Alrighty, the first of the Milford Transit entries! Although, chronologically the last route I’ve ridden. So, let’s look at the route.
Now unfortunately, the camera had to sit this one out (it was at 20% by the time I got to this), so no pictures for this one sadly. With that aside, let’s dig into it.
Milford Transit is kinda like GATRA in the sense it operates on a flag-stop basis. However, unlike GATRA, all three routes operate in loops, serving various parts of Milford. This route operates between the Post Mall, through northern Milford, to The Dock in Stratford, and looping back.
Leaving the bus shelter outside the train station, bus continues down New Haven Avenue, through the traffic coming off Broad Street. There were only three people total for the trip, getting on at various points, until we went up Old Gate Lane and deviated into the CT Post Mall. From here, we looped back the way we came, this time going under the Northeast Corridor, circling around the senior center (and picking up a few old people), and then going up towards US-1.
From here, it was largely a straight shot. We went down US-1, and eventually I got off at the Devon Center, checked out the area for a bit, then got the bus on the return trip to Milford Station.
The good: Well, it goes all the way out to a major shopping center in Stratford, along with a mall on the edge of Milford, all in a loop!
The bad: The headways kinda suck, though. But for a town the size of Milford, hourly headways probably are all that’s necessary – EXCEPT FOR THIS ROUTE WHERE THERE’S A THREE HOUR BREAK FROM 11AM TO 2PM!!! WHAT THE HELL?!
Nearby points of interest: Outside of downtown Milford, you have the mall, the Dock, and Devon Center.
Overall, it’s an alright route. Would be decent, even, if it weren’t for the 3 hour gap in service midday. Guess noone needs to go grocery shopping at that time!
Oh boy, a two for one deal! Well, at least on the surface West Haven looks better than the next station over to the south. But is it?
See ya!
Alrighty, first off this place, once again, clearly gets ridership throughout the day. I think that’s going to be a common theme with Metro-North, now that I think of it. The station’s setup is quad-tracking with two sides adjacent to tracks 3 and 4. The platforms have canopies down most of their length, with what looks like a sheltered building on either end (like T.F. Green), but I didn’t check them out. Going into the crossover area, and the elevators are actually clean and don’t smell like piss. Holy crap! Metro-North schedules can be found here too.
Looking up the track towards MilfordAnd the other way towards New Haven!The glass bridge. Reminds me of T.F. Green’s skywalkIt’s actually updated, too! Take that, MBTA! Oh crap, my thumb got in the shot…HOLY CRAP, IT DOESN’T SMELL LIKE PISS OR DOOKIE!
From here, we can see that yet again, parking isn’t an issue and is plentiful. This area also reminds me of the Shore Line East with the brick and glass design. I swear, does the MTA actually give a shit about their stations???
Parking o’plenty!The bridge!The tracks towards either directionThe stairs
Lastly, there’s the waiting area. This area reminds me quite a bit of Route 128‘s with the airport terminal style. Seats are also servicable, and an MTA ticket window can be found here. When was this place built, anyways?
*googles around*
2013?! Holy crap, that new?! Well, I guess it does show. Moving along, point is that it’s definitely servicable and is quite nice.
The lobby. Had to get creative to not get any clear faces in my shotOh look, a Re- I mean, an Acela!
The good: It’s well-used! Also, it’s pretty damn clean for what it is, and the MTA even clearly gives a shit about the station. Parking is also aplenty and there’s a waiting area open all day too.
The bad: I mean, I can’t think of much. I guess the biggest complaint is that it’s seemingly in suburban hell, but even that is remedied by the fact there’s CTtransit connections here.
Nearby points of interest: I mean, you have West Haven. I don’t know much about the area but Google Maps would suggest there’s a Yale campus somewhat close by. It’s a little ways away from the town center, though.
Transit connections: Metro-North (New Haven Line) CTtransit (265)
Overall, it’s a nice station. However, I’d have it as a 10/10 if it were closer to West Haven’s town center, since the tracks run closer to there. Nevertheless, it’ still getting a high score.
It’s a little blurry here, but here’s the sign! Not very different from the Shore Line East’s.
Alrighty, so Milford’s setup consists of two sides on a triple-tracked Northeast Corridor. In essence, it’s got the same setup as places like Guilford and Hyde Park. The platforms are mostly sheltered, which is nice. But, why is the inbound platform longer than the outbound?
Look at how long the platforms are! And the 100+ year old catenaries!
