Stay Informed

The NHHS rail corridor is owned by Amtrak. As owner and operator, much of the construction-related work to upgrade the rail line was overseen by Amtrak. Amtrak has a website that lists open positions. That website can be reached at the following address. https://jobs.amtrak.com/

Amtrak and CTDOT hired private contractors to construct the track bed, bridges, drainage structures, and stations.  Most of this work was awarded between 2013 and 2015.

The planned investment in the NHHS Rail Program is projected to create over 4,500 construction related jobs and over 8,000 total jobs (direct and in-direct).

Once the new CTrail Hartford Line service is launched, approximately 100 new employees will be required to operate and maintain the new expanded passenger rail service.

Amtrak owns the entire 62-mile rail line. At the south end, it connects to the Connecticut-owned New Haven line south/west to Greenwich and to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor north/east to Boston. At Springfield, the line continues north on the Connecticut River line to Vermont on track owned by the Pam Am Railway and to the east (towards Boston) and west (towards Albany) on the CSX railroad.

The Hartford Line operates 9 weekday round trips operated by Amtrak and 8 weekday round trip for CTrail trains for a total of 17 round trips between New Haven and Hartford. 12 of these 17 roundtrips trains will continue onto Springfield.

In addition, several freight railroads provide service to businesses located along the NHHS line. There are several daily freight trains operated by Connecticut Southern Railroad. Pan Am Southern also operates freight trains several times a week between Springfield, MA and Berlin, CT.

In cooperation with Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration, Connecticut is planning for a very significant increase in passenger rail service on the Hartford Line. The long-range plan calls for expanding the number of passenger trains from the current six weekday roundtrip trains to as many as 25 daily roundtrip trains. This will include a mix of Amtrak Regional trains, Amtrak NHHS shuttle trains, new Hartford Line trains, and additional Amtrak trains serving Vermont (the Vermonter and "Knowledge Corridor" trains between Springfield and White River Junction) and Massachusetts (via the Springfield-Boston Inland Route). The following chart summarizes the long-range service expansion plan:

Details regarding Hartford Line passenger rail service, including fares and schedules, is available at www.hartfordline.com.

Please visit the Hartford Line website's Trip Planner tool here to view fares based upon your itinerary.

The full fare schedule can be viewed here.

Implementing the significant increase in service requires a substantial upgrade of the existing tracks and railroad infrastructure. This initial work includes the following:

• 27 miles of additional double track at existing single track sections
• 2 miles of new passing sidings
• 5 new/expanded interlockings (so trains can change tracks)
• Signaling and control systems (including Amtrak provided Positive Train Control)
• Repair, rehabilitation and replacement of bridges and culverts as necessary
• Improvements at highway/railroad grade crossings
• High-level platforms, elevators, pedestrian overpasses, parking, and other amenities at the Wallingford, Meriden and Berlin stations
• 1 high-level platform at Hartford Union Station and State Street Station

The NHHS Rail Program consists of multiple state and federally funding components. The total project budget is currently $769 million.

Connecticut intends to seek additional funding from the Federal Railroad Administration and the Federal Transit Administration for future phases of the Program, which include the following improvements to the NHHS rail line:

• Adding the second track between Windsor and Springfield, MA
• New train equipment
• New train stations at North Haven, Newington, West Hartford and Enfield
• Long-term improvements to the Hartford Viaduct and the Connecticut River Bridge in Windsor Locks
• High-level platforms, pedestrian overpasses, parking, and other amenities at Windsor and Windsor Locks

The CTrail Hartford Line service launched on June 16, 2018 with the funding that has already been awarded.

Connecticut requested a total of $260 million from the federal government in 2009 and 2010 and was awarded $160 million of this amount. Nearly all states awarded funding under the HSR program received less than requested. Connecticut will seek additional funding from the FRA and FTA in the future to support the full Program.

Because Connecticut received less funding than requested, it was necessary to phase both the double-tracking and other infrastructure and station improvements planned for the NHHS corridor and the implementation of the Hartford Line. The initial 2018 phase of service under this plan included sufficient double-tracking and infrastructure upgrades from New Haven to Hartford to permit 17 daily round trip trains, with 12 round trip trains continuing to Springfield, MA. With additional federal funding, the remainder of the infrastructure improvements will be constructed. This will enable the NHHS rail line to handle all Amtrak and regional rail service planned through 2030.

Upgrades to the infrastructure were phased to match the federal and state funding available for the work. The engineering design work related to the double-tracking, signal, crossing and station upgrades has been completed. Construction was coordinated with Amtrak, the owner of the rail line. Amtrak internal and vendor forces will perform the track work and is estimated to be completed by late summer 2018.

The CTrail Hartford Line launched service on June 16, 2018.

