New Haven–Union Station
New Haven Union Station in September 2018
General information
Location50 Union Avenue
New Haven, Connecticut
United States
Coordinates41°17′51″N 72°55′36″W / 41.29750°N 72.92667°W / 41.29750; -72.92667
Owned byConnDOT
Operated byNew Haven Parking Authority
Line(s)ConnDOT New Haven Line (Northeast Corridor)
New Haven–Springfield Line
Platforms4 island platforms
Tracks9
ConnectionsIntercity Bus CT Transit: 271, 272, 278, Union Station Shuttle
Intercity Bus Greyhound
Intercity Bus Megabus
Intercity Bus Yale Shuttle
Construction
ParkingUnion Station parking garage
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeAmtrak: NHV
IATA codeZVE
Fare zone21 (Metro-North)
Websiteunionstationnewhaven.com
History
Opened1920
Rebuilt1985
Passengers
FY 2022617,119 annually[1] (Amtrak)
20183,216 daily boardings[2] (Metro-North)
2019541 daily boardings[3] (Shore Line East)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Stamford
toward Washington, D.C.
 Acela Providence
toward Boston South
Bridgeport
toward Norfolk, Newport News or Roanoke
 Northeast Regional Old Saybrook
toward Boston South
New Haven State Street
toward Springfield
Terminus Hartford Line
Valley Flyer New Haven State Street
toward Greenfield
Bridgeport
toward Washington, D.C.
 Vermonter Meriden
toward St. Albans
Preceding station Metro-North Railroad Following station
West Haven
toward Grand Central
 New Haven Line New Haven State Street
peak service
Terminus
Preceding station CT Rail Following station
Terminus Hartford Line New Haven State Street
toward Springfield
West Haven
peak service
toward Stamford
 Shore Line East New Haven State Street
toward New London
Former services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Terminus Beacon Hill Branford
toward Boston South
Clamdigger Branford
toward New London
Bridgeport
toward Washington, D.C.
 Montrealer Meriden
toward Montreal
Stamford
toward New York
 Cape Codder Providence
toward Hyannis
Bridgeport
toward Atlantic City
 Atlantic City Express Wallingford
toward Springfield
Preceding station New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Following station
Woodmont
toward New York
 Main Line Terminus
New York Penn
Terminus
 Main Line
through service
Terminus Shore Line East Haven
toward Boston
New Haven Railroad Station
Built1920
ArchitectCass Gilbert[4]
Architectural styleLate 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Second Renaissance Revival
NRHP reference No.75001941[5]
Added to NRHPSeptember 3, 1975
Location

New Haven Union Station is the main railroad passenger station in New Haven, Connecticut. It is the third such station in the city of New Haven, preceded by both an 1848 built station in a different location, and an 1879 built station near the current station's location. Designed by noted American architect Cass Gilbert, the present beaux-arts Union Station was completed and opened in 1920 after the previous Union Station (which was located at the foot of Meadow Street, near the site of the current Union Station parking garage) was destroyed by fire.[6] It served the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad for the next five decades, but fell into decline following World War II along with the United States railroad industry as a whole.

The New Haven Railroad went bankrupt in 1961, and the station was transferred to the Penn Central Transportation Company along with the rest of the New Haven Railroad on January 1, 1969. Penn Central itself went bankrupt the next year, and the station building was closed in 1973 to cut costs, leaving only the under-track 'subway' open for passengers. The station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 3, 1975,[5] but it was almost demolished before being saved by the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project in 1979, which began work to rehabilitate the station building. Reopened after extensive renovations in early 1985, it is now the most important transportation hub in New Haven. In the 21st century, it is the busiest train station in the state of Connecticut by passengers served, as well as one of the most used stations in Amtrak's entire network.[6]

The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as New Haven Railroad Station. Its significance is partly as an example of the work of Cass Gilbert, who also designed the Woolworth Building in New York and the U.S. Supreme Court Building.[7] The restored building features interior limestone walls, ornate ceilings, chandeliers and striking stainless steel ceilings in the tunnels to the trains. The large waiting room is thirty-five feet high and features models of NYNH&HRR trains on the benches.

