Enfield station (Connecticut)

Enfield is a proposed station in Thompsonville, Connecticut, on the CTrail Hartford Line. It is proposed by the Connecticut Department of Transportation as one of five new stations that would be built for the line (along with North Haven, Hamden, Newington, and West Hartford). The three stations are not currently funded.[2] The service began operation on June 16, 2018.[3] Enfield and the other infill stations are planned to be complete by 2022.[1]

Enfield
An Amtrak train at Enfield in January 1980
Location33 North River Street
Thompsonville, Connecticut
Coordinates41.9992°N 72.6044°W / 41.9992; -72.6044
Line(s)New Haven–Springfield Line
Platforms2 side platforms (planned)
Tracks2
History
Opening2022 (planned)[1]
Services
Preceding station ConnDOT Following station
Windsor Locks
toward New Haven Union Station
 Hartford Line
(planned station)
 Springfield
Terminus
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Windsor Locks
toward New Haven
 Connecticut Valley Service Springfield
Terminus

History

Amtrak
Thompsonville station on a 1909 postcard

The Hartford and New Haven Railroad (H&NH) opened from Hartford to Springfield in December 1844.[4] Thompsonville station, located on the east side of the tracks just north of Main Street, opened with the line.[5] 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.[5]

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.[5] 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.[4][5] 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.[5]

In 1980, Amtrak constructed several small shelters at Thompsonville station.[5] 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.[6] The station was renamed as Enfield starting with the February 1981 schedule.[7] Service to Enfield and North Haven ended on October 28, 1986 due to low ridership; Enfield averaged five daily passengers spread between eight trains.[8][5] The shelters were subsequently removed, but the crumbling platform is extant.

Hartford Line
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.[9] A preliminary design located parking lots on Main Street with a smaller lot east of the tracks.[10]

The station is proposed to be built on Main Street at North River Street in Thompsonville, near the downtown area. Access from I-91 will be possible via CT-220. The station will consist of two 180-foot high-level platforms, each with a 100-foot shelter, connected by an elevated pedestrian bridge. A small parking lot will be built on the west side of the tracks, with a larger lot shared with the Bigelow Commons development on the east side.[11] The station is estimated to cost $6–9.5 million.[9] In February 2017, the state announced an additional $50 million in funds, including money to complete design of Enfield station.[12] Design will be completed by 2020.[13] The state aims to construct all infill stations on the line by 2022.[1]

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.[14] The town set aside $670,000 of the estimated $2.5 million cost in October 2019.[15]

References
  1. Healey, Will (October 21, 2016). "Officials discuss development around rail center". Journal-Inquirer. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  2. "Objectives & Scope: Schedule". New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Rail Program. Connecticut Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  3. Porter, Mikaela; Owens, David (June 17, 2018). "Thousands Take A Free Ride On Hartford Line's Inaugural Run". Hartford Courant. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  4. Karr, Ronald Dale (1995). The Rail Lines of Southern New England. Branch Line Press. pp. 74–78. ISBN 0942147022.
  5. Belletzkie, Bob. "Stations: T-TH". Tyler City Station. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  6. Madden, Richard L. (October 20, 1982). "SENATOR BAKER APPEARS IN HARTFORD FOR WEICKER AND STATE REPUBLICANS". New York Times.
  7. "National Train Timetables". Amtrak. February 1, 1981. p. 10 – via Museum of Railway Timetables.
  8. "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
  9. Wilbur Smith Associates (November 2004). "Recommended Action" (PDF). New Haven Hartford Springfield Commuter Rail Implementation Study. Connecticut Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  10. URS. "Enfield Conceptual Site Plan" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 19, 2006. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  11. 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.
  12. "CTDOT ANNOUNCES $50 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR NHHS RAIL PROGRAM" (Press release). Connecticut Department of Transportation. February 20, 2017.
  13. "Design Continues for New Hartford Line Stations" (PDF). New Haven-Hartford Springfield Rail Program Newsletter. Connecticut Department of Transportation. Summer 2017. p. 3.
  14. Lerner, Jessica (April 22, 2019). "Officials present alternative plan for proposed train station in Thompsonville". Journal Inquirer.
  15. Lerner, Jessica (October 15, 2019). "Enfield council designates $670,000 for train platform". Journal Inquirer.
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