10 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

NOTE THIS IS A LONG-TERM DISRUPTION, FROM THIS WEEK UNTIL NEXT SUMMER!   Note that the 140-series trains and the Vermonter will still run though the affected area, and some of the 400-series trains are retained beyond the work window.

 

 

Northeast Regional Springfield Shuttle: Track Work Affects Mid-Day Shuttle Service

 

Effective Monday through Friday Only, August 3, 2015 through July 2016

 

To accommodate a long-term track work project, Springfield Shuttle Trains 470, 476, 479, 490, 493 and 495 will be canceled on Monday through Friday from August 3, 2015 through July 2016. Passengers will be provided bus service to and from the following stations:

• New Haven
•  
• Wallingford
•  
• Meriden
•  
• Berlin
•  
• Hartford
•  
• Windsor
•  
• Windsor Locks
•  
• Springfield
•  

Local Southbound Buses Depart Earlier

 

Buses 2479, 2493 and 2495 destined for New Haven will depart Berlin, Meriden and Wallingford 20 minutes earlier than the respective train schedules. Contact Amtrak for bus schedules. All other buses will operate according to the respective train schedules.

 

We appreciate your patronage and apologize for any inconvenience. Reservation and train status information is available on Amtrak.com, our free mobile apps and at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

 

Thank you for traveling with Amtrak.

 

Edited by KevinKorell, 31 July 2015 - 07:58 PM.
Changed my message above the quote

[KevinKorell]

 

Amtrak Begins Substitute Bus Operation to Facilitate Construction on Hartford Line

Busing of certain weekday morning and evening New Haven to Springfield Amtrak Shuttles begins August 3, 2015

 

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is announcing that on Monday, August 3, 2015, Amtrak will begin a substitute bus operation  for certain morning and evening New Haven to Springfield Amtrak shuttles. The busing is necessary to accommodate construction of a second track as part of the New Haven – Hartford –Springfield (NHHS) Rail Program.  The start of major track construction marks a significant milestone toward the launch of enhanced Hartford Line rail service.  The addition of a second track will allow for an increase in service from the current six round trip trains per day to 17 round trips per day south of Hartford and 12 round trips per day north of Hartford.

 

The busing of Amtrak shuttles will occur Monday through Friday and last for approximately one year. The following Amtrak shuttle trains will be bused to and from New Haven Union Station and Springfield Station: 

 

• Shuttles from New Haven, Connecticut to Springfield, Massachusetts: #490 (8:40 a.m.), #470 (10:30 a.m.) and #476 (5:20 p.m.).
• Shuttles from Springfield, Massachusetts to New Haven, Connecticut: #495 (7:10 a.m.), #493 (10:30 a.m.) and #479 (7:25 p.m.).
  Buses will depart from Lyman Street.

 

Buses destined for New Haven will depart Berlin, Meriden and Wallingford 20 minutes earlier than the respective train schedules.  Otherwise, there will be no change in schedule, stops or connections.   Amtrak passengers will board the bus at their respective stations and proper busing signage will be placed on buses and Hartford Line Stations.  Additional Amtrak station service personnel will be on site in New Haven and Springfield to answer questions, as well as to direct passengers to their appropriate bus during this transition.  In addition, announcements will be made on Amtrak trains traveling north from New York City to Hartford Line stations. 

 

​For more information on this busing operation, contact Amtrak Customer Service at 1-800-872-7245 or visit www.amtrak.com.

Read the complete CTDOT press release here: http://www.ct.gov/do...A=1373&Q=569004.

 

[KevinKorell]

Although the alert in the parent post says Monday thru Friday, I just had a potential trip I had reserved for a Saturday (August 29) switched to buses, and when I looked everything except the Vermonter that day was buses as well. Needless to say that's been cancelled now.   But an update from Amtrak may be in order since the bustitutions are obviously on weekend days as well.

