Enfield station (Connecticut)

Enfield
An Amtrak train at Enfield in January 1980
General information
LocationMain Street
Enfield, Connecticut
Coordinates41°59′57″N 72°36′16″W / 41.9992°N 72.6044°W / 41.9992; -72.6044
Line(s)New Haven–Springfield Line
Platforms1 side platforms (planned)
Tracks1
History
OpeningLate 2020s (planned)
Future services
Preceding station CT Rail Following station
Windsor Locks
toward New Haven Union Station
 Hartford Line Springfield
Terminus
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Windsor Locks
toward New Haven
 Amtrak Hartford Line Springfield
Terminus
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Windsor Locks
toward New Haven
 Connecticut Valley Service Springfield
Terminus
Location
Map

Enfield station is a planned CTrail Hartford Line station in Enfield, Connecticut. As of September 2023, construction is expected to begin in 2025. A previous station at the site was open from 1844 to 1986.

History

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Amtrak

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Thompsonville station on a 1909 postcard

The Hartford and New Haven Railroad (H&NH) opened from Hartford to Springfield in December 1844.[1] Thompsonville station, located on the east side of the tracks just north of Main Street, opened with the line.[2] It was replaced by a two-story brick station around 1870, with a wooden addition for the Railway Express Agency built later on the north end of the structure.[2]

In 1946, the second story - then rented out as apartments - and the wooden addition were removed. The modified station building was used until 1971, when Penn Central closed it shortly before Amtrak took over passenger service.[2] Thompsonville remained a stop - daily ridership exceeded 40 on the Connecticut Yankee in 1974 - but passengers waited on the bare platform. Amtrak bought the line in 1976; after frequent vandalism and a January 26, 1980, fire, they proposed to remove the boarded-up century-old building.[1][2] Although it was kept for several more years for the possibility of restoration and inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, the station and the adjacent freight house were demolished in early 1983.[2]

In 1980, Amtrak constructed several small shelters at Thompsonville station.[2] It was part of a $12 million effort to improve the line, which included opening the North Haven station and buying twelve Budd SPV-2000 railcars to increase frequencies on the Connecticut Valley Service.[3] The station was renamed as Enfield starting with the February 1981 schedule.[4] Service to Enfield and North Haven ended on October 28, 1986, due to low ridership; Enfield averaged five daily passengers spread between eight trains.[5][2] The shelters were subsequently removed, but the crumbling platform is extant.

Hartford Line

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Former Thompsonville station platform and site of the future Enfield station photographed in 2014

In 2004, the Recommended Action of the New Haven Hartford Springfield Commuter Rail Implementation Study included the construction of a new Enfield station at Main Street.[6] A preliminary design located parking lots on Main Street with a smaller lot east of the tracks.[7] The station is proposed to be built on Main Street at North River Street in Thompsonville, near the downtown area. Plans released in 2013 called for the station to have two 180-foot high-level platforms, each with a 100-foot shelter, connected by an elevated pedestrian bridge. A small parking lot would be built on the west side of the tracks, with a larger lot shared with the Bigelow Commons development on the east side.[8][9] The station was estimated to cost $6–9.5 million.[6]

In February 2017, the state announced an additional $50 million in funds, including money to complete design of Enfield station.[10] Design was to be completed by 2020.[11] Hartford Line service began operation on June 16, 2018.[12] In April 2019, the town proposed to fund construction of an interim station – a single side platform on the west side of the single track. That proposal would allow service to Enfield to begin while the state searches for funding for full double-tracking and a permanent station.[13] The town set aside $670,000 of the estimated $2.5 million cost in October 2019.[14]

By January 2021, the station was expected to be complete by the end of 2022.[15] By April 2021, platform construction was expected to begin in October 2022, with the station opening about a year later.[16][17] The state designated $35 million for the station project in December 2021.[18] In June 2022, the state announced $13.8 million in federal funding for the station. At that time, design was expected to be complete in mid-2023, with construction beginning in early 2024.[19] In March 2021, the adjacent vacant "Casket Building", a brick building that was once used to manufacture casket hardware burnt down; plans for the station had connected the structure to the southbound platform to provide station amenities.[20]