Also, why are there bridges over track 4? Was MNRR trying to neuter performance through here, or is it because they’re doing work on that track upstream? Oh well. On either track you can also find MNRR ticket machines, which is nice to see this far out of Grand Central. There’s also plenty of parking and it’s clearly well-used. On the street, one can also make connections to CTtransit, Milford Transit, and the Coastal Link as well. Neat. I will say, though, the lack of any “train approaching” warnings like along the rest of the NEC does feel a bit weird given the sheer amount (at least 3 every 5 minutes!) passing or stopping here.
Curvy!Neat, signage for Milford!The bridge platesNeat, an Acela!
Alright, but how do you cross over? Well, to cross over, you have to go down the parking lot, onto the main street, and back up. This, um, isn’t very accessible. I mean, it is on paper, but in practice it’s not easy.
This is your crossover should you be on the wrong side
The good: It’s in a pretty good place, in downtown Milford! It’s also well-used, with even offpeak trains seeing a decent amount of ridership in each direction! But, given the mere amount of trains that stop here, that probably amounts to a relatively small ridership per train. Still, nice to see a station like this to be well-utilized.
The bad: The lack of any real ADA-accessible crossovers between platforms. Yes, it’s accessible on paper, but is it easy to use? Not really. Also the lack of any “train approaching” warnings like further up the NEC. And why are the platforms of differing length?
Nearby points of interest: Pretty much all of downtown Milford! The Connecticut Post Mall is also a stone’s throw away by bus, which is nice.
Transit connections: Metro-North (New Haven) CTtransit (271) Coastal Link Milford Transit (2, 3, 4)
Overall, first impressions matter. And, while it’s not the best station, it could certainly have been worse. In terms of how bad, it could certainly be worse, and much worse at that.
Finally, the last of the 9 Town routes! Thank freakin’ God!
The routing
The route starts at the Middletown Terminal, deviating into the Middlesex CC, then down the expressway. Eventually, it turns off at Rte. 81, following it all the way to Clinton. Of course, you have the small town of Killingworth.
Not the most interesting place
Moving on, once in Clinton, the route deviates into Clinton Crossing, over the interstate, and mirrors the 641 passing the train station. It ends at the Scranton Gazebo where one can transfer to the Shore Line East, CTtransit’s 201, and the 641.
The good: Hmm, I guess it’s a major link between Madison and Middletown, connecting the two together via transit.
The bad: Yet again, 2 hour headways. And there’s no weekend service. Yeah.
Nearby points of interest: Madison and Middletown. Killingworth isn’t the most interesting of towns either. Sorry! 🙁
Alrighty, I know, I know. Y’all can groan over me doing one of these kinds of entries again. But, I live by a 50/50 rule, where these kinds of entries can’t exceed 50%+1 of any given RTA. I’m technically not counting the Clinton Trolley as I’ve ridden enough of the routing via another route (the 641), so we’re within the 50% rule here. Let’s take a look at two very similar routes: the 642 to Chester and the 644 to Middletown (via Old Saybrook).
The 644’s routing
First timepoint after going express is the Essex park & ride. A bus shelter can be found here, however I’m not sure how many people actually use this as a park & ride for commuting, given the 644’s infrequency. The 642 also stops here. It’s here that the 642 runs local all the way up into Chester, sometimes with an on-request stop to Ivoryton. The 644 runs express, sometimes with an on-request deviation that involves crossing the Connecticut River. There’s also a transfer with the 645 at the end of the route, both at the Middletown terminal and Middlesex CC.
Both routes
The good: Well, both routes serve a lot, and have deviations that make sense with on-request ones that should stay as such.
The bad: So, we’re back to 2 hour headways, weekdays only, eh? Well, I lied. The 642 runs on Saturdays. The 644? Nah, forget about it.
Nearby points of interest: Middlesex Community College, I guess, and Middletown. Chester doesn’t seem that interesting at first glance. Sorry!
Overall, I think these routes, on paper, just like the rest of 9 Town, could use a frequency buff. Like, even hourly would be more usable. Please, for what it’s worth, throw a second bus on these routes!
*gets out a can opener, starts opening a a CTtransit-branded can of worms*
Whelp, looks like I’ve started with the CTtransit routes. Please save me. Nevertheless, here’s the first route on this (very sizable, MBTA-sized, even) system: the free Union Station shuttle.
Looking out the rear of the bus
The quick journey starts at the Green, quickly turning down Temple Street. From here, as we pass through downtown New Haven, we passed a number of businesses and, well, the downtown, and taking another left, we progressed down George Street. There wasn’t much of anything interesting, and soon enough we were at State Street, turning, and eventually banging a U-ey, as soon as we made it to Union Station. Why a U-turn? Well, we had to face the station busway correctly.