Located at the intersection of the Northeast Corridor and the New Haven–Springfield Line, the station serves a variety of train services, including Amtrak, CT Rail, Metro-North, and Shore Line East.

History

The first Union Station, in 1851

The current Union Station is the third such station to exist in New Haven; the first station, designed by Henry Austin, was opened in 1848 by the New York and New Haven Railroad.[8] It was replaced by a new station in a different part of the city in 1879, under the auspices of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. This station served passengers in the city until it burned down in May 1918. In 1920, the New Haven Railroad opened the present station near the site of the previous station.[8]

The second Union Station, seen in 1914

Decline

Following the Second World War, railroads faced increasing competition from airlines and automobiles, and passenger train service declined. The New Haven Railroad began to neglect the station's maintenance due to its own financial troubles. In 1973, the station was purchased from New Haven Railroad successor Penn Central by the Connecticut Department of Transportation.[9] That same year, the station building was closed to passengers as a means of reducing expenses, leaving only the station platforms and the connecting tunnels in use.[10]

A New Haven Railroad train at Union Station in 1968

Revival

In 1982, the city of New Haven and the New Haven Parking Authority signed an agreement with the state of Connecticut to rehabilitate and reopen the station, along with improvements such as building a parking garage.[11] A $28 million rehabilitation project began on March 28, 1983, with a combination of state and federal funding.[12][13] Restoration included repairing the station's marble furnishings, repairing the large globe lights that hung from the ceiling, cleaning the walls and ceiling, and repairing and installing new wooden benches.[13] With rehabilitation complete, the station building reopened to passengers in 1985.[6] Since then, the station has been operated by the New Haven Parking Authority and leased to the city of New Haven by the state government.[11][14]

Current service

Amtrak

Acela Express at New Haven in 2007

Amtrak runs frequent service through Union Station along the electrified Northeast Corridor rail line. Most Amtrak trains are Northeast Regional trains or Acela trains operating between Washington, D.C., and Boston.[15]

Hartford Line trains run to Springfield, Massachusetts via Hartford and Valley Flyer trains travel along the same route but continue on to Greenfield, Massachusetts.[16] Some of these trains connect with Northeast Regional trains; other Northeast Regionals run through to Springfield from New York or vice versa.[15] These through trains must change locomotives at New Haven, as the track north to Springfield is not electrified, unlike the Northeast Corridor. The locomotive change is from a Siemens ACS-64 for the electrified territory to a General Electric P40DC or P42DC for the non-electrified territory, or vice versa. Prior to 2000, when the Northeast Corridor was electrified all the way to Boston, all trains continuing north of Union Station had to change from diesel to electric power.

Additionally, the Vermonter provides through service from Washington, D.C., beyond Springfield to St. Albans, Vermont.[16] At New Haven, the Vermonter also has a P42DC diesel-electric locomotive added to the train.

Amtrak operates a yard on the west side of the tracks, next to the station building.

Because of United Airlines code sharing on select Amtrak trains between Union Station and its hub at Newark Liberty International Airport in the New York City area,[17] Union Station is assigned the IATA airport code of ZVE.[18]

New Haven Union Station is the busiest Amtrak station in Connecticut. The station is the tenth busiest Amtrak station in the country, boarding or detraining nearly two thousand passengers daily.[19]

In March 2020, Vermonter service north of the station was suspended indefinitely as part of a reduced service plan due to the coronavirus pandemic.[20][21] The Vermonter resumed its normal service on July 19, 2021.[22]

Metro-North

Cross-platform transfer between Metro-North (left) and Shore Line East trains at New Haven

Metro-North Railroad operates its New Haven Line from Union Station to Grand Central Terminal in New York City. The service is well patronized by commuters, despite the travel time of about two hours. Shore Line East and Metro-North work together on schedules to provide quick transfers of trains for commuters traveling from the Shoreline to Grand Central Terminal or Stamford.[23]

Metro-North operates New Haven Yard on the east side of the tracks, opposite Amtrak's yard. Work is done here, as well as the storing of train cars and locomotives. Smaller yards are located in Bridgeport and Stamford.

