Enfield (CDOT station)

Enfield

An Amtrak train at Enfield in January 1980
Location 33 North River Street
Thompsonville, Connecticut
Coordinates 41°59′57″N 72°36′16″W / 41.9992°N 72.6044°W / 41.9992; -72.6044Coordinates: 41°59′57″N 72°36′16″W / 41.9992°N 72.6044°W / 41.9992; -72.6044
Line(s) New Haven–Springfield Line
Platforms 2 side platforms (planned)
Tracks 2
History
Opening 2022 (planned)[1]
Services
  Planned  
Preceding station   ConnDOT   Following station
Hartford Line
Terminus
  Former  
Preceding station   Amtrak   Following station
toward New Haven
Connecticut Valley Service
Terminus

Enfield is a proposed station in Thompsonville, Connecticut on the 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). Although funds for double-tracking the line and adding commuter frequencies have been found, the three stations are not currently funded.[2] As of late 2015, the service is scheduled to begin operation in early 2018.[3] Enfield and the other infill stations are planned to be complete by 2022.[1]

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 frequently vandalism and a January 26, 1980 fire they proposed the 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 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] The state aims to complete all infill stations on the line by 2022.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 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 3 April 2013.
  3. ↑ Stacom, Dan (4 December 2015). "Springfield-To-New Haven Commuter Rail Cost Increases, Service Begins In 2018". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  4. 1 2 Karr, Ronald Dale (1995). The Rail Lines of Southern New England. Branch Line Press. pp. 74–78. ISBN 0942147022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Belletzkie, Bob. "Stations: T-TH". Tyler City Station. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  6. ↑ Madden, Richard L. (20 October 1982). "SENATOR BAKER APPEARS IN HARTFORD FOR WEICKER AND STATE REPUBLICANS". New York Times.
  7. ↑ "National Train Timetables". Amtrak. 1 February 1981. p. 10 – via Museum of Railway Timetables.
  8. ↑ "National Train Timetables". National Passenger Rail Corporation (as Amtrak). 26 October 1986. p. 9, 11. Retrieved 3 April 2013 – via The Museum of Railway Timetables. Compare to April 1986 timetable
  9. 1 2 Wilbur Smith Associates (November 2004). "Recommended Action" (PDF). New Haven Hartford Springfield Commuter Rail Implementation Study. Connecticut Department of Transportation. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  10. ↑ URS. "Enfield Conceptual Site Plan" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 19, 2006. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  11. ↑ CDM Smith (24 February 2012). "Station and Layover Site Concept Plans" (PDF). New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Environmental Assessment. Connecticut Department of Transportation. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
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