Not the last time we’ll see this!Not the best pic.A parking garage along the routeState Street!The train tracks!
The good: It’s a relatively frequent shuttle between downtown and Union Station! And, it’s free! For a station that’s relatively isolated and major, it’s an important link.
The bad: I guess the layovers can throw some people off. But, I’m more used to not being allowed on the bus during layovers, so I’ll forgive it.
Nearby points of interest: Not many. You have downtown New Haven and Union Station.
Overall, it’s a nice shuttle, and nicer that it’s free. I just don’t have much to say regarding it, but what else do you expect? Maybe it’s a good thing and a sign it does its job well.
Here we are. We’re at the belly of the beast. We’ve done State Street, now to do THE station for New Haven. And now, an indepth look at Union Station. So, how unifying is Union Station?
That’s not the station!
Alrighty, so starting from the street, we have a view of the rail yard where pretty much everything conceivable (for the NEC, anyways) was laying over. Hartford Line trains with MBB coaches, GP40s, and P40DCs? Yep. Amfleets with a cab car, and an Amtrak P42DC? Why not! A Regional with an ACS64 boarding? Sure! And a bunch of M8s for the Shore Line East and the New Haven Line? Absolutely! And don’t forget the Acela! There’s also a large parking garage next to the station.
A bunch of M8sThe parking garage
Now, the station itself. Out front, you have a busway where the CTtransit buses board. I think this is also where Greyhound and other intercity buses board as well, but I’m not fully sure. Nevertheless, it’s quite nice, with two entrances (and another one on either side of the station!). So, with that out of the way, let’s go right into this beast of a station.
Union!Here’s your damn Flixbus!CTtran- OH NO THE DOTS!They have COACH BUSES?!
Alrighty. So, upon entering, the departure board can be found, with a larger version blown up in the mezzanine. Speaking of which, the mezzanine is HUGE! You’ve got restrooms off to one side, stairs down to the platforms as well, and also an exit to the parking garage. The other side has brochures and access to (presumably employee?) parking. Further more, in the mezzanine itself, you have Amtrak and Metro-North ticket booths and a nonfunctional Quik-Trak machine. Yikes. There’s also a baggage check, a small convenience store, a Dunkin’, and Subway. Nice.
The departure boardThe waiting area. Man, is it huge!Brochures!Baggage checks!The shops in the lobby
Now, the lower area. The platforms are all connected underground by a cool-looking tube, with stairs and elevators going up, along with signs indicating what’s boarding at what platform. There’s also an Amtrak office down here, Sbarro, and another Dunkin? Huh, weird that there’s two Dunkins here. At least there’s no diesel fumes like in Back Bay. I’ll also add that the elevator between the waiting area and lower mezzanine is a bit hidden, being behind a corner and a set of stairs.
The tunnelTHERE’S TWO OF THEM?!This feels hidden
And now, the platforms. There’s some seating, but you generally aren’t expected to wait here. There’s also, for whatever reason, vending machines on the platforms. Yeah, don’t ask. I’m not sure on the rationale either. But hey, unless someone stops you from being up here, it doesn’t seem like that awful a railfanning spot – aside from the lack of sheltering. Each platform also has electronic signage indicating departures.
NOW WE’RE TALKING! METRO-NORTH TERRITORY, YEAH BABY!An M8 laying over on the passing trackA CTrail GP40An Amtrak P42DC on the Hartford LineA CTrail P40DC
And with that, I’m pretty sure that’s everything that this beast has to offer.
The good: It’s pretty well utilized! I mean, second to South Station, I’m pretty sure it’s the second most-used Amtrak station in New England. The fact Metro-North and CTrail exists here also helps. Plus, you also have intercity buses that stop here, and generally it’s easy to get around. There’s also plenty of parking, if you’re the kind to bring your vehicle here.
The bad: Unfortunately though, it’s relatively isolated from downtown New Haven. That and the relative seclusion for the elevator to the tunnel from the lobby, are my main gripes.
Nearby points of interest: Pretty much all of New Haven, and places accessible by CTtransit! Also IKEA.
Transit connections: Amtrak (Acela, Northeast Regional, Vermonter, Valley Flyer) CTrail (Hartford Line, Shore Line East) Metro-North (New Haven Line) CTtransit (265, 271, 272, 278, 950, Union Sta. shuttle) Greyhound Flixbus Peter Pan
Overall, it’s a great station. The fact that one of the elevators is relatively isolated is annoying, but it’s not as bad as the bad geography. Now, maybe historically, the area was much better, but nowadays it just feels very isolated from the rest of New Haven.