A select number of trains start or end their run two minutes to the east at New Haven State Street.[23]

CTrail

Two rail services run by the Connecticut Department of Transportation under the CTrail brand are based at New Haven. Shore Line East runs between New Haven and New London on the Northeast Corridor, with limited peak-hour service west of New Haven. The Hartford Line runs between New Haven and Springfield on the New Haven–Springfield Line. Service launched on June 16, 2018.[24]

On April 20, 2020, the station became the indefinite western terminus for Shore Line East service, running on a limited schedule due to the coronavirus pandemic.[25]

Buses and shuttles

CTtransit's New Haven Division provides bus service to the station on four routes.[26] One is a free shuttle that connects Union Station to downtown and the New Haven Green for connections to the remainder of the CTTransit New Haven routes, only running on weekdays.[27] Route 271 on the Kimberly Avenue route to Savin Rock and Milford also serves the station. Route 272 serves Union Station from downtown New Haven via South Church Street and returns to downtown New Haven. Route 278 is the Commuter Connection only on afternoon times connecting Shore Line East.

Other providers at Union Station are Greyhound, Megabus, Peter Pan, and the Yale University Shuttle.[28][29][30]

Station layout

Tunnel connecting platforms to station building

The station has four high-level island platforms, which are used for service in both directions. The New Haven Line has nine tracks at the station. The northern platform is adjacent to Tracks 1 and 3 is usually served by Amtrak and can accommodate 8-car trains. The second platform from the north, adjacent to Tracks 2 and 4, is usually served by Amtrak and is 9 cars long. The second platform from the south is adjacent to Tracks 8 and 10, served by Metro-North, Shore Line East, and the Hartford Line, and can fit 7-car trains. The southern platform is adjacent to Tracks 12 and 14, usually serves Metro-North and Shore Line East, and can accommodate 8-car trains. Track 6, not adjacent to any platform in the center of the station, is used only by through trains or idling Shore Line East consists. There are no tracks 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13.[31]: 24 

All tracks are connected by the stainless-steel tunnel with elevators and staircases leading onto the platforms, as well as escalators, a staircase, and an elevator leading to the tunnel itself. In 2015, LCD displays replaced a mechanical split-flap display departure board made by Solari di Udine. The split-flap display was donated to the Danbury Railway Museum in Danbury, Connecticut, to eventually be put on display.[32]

The main waiting area of the station

On either side of the station, the Northeast Corridor merges into four tracks.[31]

P
Platform level		 Track 3 ←      Amtrak services toward Washington (Stamford or Bridgeport)
     Amtrak services toward Springfield (New Haven State Street or Meriden) →
Island platform Disabled access
Track 1 ←      Amtrak services toward Washington (Stamford or Bridgeport)
     Amtrak services toward Boston (Old Saybrook or New London) →
Track 2 ←      Amtrak services toward Washington (Stamford or Bridgeport)
     Amtrak services toward Boston (Old Saybrook or New London) →
     Amtrak services toward Springfield (New Haven State Street or Meriden) →
Island platform Disabled access
Track 4      Amtrak services toward Boston (Old Saybrook or New London) →
     Amtrak services toward Springfield (New Haven State Street or Meriden) →
     Hartford Line toward Springfield (New Haven State Street) →
Track 6 ← Passing track →
Track 8 ←      New Haven Line toward Grand Central (West Haven)
Island platform Disabled access
Track 10 ←      New Haven Line toward Grand Central (West Haven)
     Shore Line East toward New London or Old Saybrook (New Haven State Street) →
     Hartford Line toward Springfield (New Haven State Street) →
Track 12      Shore Line East toward New London or Old Saybrook (New Haven State Street) →
Island platform Disabled access
Track 14 ←      New Haven Line toward Grand Central (West Haven)
T Tunnel Connection between platforms and station building

