Posted March 26, 2015
Necessary infrastructure improvements on the Waterbury Branch undertaken by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) and Metro-North will result in service changes beginning Saturday, April 25.
Rail Replacement
The old rail along the Waterbury Branch's right-of-way is being removed. To allow for the pick-up of five track miles of rail, flat cars and cranes will be occupying this single-track branch from April 25 through Sunday, May 3.
Buses will substitute for train service on the Waterbury Branch during this time.
See the schedule for substitute bus service.
Devon Bridge Repair
At Devon Bridge, the final phase of a $5.8 million priority-repair project gets underway to maintain safe operation of the structure until it can be replaced.
Track 3, also known as the inbound local track, will be out of service continuously for six months while the work occurs.
Because this track is where trains from Waterbury merge onto the Main Line, the following accommodations will be made from Monday, May 4 through early October:
- A new, temporary transfer point-Devon Transfer-will be built where the branch and the main line meet, with a walkway connecting two four-car length platforms. The temporary location will have lights and a public address system and will solely provide train-to-train transfers.
- All Waterbury Branch customers who usually transfer to main line trains at Bridgeport will instead get off at the new Devon Transfer location, cross the walkway, and wait for a train on Track 1, also known as the inbound express track.
- Waterbury Branch customers who travel to New Haven will transfer again at Bridgeport for a main line train connection to New Haven.
- Northbound customers will be dropped off main line trains at the Devon Transfer and board a waiting train for Waterbury.
Because main line trains will be making an extra stop at the Devon Transfer, about a minute of running time will be added to the times on those trains. This change will be reflected in the new April 26 schedules.
The Devon Bridge work involves steel repairs, a new wooden deck and new miter rails on the Track 3 span. Its completion is a prerequisite to the next and final phase of CTDOT's overhead catenary wire replacement project.
Over the past year, CTDOT has worked with Metro-North to ensure that this work would occur with the least customer impact possible. This project also helps ensure the future reliability of the Waterbury Branch as Devon Track 3 is critical to providing the main line connection at Bridgeport.
Work will occur during daylight hours seven days a week, weather permitting.
We appreciate your patience during these necessary infrastructure improvements.