 

Also what I said upfront is no longer true:  Some 14X-series trains that normally run up to  or from Springfield are originating or terminating at New Haven with substitute bus the rest of the way.

[KevinKorell]

And here now is another update covering the weekends.   On selected weekend dates, NOTHING will run along this corridor, not even the Vermonter.  57 will turn as 54 at New Haven, 57 will turn as 54 in Springfield, and a bus bridge will run between them.  All 400-series Shuttles as well as all 140-series Northeast Regionals, as well as the Friday-only 136 and Sunday-only 157, will start and end at New Haven with buses covering all stations between New Haven and Springfield.

 

 

Northeast Regional Springfield Shuttle: Track Work Affects Shuttle Service between Springfield and New Haven

Effective on Select Weekend Dates Starting August 28 through December 13, 2015

Track work being performed between New Haven and Springfield, will affect Northeast Regional and Vermonter service at the following stations: Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin, Hartford, Windsor, Windsor Locks and Springfield.

Friday Service Changes: August 28, September 11 and 25, October 02, 16, 23 and 30, November 06 and 13 and December 11

Northeast Regional Trains 136 and 148

Trains 136 and 148, which normally operate from Washington to Springfield, will terminate at New Haven, where bus service will be provided at all remaining stations on the route: Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin, Hartford, Windsor, Windsor Locks and Springfield.

Saturday Service Changes: August 29, September 12 and 26, October 03, 17, 24 and 31, November 07 and 14 and December 12

Northeast Regional Trains 140, 143, 146, & 147

• Trains 140 and 146 will operate between Washington and New Haven. Passengers will be provided bus service at all stations from New Haven to Springfield.


• Trains 143 and 147 will originate in New Haven. Passengers will be provided bus service at all stations from Springfield to New Haven.

Vermonter Trains 54 and 57

• Train 54 will operate from Washington to New Haven, where all passengers will detrain and board a bus to Springfield and all intermediate stations. At Springfield, passengers will transfer to Train 54, serving all remaining stations on the route.


• Train 57 will operate from St. Albans to Springfield, where passengers will detrain and board a bus to New Haven and all intermediate stations. At New Haven, passengers will transfer to Train 57 serving all remaining stations on the route.

Sunday Service Changes: August 30, September 13 and 27, October 04, 18, 25, November 01, 08 and 15 and December 13

Northeast Regional Trains 143 and 157

 

Trains 143 and 157 will operate between New Haven and Washington. Bus service will be provided at all stations from Springfield to New Haven.

We appreciate your patronage and apologize for any inconvenience. Reservation and train status information is available on Amtrak.com, our free mobile apps and at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

 

Thank you for traveling with Amtrak.

[KevinKorell]

Update from Connecticut DOT, 8/21/15:

 

      Revised Substitute Bus Schedules for New Haven-Hartford Springfield Amtrak Line
                                    Changes effective Monday, August 24

                In order to improve customer service and ensure better connections on the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail line, Amtrak has revised the schedules for substitute bus service that has been implemented to accommodate construction along the rail corridor, effective Monday, August 24, 2015.
           The busing of Amtrak shuttles will occur Monday through Friday and continue through July 2016. The following Amtrak shuttle trains will be bused to and from New Haven Union Station and Springfield Station:


·         Shuttles from New Haven, Connecticut to Springfield, Massachusetts: #490 (8:40 a.m.), #470 (10:30 a.m.) and #476 (5:20 p.m.).

·         Shuttles from Springfield, Massachusetts to New Haven, Connecticut: #495 (7:10 a.m.), #493 (10:30 a.m.) and #479 (7:25 p.m.). Buses will depart from Lyman Street.

          Buses destined for New Haven will depart Berlin, Meriden and Wallingford 30 minutes earlier than the respective train schedules.  Otherwise, there will be no change in schedule, stops or connections.  Amtrak passengers will board the bus at their respective stations and proper busing signage will be placed on buses and Hartford Line Stations.  Additional Amtrak station service personnel will be on site in New Haven and Springfield to answer questions, as well as to direct passengers to their appropriate bus during this transition.  In addition, announcements will be made on Amtrak trains traveling north from New York City to Hartford Line stations.
 