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of Connecticut" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  2. ↑ Metro-North 2018 Weekday Station Boardings. Metro-North Railroad Market Analysis/Fare Policy Group. April 2019. p. 6.
  3. ↑ "Attachment 8: Shore Line East station ridership" (PDF). Facility Management Services for Various Railroad Station Facilities for Region C. Connecticut Department of Transportation. 2021.
  4. ↑ "National Register of Historical Places - CONNECTICUT (CT), New Haven County". nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  5. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  6. 1 2 3 "New Haven, CT – Union Station (NHV)". Great American Stations. Amtrak. 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  7. ↑ Stephen J. Raiche (May 5, 1975). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: New Haven Railroad Station / Union Station". National Park Service. and Accompanying three photos, exterior and interior, from 1975
  8. 1 2 Bischoff-Wurstle, Jason (September 4, 2020). "Union Station". New Haven Museum. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Railroads Still Run Downhill". The Morning Record. June 12, 1973. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  10. ↑ Associated Press (July 25, 1985). "New Haven Train Station Back On Track". The Day. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  11. 1 2 Breen, Thomas (October 18, 2021). "55-Year Union Station Deal Advances | New Haven Independent". www.newhavenindependent.org. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  12. ↑ Associated Press (March 29, 1983). "Union Station facelift under way". The Day. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  13. 1 2 Tomasson, Robert E. (April 3, 1983). "Reprieve for New Haven's Union Station". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  14. ↑ Zaretsky, Mark (December 21, 2021). "New Haven, CT officials ink 35-year Union Station deal: 'It's a game-changer'". New Haven Register.
  15. 1 2 "Northeast Corridor Boston–Washington, D.C. Schedule" (PDF). Amtrak. September 23, 2019. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  16. 1 2 "Vermonter and Valley Flyer Schedule" (PDF). Amtrak. September 23, 2019. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Destinations Served". United Airlines. January 31, 2018. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  18. ↑ Cunningham, Cathy (February 21, 2018). "Help Squad: How can someone booking an airline flight wind up with a train ticket?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, FY2011, State of Connecticut" (PDF). Amtrak. December 2011. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
  20. ↑ Tourangeau, Ariana (March 27, 2020). "Amtrak's Vermonter train temporarily out of service". WWLP. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Service Adjustments Due to Coronavirus" (Press release). Amtrak. April 6, 2020. Archived from the original on April 6, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  22. ↑ Borden, Elissa (July 19, 2021). "Amtrak Vermonter service gets back on track". WCAX-TV. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  23. 1 2 "New Haven Line Timetable" (PDF). Metro-North. September 29, 2019. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  24. ↑ Porter, Mikaela; Owens, David (June 17, 2018). "Thousands Take A Free Ride On Hartford Line's Inaugural Run". Hartford Courant. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Shore Line East Service Information" (PDF). April 20, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  26. ↑ "New Haven Metro Area Bus System Map" (PDF). CT Transit. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  27. ↑ "Union Station Shuttle New Haven". CT Transit. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  28. ↑ "Bus Station Locator". Greyhound. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  29. ↑ megabus.com. "Bus Stops". megabus. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  30. ↑ "Customer Support | Peter Pan". support.peterpanbus.com. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  31. 1 2 "Metro-North Railroad Track & Structures Department Track Charts Maintenance Program Interlocking Diagrams & Yard Diagrams 2015" (PDF). Metro-North Railroad. 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  32. ↑ MacMillan, Thomas (December 10, 2009). "So Long, Solari". New Haven Independent.
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