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Waterbury Branch

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Waterbury Branch
A Waterbury Branch train near Naugatuck in 2012
Overview
StatusOperating
OwnerNaugatuck Railroad (1849–1887)
NYNH&H (1887–1969)
Penn Central (1969–1971)
ConnDOT (1971–present)
LocaleNaugatuck River Valley of Connecticut, USA
Termini
Stations6
Service
TypeCommuter rail
SystemMetro-North Railroad
Operator(s)Penn Central (1969–1976)
Conrail (1976–1983)
Metro-North Railroad (1983–present)
Rolling stockGE Genesis P32AC-DM
Brookville BL20GH
EMD GP40-3H
Shoreliner coaches
History
Opened1849
Technical
Line length28.5 mi (45.87 km)
Number of tracks1
CharacterSingle track, diesel motive power
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationNone
Route map
Map
Legend
Torrington Secondary
to Torrington
87.5 mi
140.8 km
 Waterbury
Waterbury Yard
82.5 mi
132.8 km
 Naugatuck
78.5 mi
126.3 km
 Beacon Falls
Naugatuck River
75.0 mi
120.7 km
 Seymour
71.1 mi
114.4 km
 Ansonia
Naugatuck River
69.5 mi
111.8 km
 Derby–Shelton
Housatonic Railroad
Naugatuck River
Zone 51
Zone 20
New Haven to New Haven
Devon Transfer (closed)
Housatonic River
Railroad Bridge
59.0 mi
95 km
 Stratford
Zone 20
Zone 19
55.4 mi
89.2 km
 Bridgeport
Amtrak
New Haven to Grand Central
Distances shown from Grand Central Terminal
This diagram:

The Waterbury Branch is a branch of the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line, running north from a junction in the Devon section of Milford to Waterbury, Connecticut. Originally built as the Naugatuck Railroad, it once continued north to Winsted. The part north of Waterbury is now leased from CTDOT by the Railroad Museum of New England, which operates excursion trains from Thomaston station through their operating subsidiary Naugatuck Railroad (reporting mark NAUG); this name was chosen in homage of the original railroad. The trackage ends in Torrington, but Metro-North service on the branch ends at Waterbury. There are conceptual plans to extend service from its current terminus in Waterbury to Hartford via Bristol and New Britain. Currently, riders that want to continue to New Britain and Hartford have to transfer to an express bus operated by CTtransit at Waterbury. All trains on this branch operate as shuttles between Waterbury and Bridgeport.

All platforms currently consist of low-level platforms with the exception of the terminal stations at Bridgeport and Waterbury. A new station consisting of a high-level platform at Derby-Shelton is currently awaiting construction, while new station plans at Ansonia, Seymour, Beacon Falls, and Naugatuck are currently awaiting designs and funding.

For most of its route, the branch runs parallel to the Naugatuck River, viewable on the right side northbound and the left side southbound.

History

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In 1906, work on double-tracking the branch between Seymour and Waterbury was underway.[1] It was completed in 1907.[2]

In September 2015, it was announced that out of governor Dannel Malloy's 30-year-$100 billion transportation plan, $350 million has been included to improve service along the branch.[3] The upgrades were to include a new signal system with multiple passing sidings to increase service – as it was the last remaining dark territory of the Metro-North system – along with newer equipment and station rehabilitation.[4] Signalization enabled multiple trains to safely operate on the branch at a time, while allowing for increased capacity and overall safer train operation. New passing sidings were constructed at Derby and Beacon Falls, while existing sidings at Devon and Waterbury were upgraded, allowing trains to pass each other in single-track territory and thereby increase service frequency.[5]

Centralized Traffic Control was activated on November 7, 2021.[5] Taking advantage of the newly constructed signal system, an increase in service frequency from 15 to 22 trains per day (12 southbound, 10 northbound) was implemented on July 10, 2022 with super express connecting trains from Bridgeport, saving commuters up to 60 minutes on their round-trip commute time.[6]

As of 2022, the Connecticut Department of Transportation was studying the feasibility of installing catenary wire on the Waterbury Branch.[7]

Major damage from catastrophic flooding washed out the line in several locations on August 18, 2024. All service was suspended in favor of replacement bus service while repairs took place.[8] Service was restored on October 28, 2024.[9]