Oh boy. So, before we can delve into the belly of the beast, let’s check out the mouth, so to speak. Is State St. a dud, a slam dunk, or somewhere in between? Let’s look.
Oh right, we’re at a Hartford Line station!
So, I visited this station first despite getting off the Union Station Shuttle at, well, Union Station. It’s about half a mile up the tracks from Union as well, and located much closer to downtown. It’s also a few blocks away from the New Haven Green, CTtransit’s New Haven hub, though some local and express buses do stop here. The entryway looks nice enough, with a departure board being located outside the station. Several more are also located inside. Weirdly enough, the platforms for tracks 4 & 6 have a separate entrance than track 1’s platform.
Departures!The bridge!
Near the stairs and elevators are vending machines for both CTrail (Hartford Line & Shore Line East) and Metro-North tickets. No bathrooms, however, are to be found here. On the platforms, one can find benches under canopies. Not much, but it gets the job done. As for ridership, most people generally are going to use Union Station rather than here, and as such it doesn’t exactly rank high for either Amtrak or Metro-North.
This feels like an urban hellscapeThe tracks at platform levelAnd the other way towards Union Station!The stairs to track 1The track 1 platform
The good: It’s centrally located in downtown New Haven. Well, almost. Furthermore, you have a decent amount of local rail service, though most Amtrak trains just express right through without stopping. Which makes sense, since they all stop at Union Station, too.
The bad: Why couldn’t this station be Union?! Like, just why? And being in a major downtown, I would’ve expected at least a unisex bathroom or seats indoors. But again, it’s not too big a dealbreaker given the low ridership of the station. And why are there separate entrances for tracks 1 and 4/6?!
Nearby points of interest: Downtown New Haven, of course!
Transit connections: Amtrak (Northeast Regional, Valley Flyer) CTrail (Shore Line East, Hartford Line) Metro-North (New Haven Line) CTtransit (204, 206, 212, 223, 274, 278, 950)
Overall, for what it is, it’s a decent station. It’s got a bit to be desired, but in general it isn’t bad. The biggest change I’d make, personally, though, is to put the stairs and elevator to track 1 on the same bridge as tracks 4/6.
Originally called the Shore Line under the New Haven Railroad, the merger with Penn Central led to a rename to the Clamdigger, where it ran from New Haven to New London once each day. However, after aquiring the service, Amtrak would discontinue it briefly, then replace it in 1978 with the Beacon Hill. This line, extending all the way to Boston, would have intermediate stops at Branford, Madison, Old Saybrook, East Lyme, New London, Mystic, Westerly, Shannock (in Richmond), Kingston, Wickford Junction, and East Greenwich, and Providence, then going express to Route 128 and into South Station (remember, the Southwest Corridor was being built at this time, so all trains had to run through the Fairmount Line!). However, the service didn’t last too long, with service being discontinued at most of these stations.
Fortunately, most of the Connecticut stations have seen revived commuter service, with the Shore Line East being created in 1990 to address congestion concerns on the interstate. Initially it was supposed to run only during construction, but it proved more popular than expected and it stayed, despite criticism. The service initially ran from Old Saybrook to New Haven Union, with intermediate stops at Westbrook, Clinton, Madison, Guilford, and Branford, but two stops would be added in later, with a one stop extension to New London, and an infill station half a mile from New Haven Union on State Street. Through service also ran to Stamford during rush hour, however due to COVID-19, that’s not running. Most of these stations would also be renovated over time, adding a second platform and making them ADA compliant. Unfortunately, though, service between New London and Wickford Junction (with an MBTA connection) still doesn’t exist, but there have been proposals to turn Kingston into a union station, moreso after the South County Extension opened in 2012.
Alrighty, enough of the historical mumbo jumbo, let’s get started. First off, New London! So, the line uses Kawasaki EMUs (think of them like FRA certified subway cars), so we’ll be running on overhead power to New Haven. It’s reasonably fast, though it probably is responsible for some slowdowns on the mainline, likely due to a lack of third tracks. Fortunately, most of the stations are close or in town centers. However, I do hate Madison’s single platform setup. Just, why?
