Connecticut Governor Rell Explores Rail Service to New York's Penn Station

Directs DOT To Review “Every Available Option” For Expanding Service

June 13, 2007 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell, in an effort to promote a better regional approach to rail service today directed the Department of Transportation (DOT) to complete a full review of “every available option and potential obstacle” for service for the thousands of Connecticut commuters who travel every day into New York City to locations near Penn Station.

“Expanding rail service – and particularly service to Penn Station – has been one of my top transportation goals over the past three years,” Governor Rell said. “Service to Penn Station opens for Connecticut commuters an entirely new region of the New York Metro area with service to lower Manhattan and through to New Jersey. Whether we are expanding north to Massachusetts, east into Rhode Island or further west into New York, developing regional transit linkages is the way of our rail future.”

At the Governor’s direction, discussions between the DOT and Metro-North about Penn Station service options have been ongoing for nearly a year. Metro-North recently announced it will initiate pilot service to Giants Stadium in New Jersey and to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx in 2009. Options for “reverse commuters” from the Bronx into Connecticut using Penn Station service are also being explored.

Governor Rell requested that the new study identifying Penn Station opportunities and obstacles be completed by August 1st.

Metro-North’s New Haven Line is among the busiest commuter rail lines in the country, providing 35 million passenger trips each year. Approximately 30 percent of Connecticut’s commuters travel to Penn Station each day.

“Connecticut commuters have waited patiently for years for expanded service,” Governor Rell said. “We have moved aggressively over the past three years to create a commuter rail system of which we can all be proud. The New Haven Line is the lifeblood of our southwest Connecticut economy. Service to Penn Station will be a huge boost with new trains, ample seats and new service to Manhattan and the financial district.”

The Governor also asked DOT to study the feasibility of purchasing double-decker rail cars to be used for service from Connecticut stations into Penn Station. One option, she said, would be “piggy-backing” onto an existing order by the State of New Jersey. Each of those cars would seat up to 140 passengers.

Connecticut has already embarked on an ambitious equipment and capital improvement program that includes the order of 300 new M-8 rail cars to replace the 240 M-2 rail car New Haven Line fleet, the refurbishment of 33 rails cars purchased from the State of Virginia for service on Shore Line East, new rail stations in West Haven and Orange, new and expanding parking at Bridgeport and other Metro-North Line stations, and new and expanded weekday and weekend service on Shore Line East.

Currently, New Haven Line commuters needing to get to Penn Station must take the train to Grand Central Terminal and then take a subway shuttle to Penn Station.

Source: Connecticut Governor

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