Under federal law, trains are required to sound their horns before and while passing through an at-grade crossing (two long whistles, a short and a final long). Increasing the number of trains generally means increasing the number of whistles.

In a Quiet Zone, the engineer is no longer required to sound the train horn. Under federal law, municipalities can seek Quiet Zone designation for crossings with such "supplemental safety devices." The process for securing the Quiet Zone designation includes a locally funded, detailed analysis of the risk of accidents at the crossing and the ability of the supplemental safety devices to prevent those accidents.

The NHHS corridor includes 38 public at-grade crossings. The safety systems at each of the crossings within the funded portion of the Program were evaluated and upgraded as needed. A number of crossings were upgraded either with four quadrant gates or with two quadrant gates and a median barrier. Both approaches are intended to prevent motorists from attempting to bypass the gates as a train approaches the crossing.

The impact of increased noise from train horns was analyzed as part of the federally required National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental assessment.  This assessment identified several locations near grade-crossings deemed to be a sensitive noise receptor. To mitigate the effect of increased train horns at these sensitive receptors, the Program is implementing wayside horns at certain grade-crossings.  Wayside horns replace the locomotive train horn.  By directing the audible warning at the crossing roadways, wayside horns reduce noise levels along the rail corridor and therefore reduce noise in the vicinity of these sensitive receptors.  For more information on Wayside Horns visit the Glossary of Terms section of the website.

With double tracking, new platforms have been constructed on both sides of the tracks at each station, except for Hartford Union Station. These are being built at the same height as the floors of the trains, to provide level boarding, and be connected by a pedestrian bridge over the tracks, complete with stairs and an elevator for easy access.

Other station enhancements include:

• Additional parking
• Ticket Vending Machines
• Safety and security upgrades
• Real time passenger information display systems

One of the primary objectives of the Program is to serve as a catalyst for new transit-oriented development around the stations. While this effort must be led by the individual municipalities, CTDOT intends to proactively assist in leveraging the investment in railroad infrastructure to gain the maximum local development impact.

Upgrading the rail line provides an increase in speeds and reduction in travel time between NHHS stations and farther destinations on the Northeast Corridor or North of Springfield. The following table provides estimated travel time improvements:

Increased passenger rail service on the NHHS corridor will provide increased transportation options, economic development and environmental benefits. Most importantly, it will provide travelers with a fast, safe and reliable public transportation alternative to the congestion that impacts our roads during rush hour each day and to the steadily increasing price of gasoline.

The NHHS Program will provide the following long-term benefits:

Transportation

• Ridership: 1.26 million new annual trips by 2030
• Service to both Grand Central Terminal and to Penn Station New York
• Direct bus connection from the NHHS to Bradley International Airport
• Car trips diverted to rail: 1.15 million by 2030
• Connection to the CTfastrak corridor
• Connections to regional train service in New Haven to Metro-North, Shore Line East and Amtrak.

Jobs

• The planned investment in the NHHS Rail Program is projected to create over 4,500 construction related jobs and over 8,000 total jobs (direct and in-direct).

Environment

• Over 3.5 million gallons/year of fuel saved (over 100 million fewer vehicle miles at estimated 31MPG by 2030)
• Over 25,000 metric tons less carbon/year

Catalyst for Transit-Orient Development (TOD) at Stations

Details and NHHS Rail Program updates can be found on this website, where you can also sign up for Program emails and notices. 

To learn more about the Hartford Line rail service, please visit www.hartfordline.com.

Just like Connecticut-supported intercity and commuter rail service on the New Haven line and Shore Line East service, state operating assistance was required to support new CTrail Hartford Line rail service.

You can take the Bradley Airport Express (BAA), a semi-express bus service providing direct service to Bradley International Airport from the Connecticut Convention Center and Union Station in Hartford. The trips operate approximately hourly between downtown Hartford and all the terminals in the airport, seven days a week.  In the future, as part of the new service, there are plans to add a shuttle service from the Windsor Locks Station to Bradley Airport, which is only four miles from the airport. 

For more information about the Bradley Airport Express, please click here.

The integrated plan proposed for this corridor affords Connecticut residents the benefits of increased train service even if that service originates in Vermont, Montreal, or Boston. With full implementation of the service plan, a passenger traveling from Meriden to New Haven may board a train that originated in St. Albans, Vermont or Montreal, Canada.

Changes in Federal law require that states fund a portion of the operating costs and maintenance costs associated with Amtrak short-distance intercity passenger rail service not operating on the Northeast Corridor. Therefore, Vermont and Massachusetts are contributing to the increased service in the same manner that Connecticut does.

Conceptual design has progressed on the new Hartford Line stations in North Haven, Newington, West Hartford and Enfield and on the two existing stations in Windsor and Windsor Locks. It is estimated to be completed in 2020 and the CTDOT continues to seek opportunities to secure Federal funds for construction of these stations.

