Branford station explained

Branford
Style:Metro-North Railroad
Style2:New Haven Connecticut
Address:39 Maple Street
Borough:Branford, Connecticut
Coordinates:41.2746°N -72.8173°W
Line:Amtrak Northeast Corridor
Platform:2 side platforms
Tracks:2
Passengers:113 daily boardings
Pass Year:2019
Opened:May 29, 1990[1]
Rebuilt:August 8, 2005
November 5, 2016
Accessible:yes
Owned:ConnDOT
Other Services Header:Former services
Other Services Collapsible:yes
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Custom:
Shape:none
Line:none
Marker:rail
Zoom:14

Branford station is a station on the Northeast Corridor located in Branford, Connecticut, and served by Shore Line East regional rail service.

History

Prior to the establishment of the Shore Line East system on May 29, 1990, Branford was a stop for Amtrak's Beacon Hill trains. The current station, with an accessible-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] However, the expanded lot has consistently failed to be fully used, leading to calls for it to be replaced by transit oriented development and a smaller parking deck.[4]

A second platform on the north side of the tracks was originally to be constructed beginning in November 2012.[5] 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.[6] Major construction took place in 2014 with the intention to open the new platform by August 2015.[7] 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.[8]

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.[9] By late May 2016, the station was expected to open in mid to late June.[10] The north-side drop-off area and pedestrian bridge were opened on September 30, 2016, although trains did not immediately use the north platform.[11] Service using the north platform–including stops on some trains that formerly bypassed Branford–began on November 5, 2016.[12]

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 Totoket Road) and Stony Creek (off Thimble Island Road) in Stony Creek. Both stops served the Clamdigger until it was discontinued on January 28, 1972.[13] 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.[14] [15]

Station layout

Branford has two high-level side platforms, each two cars long. Before 10:00am, westbound trains use Track 2 and eastbound trains use Track 1. After 10:00am, westbound trains use Track 1 and eastbound use Track 2. On weekends, this swap occurs around 1:00pm.[16]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Commuter Trains Have Smooth Start . July 13, 2021 . . May 30, 1990 . D9. Newspapers.com.
  2. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20050817032218/http://shorelineeast.com/whatsnew.htm . What's New . August 17, 2005 . August 8, 2005 . Connecticut Department of Transportation.
  3. Web site: Hunter. Felicia. Commuters See a Lot to Like at Branford Train Station. Branford Patch. July 13, 2011 . Patch. April 3, 2013.
  4. News: Unique Solution Discussed To Address Future Development Near Branford Train Station . Branford Patch . October 24, 2017 . Jack . Kramer . November 8, 2017.
  5. News: New North Side Platform and Overpass for Branford Train Station . The Branford Seven . July 31, 2012 . May 13, 2013 . Mazzacane, Steven M. . https://web.archive.org/web/20191213232658/http://www.branfordseven.com/article_0c29eb22-db3f-11e1-b622-001a4bcf6878.html . December 13, 2019 . dead .
  6. News: Work Begins on Branford Train Station Improvements . Branford Seven . September 9, 2013 . Mazzacane, Stephen M. . September 18, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191215101559/http://www.branfordseven.com/business/article_af83856e-196c-11e3-b5b7-001a4bcf6878.html . December 15, 2019 . dead .
  7. News: Branford train station makeover on Maple Street right on schedule . New Haven Register . September 30, 2014 . Quaye . Mercy A. . September 11, 2015.
  8. News: Branford commuters won't pay to park at train station, officials say no active plans to charge . New Haven Register . September 17, 2016 . Sam . Norton . September 30, 2016.
  9. News: DOT confirms delayed finish of Branford train station, aims for December . New Haven Register . Ortiz . Juliemar . September 10, 2015 . September 11, 2015.
  10. News: Train Station Grand Opening: Getting Closer . May 25, 2016 . New Haven Independent . Sally E. . Bahner . July 12, 2016.
  11. News: Soft Opening Today for Two-Way Branford Train Station . New Haven Independent . September 30, 2016 . Sally E. . Bahner . September 30, 2016.
  12. Gov. Malloy Announces New Platform Opening at Branford Station on Shore Line East . Office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy . October 28, 2016.
  13. Web site: Nationwide Schedules of Intercity Passenger Service . May 1, 1971 . National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) . October 11, 2012 . 6 . The Museum of Railway Timetables.
  14. Web site: National Train Timetables . January 8, 1978 . National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) . October 11, 2012 . 9 . The Museum of Railway Timetables.
  15. Web site: National Train Timetables . April 30, 1978 . National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) . October 11, 2012 . 18 . The Museum of Railway Timetables.
  16. Web site: Archived copy . March 20, 2018 . March 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180320044126/http://www.shorelineeast.com/images/docs/SLE-Timetable.pdf#view=FitH . dead .