Branford (Shore Line East station)

Branford

Branford station in December 2015, with the second platform and pedestrian bridge near completion
Location 39 Maple Street
Branford, Connecticut
Coordinates 41°16′29″N 72°49′02″W / 41.2746°N 72.8173°W / 41.2746; -72.8173Coordinates: 41°16′29″N 72°49′02″W / 41.2746°N 72.8173°W / 41.2746; -72.8173
Owned by CDOT
Line(s)
  Shore Line East
Platforms 1 side platform (second platform under construction)
Tracks 2
Construction
Disabled access Yes
History
Rebuilt August 8, 2005
2016 (planned)
Electrified 25,000V (AC) overhead catenary
Services
Preceding station   ConnDOT   Following station
toward Stamford
Shore Line East
toward New London

Branford is a station along the Shore Line East commuter railroad between Stamford and New London, Connecticut. Branford is also a station on the northern section Northeast Corridor. Amtrak does not stop at this station but Amtrak trains pass through it.

History

Branford station around 1910
The 2005-built single platform at Branford in 2013, prior to the addition of the pedestrian bridge and second platform

Prior to the establishment of the Shore Line East system, Branford was a stop for Amtrak's Beacon Hill trains.[1] The current station, with an ADA-compliant high-level side platform, opened on August 8, 2005, replacing a nearby earlier station with low-level platforms.[2]

Ridership increases rendered the 199-spot parking lot at Branford insufficient. As a result, a 272-spot expansion was opened in June 2011, bringing total available parking at the station to 471 spots.[3]

A second platform on the north side of the tracks was originally to be constructed beginning in November 2012.[4] Construction on the $16.5M project - which includes the new platform, a pedestrian overpass with elevators, a drop-off lot on the north side of the tracks, and restoration of an existing parking lot - began in September 2013.[5] Major construction took place in 2014 with the intention to open the new platform by August 2015.[6] However, delays were suffered from Amtrak taking 70 days to allow ConnDOT crews to enter the property, and for 300 days for the redesign of retaining walls and the completion of maintenance closets.[7] By September 2015, the new platform and pedestrian bridge were scheduled to open on December 18, 2015, but this was delayed into 2016 due to the previous harsh winter and components for a train warning system being unavailable.[8] By late May 2016, the station was expected to open in mid to late June.[9] The north-side drop-off area and pedestrian bridge were opened on September 30, 2016, although trains did not immediately use the north platform.[10] Service using the north platform - including stops on some trains that formerly bypassed Branford - began on November 5, 2016.[11]

Other train stations in Branford

Downtown Branford was not the only part of Branford with a train station. Stations were located at Pine Orchard (off Pine Orchard Road) and Stony Creek (off Totoket Road near Branford Center). Both stops served the Clamdigger until it was discontinued in 1972.[12] Stony Creek was also a stop on a later reincarnation of the Clamdigger, which ran for three months in 1978 before it was replaced by the Beacon Hill.[13][1]

References

  1. 1 2 National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) (30 April 1978). "National Train Timetables". The Museum of Railway Timetables. p. 18. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  2. ↑ "What's New". Connecticut Department of Transportation. 8 August 2005. Archived from the original on 17 August 2005.
  3. ↑ Hunter, Felicia. "Commuters See a Lot to Like at Branford Train Station". Branford Patch. Patch. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  4. ↑ Mazzacane, Steven M. (31 July 2012). "New North Side Platform and Overpass for Branford Train Station". The Branford Seven. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  5. ↑ Mazzacane, Stephen M. (9 September 2013). "Work Begins on Branford Train Station Improvements". Branford Seven. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  6. ↑ Quaye, Mercy A. (30 September 2014). "Branford train station makeover on Maple Street right on schedule". New Haven Register. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  7. ↑ Norton, Sam (September 17, 2016). "Branford commuters won't pay to park at train station, officials say no active plans to charge". New Haven Register. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  8. ↑ Ortiz, Juliemar (10 September 2015). "DOT confirms delayed finish of Branford train station, aims for December". New Haven Register. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  9. ↑ Bahner, Sally E. (25 May 2016). "Train Station Grand Opening: Getting Closer". New Haven Independent. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  10. ↑ Bahner, Sally E. (September 30, 2016). "Soft Opening Today for Two-Way Branford Train Station". New Haven Independent. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Gov. Malloy Announces New Platform Opening at Branford Station on Shore Line East" (Press release). Office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy. October 28, 2016.
  12. ↑ National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) (1 May 1971). "Nationwide Schedules of Intercity Passenger Service". The Museum of Railway Timetables. p. 6. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  13. ↑ National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) (8 January 1978). "National Train Timetables". The Museum of Railway Timetables. p. 9. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
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