accomplish in two months to get trains running again ahead of our initial timeline.”
Bus service will continue in place of trains until service resumes Oct. 28 with a 4:45 a.m. train from Waterbury and a 7 a.m. train from Bridgeport, Conn. In the meantime, test trains will begin operating on the route to test and inspect the tracks and grade crossings.
