Community Corner
Malloy Warns of 'Extremely Challenging' Commute This Week
Metro-North service changes and busing plans can be found at the end of this post.
Scroll down for Metro-North service changes and busing plans.
Gov. Dannel Malloy warned of an "extremely challenging" Monday morning commute in store for both rail commuters and those who drive on I-95 in the aftermath of Friday's train derailment and collision.
He added that commuters should prepare for a "week's worth of disruptions" on the Metro-North New Haven Line as railroad officials work to repair the tracks, catenary and signal systems.
Malloy and Department of Transportation Commissioner Jim Redeker asked that residents find alternatives to both I-95 and the shuttle service put in place starting Monday by DOT and Metro-North.
"Thirty thousand daily commuters are disrupted" by the limited New Haven Line service, Malloy said.
If each of those commuters drove on I-95 at rush hour Monday, "we would literally have a parking lot," Malloy said.
Plus the shuttle service offered by Metro-North would mean about 150 buses added to the highway congestion.
"If you can work from home, that would be great," Malloy said. "If you're going to New York City you may decide to stay there for the duration of this disruption."
If you do choose to drive yourself, Malloy said, "consider carpooling. We really need you to do this."
Redeker added that parking at stations that do offer train service -- like Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, and Darien -- is already limited.
The state's emergency operations center will be partially activated come Monday morning. State and local police -- and tow resources -- will be mobilized to respond to highway accidents more quickly, Malloy said.
The morning commute is forecast to be slick and wet, he added.
Officials will have a "more solid estimate" Monday on how long it will take for full service to resume on the New Haven Line, Malloy said.
Metro-North began repairs late Saturday, according to Metro-North Railroad President Howard Permut.
Railroad personnel have started repair work on the tracks and the overhead catenary system, Permut said. Once that work is complete, they can fix the signal system and conduct testing before restoring service.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues its investigation of the accident scene and train cars, which have been moved to a rail yard in Bridgeport.
NTSB member Earl Weener said in a press conference Sunday that investigators have preliminarily determined both trains were traveling at about 70 mph just prior to the collision.
The agency's human performance team has started interviewing crew members, Weener said.
Other team members have met with MTA officials and the train car manufacturer to review event recorders on both trains, Weener said.
The on-scene investigation will continue for several more days. Additional information on the investigation will be released from Washington DC.
Metro-North Service Changes Information
As Metro-North begins to rebuild the tracks and equipment damaged in Friday's train derailment and collision that injured more than 70 people, the railroad has made service changes that will be in effect beginning Monday, May 20 until further notice.
The service changes will likely lead to increased traffic congestion on I-95. Officials ask that commuters make arrangements to work from home if possible. If not, plan on the commute taking much longer than usual.
Approximately 30,000 Metro-North customers use the stations where service has been disrupted, according to a statement released by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. About 125,000 people use the New Haven line as a whole, and it's three branches.
Debris has been removed from the site of the collision, but significant repairs remain.
"Our crews will essentially be rebuilding 2,000 feet of damaged track, and overhead wires and signal system," Metro-North Railroad President Howard Permut said.
"This amounts to the wholesale reconstruction of a two-track electrified railroad. It will be multiple days of around-the-clock work to do that, and then to inspect, test, and requalify the newly rebuilt infrastructure."
"Unfortunately, service disruptions on this section of the New Haven Line are expected to continue well into the coming week," Permut said.
The following service changes have been made to the New Haven Line:
AM Peak to Grand Central
- A shuttle train operating approximately every 20 minutes between New Haven and Bridgeport Station.
- Between Bridgeport and Stamford Stations, two bus shuttles will operate:
- Local service between Bridgeport, Fairfield Metro, Fairfield and Westport Stations (no bus service from Greens Farms and Southport Stations)
- Limited train service from Westport Station
- Regular train service from South Norwalk Station to Grand Central Terminal.
- For the AM/PM Peak: Limited train service between Grand Central Terminal and Westport Station.
- For the Off-Peak: Regular train service between Grand Central Terminal and Westport Station.
- Loop bus service with connections between Bridgeport, Fairfield, Fairfield Metro and Westport Stations (no bus service from Green's Farms and Southport Stations).
- A train shuttle operating approximately every 20 minutes between Bridgeport and New Haven Stations.
- Regular train service from Grand Central Terminal to South Norwalk Station.
- Express bus service from South Norwalk to Bridgeport Station.
- Limited train service from Grand Central Terminal to Westport Station
- Local bus shuttle service between Westport, Fairfield, Fairfield Metro and Bridgeport Stations (no bus service from Green's Farms and Southport Stations).
- A train shuttle operating approximately every 20 minutes between Bridgeport and New Haven Stations.
- Regular train service will operate on New Canaan, Danbury and Waterbury Branches.
- Travel times will be significantly longer than normal and trains will be significantly crowded.
- Metro-North representatives will be at major New Haven Line (NHL) stations to assist customers.
- New Haven Line (NHL) customers east of South Norwalk are encouraged to seek alternative ways to get to and from work or stagger their work schedule.
- If possible, customers are advised to use the Harlem Line as an alternative. NHL rail tickets will be cross-honored.
- The Connecticut Department of Transportation will cross-honor NHL pre-paid rail tickets (as a temporary Bus/Rail uniticket) on I-95 Corridor Bus Service.
- Metro-North will cross-honor Amtrak tickets .
For train schedule information, please refer to the schedules page.
Visit the Metro-North website for periodic service updates
Listen to the radio and television news: During any emergency, this is the fastest way to find out how train service is affected. We will continuously provide information to the media.
Call our Travel Information Center by dialing 511 and saying "Metro-North". The Travel Information Center will be fully staffed, and there will also be a taped message describing our current service conditions. Please be aware that the volume of calls at the Travel Information Center will dramatically increase during an emergency, and you may experience delays getting through.
At your station, listen closely for public address announcements.
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