The State of Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) has selected the Joint Venture of TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts to be the service provider for the CTrail Hartford Line passenger rail service. The Joint Venture of TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts are undertaking the operation, maintenance, and management of the CTrail Hartford Line service in a 50-50 partnership. In their combined operations, TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts serve approximately 57 million riders and provide 318,000 train trips annually across the United States.

CTDOT issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), which required potential service providers to demonstrate their technical qualifications to operate the service. Responses to the RFQ were received in spring 2015, and qualified firms were short-listed in summer 2015. In spring 2016, short-listed firms were invited to respond to a Request for Proposals (RFP).  In their responses to the RFP, firms were required to provide a more in-depth description of their qualifications and to detail specifically how they would staff, operate, and maintain the CTrail Hartford Line passenger rail service, as well as provide the cost to provide these services. CTDOT evaluated the Proposals and scored them.  Once the Proposals were scored and ranked, negotiation of an agreement with the top scoring Proposer began in early 2017 and was finalized in summer 2017.

As the CTrail Hartford Line service provider, the Joint Venture of TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts will be responsible for operating trains, maintaining stations and station parking facilities, and performing various customer service functions. CTDOT will provide the rolling stock (i.e., train locomotives and coaches) that the Joint Venture of TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts will operate. Amtrak, as owner of the rail right-of-way, remains responsible for maintenance of the railroad infrastructure, including track and signals, train dispatching, and right-of-way security.

It is much more cost efficient for CTDOT to contract with an experienced service provider than to create an internal infrastructure and hire employees to manage the daily operations of CTrail Hartford Line service and station and parking facilities.

Yes, positions will include conductors, engineers, customer service agents, and transportation supervisors. Employment opportunities will be posted on htsi.com.

Amtrak’s existing service will not be altered by the new CTrail Hartford Line service. The addition of CTrail trains will supplement existing and planned Amtrak service, with Amtrak trains continuing to operate along the new Hartford Line corridor.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) conducted an Alternatives Analysis (AA) for the future of the aging Hartford rail viaduct. The viaduct is an elevated structure adjacent to Hartford's historic Union Station that currently carries both freight and Amtrak intercity passenger trains.

This AA developed and evaluated options to maintain, reconstruct, or relocate the rail corridor in this area (track and station), and will help guide the decision-making process toward selection of a locally preferred alternative.

The AA was completed in collaboration with the I-84 Hartford Project, a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored CTDOT project to address structural and operational deficiencies within the I-84 corridor approximately between Flatbush Avenue and the I-91 interchange in Hartford. Options being considered for that planning effort include replacing or reconfiguring the highway and its interchanges within the corridor.

It is critical that the development and evaluation of rail corridor alternatives be conducted in coordination with the analysis of highway alternatives, and vice versa, as the two facilities cross each other twice, and each has the ability to impact the other.

In 2013, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded a grant to the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) to evaluate the benefits, costs, timing, and impacts of relocation or reconstruction of the rail corridor through Hartford.

Amtrak is the owner of the rail line and routinely inspects the condition of the line. These inspections confirm that the structure is safe for existing passenger and freight train use. However, the rail viaduct requires constant and expensive maintenance and the associated cost of maintenance will continue to increase, particularly with planned growth in rail traffic across the viaduct. Therefore, viaduct replacement alternatives were considered in this study.

Options for relocating the rail viaduct would require a new location for rail platforms and associated passenger amenities. However, since any alternative rail alignments will still be within the same general corridor that also includes I-84, it is anticipated that a relocated station would be about a five minute walk from the current location.

Recognizing the importance of the train station as a multimodal hub, CTfastrak will continue to serve the station, regardless of where it is located. Specific CTfastrak connections to the train station will continue to be evaluated in the future phases of the I-84 Project.

All of the rail options - whether maintenance, reconstruction, or relocation - require coordination with the I-84 Hartford project. Based on this assessment, none of the rail reconstruction or relocation options can be constructed in such a way to be fully completed and "out of the way" of the highway project without causing significant impacts to the highway as well as the local street network during the course of construction.

Based on the results of this evaluation, the focus moving forward will be on options that relocate the rail alignment north of I-84, which are being evaluated in further detail by the I-84 Hartford Project. 

To view the October 2015 Hartford Rail Alternatives Analysis Summary Report please click here.

The findings and conclusions of this study established the case for focusing on a smaller set of options that relocate the rail alignment north of I-84.  This subset of rail options will be more fully detailed as part of an integrated approach that also includes highway options being considered as part of the I-84 Hartford Project.

To view the October 2015 Hartford Rail Alternatives Analysis Summary Report please click here.