The start of the line
The line begins in New London, at the waterfront-centered Union Station. That’s gonna be a common theme with the line, with it hugging the ocean, and MAN is it scenic! So, upon boarding after the train crawls over the grade crossing, we started crawling out and picking up speed. After about 20 minutes or so, our first stop is Old Saybrook, another Amtrak station.
This is SCENICOld Saybrook!
Of course, since the train was too large for the platform (another common theme), not all the doors are usable for boarding and alighting. After a bit, we were off to the races to the stations served exclusively by the Shore Line East. First up, Westbrook!
Yep.
Now, between here and Old Saybrook, a track change had taken place. This is because of how Madison’s scheduling works and the fact it’s single-tracked in practice due to a single side platform. Just, why? Nevertheless, this station isn’t exactly the most-used. Next!
Clinton from above!
Clinton was more-used, and is much better located than Westbrook. Being near the town center, there’s actually a reason to stop here during offpeak hours. Plus, there’s a CVS!
Screw you.
Madison. This station brings the whole line down. Why didn’t they add a second platform during the last rebuild?! What were they thinking?! Fortunately, there’s plans (currently unfunded, though) to install a second platform, which should make it much better than what it currently is. Next!
In case you forgot, this is still the Northeast Corridor. And DAMN is it scenic!Ugh….
I’m also not big on this station, likely because I was here for 2 hours. Nevertheless, it’s not a favorite. Certainly, it’s too decrepit for my liking, which it shouldn’t be because it was rebuilt well after South Attleboro.
A P40DC hauling Mafersa coaches in reverse?!
Branford is next, and it’s pretty decent again. After bending around the tracks a bit, we finally made it. And wouldn’t you believe it, it too is in the town center! Neat. And yes, it was scenic entering the town.
Wetlands!Neat.Branford!Oh yeah, freight traffic runs down these tracks too.
Finally, after going through a tunnel under the interstate and over another bridge, we enter State Street and Union Station, the end of the line. Not much here. State St. is in downtown, while Union Station is a little ways away.
The good: It’s scenic! Also, it’s electrified and fast! Plus, several stations stop at town centers along the line, which is always nice. And, pretty much every station is a park & ride.
The bad: Well, the headways. Hourly in peak directions, and 2 hours during weekends and off-peak? Yeah, no thanks. Also, I think they overbuilt the parking.
Nearby points of interest: New Haven, New London, and points in between! There’s also connections to Amtrak and Metro-North on either end.
Overall, this has got to be the most scenic rail line I’ve ever ridden. Likely also MORE scenic than the Rockport Line on the MBTA. Like, if you said “let’s go to New Haven”, the segment of the NEC that this line runs down would be enough for me to say “absolutely”. However, the headways are dogcrap and I still think the stations should at least be triple-tracked. Also, what’s with track 6 being unelectrified in New London?
Finally, the last Shore Line East (-exclusive) station! And wouldn’t ya believe it, it’s actually pretty decent!
The sign
Whelp, we’re about 10 miles out from Union Station, and the last Shore Line East-exclusive station. Now, getting off the platform, it’s definitely a stark contrast to Guilford, again. And, it actually seems like it was cleaned recently! Neat. Of course, you have the usual benches and wastebins. Parking is found exclusively on the eastbound side, while the westbound side has a kiss & ride dropoff area. The town center also happens to be a short walk north. On top of that, this station’s probably the most used SLE-exclusive station as well, as a number of people got on when I alighted the train, at midday. Neat! Maybe it’s also because outside New Haven, Branford’s the most populated town along the line. Only one nitpick: The parking area floods (supposedly). That’s um, not good.
See ya!The dropoff area & roundabout!The stairs downThat’s one curvy track, DAMN!Towards New Haven!That’s a lot of parkingBike racks!Maybe it’s overbuiltThe other side at platform-levelUHHHHHHH
The good: It’s a well-used station in a modestly-sized town! I mean, I’m sure there’s a reason the lot is so huge, but I feel like most ridership is likely local in nature and most don’t drive. Oh yeah, CTtransit stops here at rush hour, too. It’s also pretty close to the town center, being a quarter-mile south.
The bad: The parking lot floods?! And, maybe it’s overbuilt. Despite it being well-used, I get the feeling most walk or transfer from CTtransit.
Nearby points of interest: Branford seems like an alright enough town, however nothing immediately jumps out.
Overall, this is probably the best station on the Shore Line East that isn’t shared with Amtrak (or the Hartford Line, or MNRR). It’s in a town center essentially and it gets decent ridership. However, I can’t help but think that it’s overbuilt with regards to parking, though. I’m sure, however, there’s times where the lot is filled up.