As of October 2023, plans call for a single 350-foot (110 m)-long platform and a 550-square-foot (51 m2) waiting room to be built on the east side of the track. The single-track bridge over Main Street would be rebuilt with a two-track deck and an accessible sidewalk added along the roadway, which would also serve as access to a possible future second platform. Asnuntuck Street would be closed at the tracks, with the existing substandard bridge there eliminated. Construction was expected to begin in early 2025 with completion in late 2027 at a cost of $45 million.[21][22] An environmental assessment was released in May 2024.[23] As of June 2024, the project is expected to be advertised for bidding in April 2025.[24]

References

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  1. ^ a b Karr, Ronald Dale (1995). The Rail Lines of Southern New England. Branch Line Press. pp. 74–78. ISBN 0942147022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Belletzkie, Bob. "Stations: T-TH". Tyler City Station. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  3. ^ Madden, Richard L. (October 20, 1982). "SENATOR BAKER APPEARS IN HARTFORD FOR WEICKER AND STATE REPUBLICANS". New York Times.
  4. ^ "National Train Timetables". Amtrak. February 1, 1981. p. 10 – via Museum of Railway Timetables.
  5. ^ "National Train Timetables". National Passenger Rail Corporation (as Amtrak). October 26, 1986. pp. 9, 11. Retrieved April 3, 2013 – via The Museum of Railway Timetables. Compare to April 1986 timetable
  6. ^ a b Wilbur Smith Associates (November 2004). "Recommended Action" (PDF). New Haven Hartford Springfield Commuter Rail Implementation Study. Connecticut Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  7. ^ URS. "Enfield Conceptual Site Plan" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 19, 2006. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  8. ^ CDM Smith (February 24, 2012). "Station and Layover Site Concept Plans" (PDF). New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Environmental Assessment. Connecticut Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  9. ^ "Enfield Station Concept" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Transportation. 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 19, 2006.
  10. ^ "CTDOT Announces $50 Million in Additional Funding for NHHS Rail Program" (Press release). Connecticut Department of Transportation. February 20, 2017.
  11. ^ "Design Continues for New Hartford Line Stations" (PDF). New Haven-Hartford Springfield Rail Program Newsletter. Connecticut Department of Transportation. Summer 2017. p. 3.
  12. ^ Porter, Mikaela; Owens, David (June 17, 2018). "Thousands Take A Free Ride On Hartford Line's Inaugural Run". Hartford Courant. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  13. ^ Lerner, Jessica (April 22, 2019). "Officials present alternative plan for proposed train station in Thompsonville". Journal Inquirer.
  14. ^ Lerner, Jessica (October 15, 2019). "Enfield council designates $670,000 for train platform". Journal Inquirer.
  15. ^ Smith, Steve (January 25, 2021). "Enfield council, legislators, hear update on train station plan". Hartford Courant.
  16. ^ Hushin, Adam (April 8, 2021). "DOT details plans for Enfield train platform". Journal Inquirer.
  17. ^ "Minutes of a Special Meeting". Enfield Town Council. April 5, 2021.
  18. ^ Bedner, Eric (December 22, 2021). "Bond Commission approves funds for Enfield train station, other local projects". Journal Inquirer. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  19. ^ Brone, Abigail (June 2, 2022). "CT to build five all-new train stations, using nearly $32 million in state, federal funds". CT Insider. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  20. ^ Staff, Journal Inquirer (March 24, 2021). "Massive fire destroys vacant, historic former factory in Enfield". Journal Inquirer. Archived from the original on March 24, 2021.
  21. ^ State Project 320-0005 Proposed Railroad Station in Enfield. Connecticut Department of Transportation. October 4, 2023.
  22. ^ Danseyar, Susan (September 29, 2023). "Proposed Thompsonville train station would restore rail service to Enfield for first time since 1986". CT Insider. Archived from the original on December 3, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  23. ^ "Enfield Railroad Station Environmental Assessment- May 2024". Federal Railroad Administration. May 27, 2024.
  24. ^ "State Projects Scheduled for Advertising: June 2024 through May 2025" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Transportation. June 11, 2024. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 2, 2024.
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Media related to Enfield station (Connecticut) at Wikimedia Commons

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