 

Reservation and train status information is available on Amtrak.com, their free mobile apps and at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

[Springfield Pete]

Checking today's train status on the Amtrak web site, it appears that out of the six daily Springfield-New Haven runs, three are still operating.  These are the two through trains (The Vermonter and the old Bankers) and one shuttle round trip, the one leaving Springfield at 4 PM and returning at 9 PM. 

 

It is ironic that we need a major service outage and a major expenditure by the state of CT to restore a second track that was there for 100 years, until Amtrak removed it as part of 1980's budget cutbacks.  I have never understood how a single-track line saves on maintenance costs, compared to two tracks that each wear out half as quickly.  Does anyone understand the rational ?    

[KevinKorell]

True not every weekday trip is being bustituted, as there are still some shuttles running outside the daily maintenance window.   However on the few selected weekend disruptions (such as this coming weekend), nothing will run through, not even the Vermonters nor the 140-series trains.  The Vermonter and 140-series trains (which includes 136 on Friday and 157 on Sunday) will turn at New Haven, and the other Vermonter set will turn at Springfield, with bus bridge in between.

Edited by KevinKorell, 13 September 2015 - 06:57 PM.
Added 136 Friday

[KevinKorell]

Another more specific advisory has been sent out, which now combines the cancellations on weekdays and the selected Saturdays.

 

 

Springfield Shuttle Update: Track Work Affects Shuttle Service between Springfield and New Haven

Effective through July 2016

 

To accommodate a long-term track work project, several Springfield Shuttle trains will be canceled and bus service will be provided, as described below:

 

Monday through Friday Service Changes: Effective through July 2016

Springfield Shuttle Trains 470, 476, 479, 490, 493 and 495

 

The trains shown above will be canceled on Monday through Friday until July 2016. Passengers will be provided bus service between New Haven, Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin, Hartford, Windsor, Windsor Locks and Springfield.

Southbound Weekday Buses Depart 30 Minutes Earlier

 

Effective August 24, 2015 through July 2016, all southbound weekday buses will depart all stations 30 minutes earlier than the respective trains.

 

Saturday Service Changes: Effective through December 2015 - August 29, September 12 and 26, October 3, 17, 24 and 31, November 7 and 14 and December 12

 

Saturday Springfield Shuttle Trains 450, 460, 464, 488, 405, 401, 463 and 467

 

On the Saturdays listed above, the trainsindicated will be canceled. Passengers will be provided bus service at all stations on the route.

 

We apologize for any inconvenience. Reservation and train status information is available on Amtrak.com, our free mobile apps and at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

 

Thank you for traveling with Amtrak.

 

[KevinKorell]

I noticed that if one tries to reserve the Vermonter on one of the Saturdays when they are bustituting between Springfield and New Haven, the ticketing program makes no mention of the gap.  On those days 54 turns as 57 in SPG, and 57 turns as 54 in NHV. Because there are two 54's and two 57's, one of the two sections of each should be numbered as 1054 and 1057 on those days, and a 3054 and 3057 Thruway bus should be shown in between.

[KevinKorell]

Another update to the situation seems to be a slight improvement, as one of the rail Shuttles returns to service.  This comes from the NHHS e-mail; Amtrak in true Amtrak form hasn't realized this yet and updated their website.
 

 

Amtrak announces changes to Springfield Shuttle Service

November 18, 2015

To accommodate track work, Amtrak has released a revised schedule for the Springfield, Massachusetts shuttle service.  Please see the attached PDF for changes in the service.
 
The new schedule will be effective through July 29, 2016.

Future updates on the status and location of construction activities will be provided on the NHHS Rail Program website at www.nhhsrail.com, Facebook, Twitter and by email. To receive email updates, please register on the NHHS Rail Program website.