Stations

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The following connecting services are available to Amtrak,[10] Metro-North Railroad,[11] Shore Line East,[12] CT Transit,[13] and Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority.[14]

Zone Location Station Miles (km)
from GCT 		Date
opened 		Date
closed 		Connections / notes
19 Bridgeport Bridgeport Disabled access 55.4 (89.2) 1840[15] Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
CT Rail: Shore Line East (limited service)
Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Vermonter
Greater Bridgeport Transit: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 17, 19X, 22X, 23, Coastal Link[14]
Greyhound Lines, Peter Pan Bus Lines
Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry
Sacred Heart University Transit Shuttle, University of Bridgeport Shuttle
20 Stratford Stratford 59.0 (95.0) Metro-North Railroad: New Haven Line
CT Rail: Shore Line East (limited service)
Greater Bridgeport Transit: 1, 10, 16, 23, Coastal Link[14]
51 Derby Derby–Shelton 69.5 (111.8) 1849 Greater Bridgeport Transit: 15, 23
CTtransit New Haven: 255
Ansonia Ansonia 71.1 (114.4) 1849 CTtransit New Haven: 255
Seymour Seymour 75.0 (120.7) 1849 CTtransit New Haven: 255
Beacon Falls Beacon Falls 78.5 (126.3) 1849
Naugatuck Naugatuck 82.5 (132.8) 1849 CTtransit Waterbury: N1, N2, T74
Waterbury Waterbury Disabled access 87.5 (140.8) 1849 CTfastrak: 925, 928

Rolling stock

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Waterbury Branch train with depowered SPV-2000 coaches at Waterbury in 2003

The Waterbury Branch uses Brookville BL20GH, GE Genesis P32AC-DM, and EMD GP40-3H locomotives and Shoreliner passenger coaches. Prior to the arrival of push-pull coaches, the branch used self-propelled Budd RDC and SPV-2000 railcars, the latter of which were later converted to coaches. A typical shuttle consists of three cars.

In August 2023, CTDOT approved a contract with Alstom for 60 single-level passenger cars. The cars will replace the existing Shoreliner coach fleet on the Waterbury Branch and the Danbury Branch, as well as Mafersa coaches on the Hartford Line. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2026.[16][17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Thirty-Fifth Year General Statement On The Affairs Of The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company For The Year Ending June 30, 1906. New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad Company. 1906. p. 5.
  2. ^ "Annual Report of N.Y., N.H. & H." Hartford Courant. October 3, 1907. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Waterbury Branch Commuters Using Metro-North to Hear Details On Connecticut". Fox Business. Associated Press. September 2, 2015.
  4. ^ "Metro-North Waterbury branch rail line improvements underway". Shelton Herald. May 10, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Hartley, Scott A. (November 8, 2021). "Metro-North activates CTC on Waterbury Branch, completing system". Trains.com. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  6. ^ "NEW YORK - WATERBURY: WEEKDAY SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE: July 10, 2022" (PDF).
  7. ^ Brone, Abigail (May 24, 2022). "CT's Shore Line East shifts to all-electric trains; 'It's faster, it's a lot more comfortable'". CT Insider. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  8. ^ Trains Staff (August 22, 2024). "Metro-North's Waterbury Branch could remain closed for five weeks". Trains. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  9. ^ "ICYMI: Train Service on the Metro-North Waterbury Branch Line Resumes Monday, October 28". MTA. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  10. ^ "AMTRAK® SYSTEM TIMETABLE" (PDF). June 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2018.
  11. ^ "NEW YORK–NEW HAVEN" (PDF).
  12. ^ "Shore Line East Timetable - Effective October 7, 2024" (PDF).
  13. ^ "CT Transit Stamford System Map" (PDF). CT transit. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  14. ^ a b c "System Map - Mapa de sistema". GBT. November 5, 2017. Archived from the original on February 10, 2019. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  15. ^ "Bridgeport, CT (BRP)". Great American Stations. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
  16. ^ "Alstom to supply 60 single-level coach cars to the Connecticut Department of Transportation for its statewide rail system" (Press release). Alstom. August 9, 2023.
  17. ^ "Governor Lamont Announces Purchase of 60 New Rail Cars to Modernize Commuter Rail Lines" (Press release). Connecticut Department of Transportation. August 9, 2023.
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