Excerpt from the Hartford Courant, June 17
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-amtrak-connecticut-rift-0618-20150617-story.html
A dispute between Amtrak and the state over escalating expenses has jeopardized chances that commuter trains will be running on the New Haven to Springfield line by late next year.
Connecticut's long-strained relationship with the railroad apparently fractured further in the past year, and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is now asking federal officials to intervene because of what he calls Amtrak's failure to manage budgeting and staffing for what was supposed to be a $365 million job.
"The result is that the project is grossly over budget and significantly behind schedule," Malloy wrote in a May 11 letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
Malloy told Foxx that the Federal Railroad Administration must get tougher in overseeing Amtrak's work on its 62-mile Springfield branch, but said the real solution is to take the project out of Amtrak's control altogether.
"Connecticut believes that the only way to fund and own responsibility for the success of this corridor is to transfer ownership of the line to the state of Connecticut," says a copy of the letter, obtained by The Courant.
Be careful what you ask for you may get it - Connecticut will be biting off more than their budgets can chew.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Connecticut was told years ago that they were underestimating project and cost, the part from Hartford to Springfield is still not funded.
The Nutmeg State isn't known as the Land of Steady Habits for nothing! This fine state is again demonstrating to the rest of the Union how things can be done when passenger and commuter trains are necessary and desired.
Questions for the Empire State: How's construction going on that 2nd track installation on Albany Hill? How about bridge replacement over Buffalo Creek?
Question for New Jersey: How's that tunnel coming along, five years later?
They get things done in Connecticut.
No need to ask any questions at all of Ohio.
If I were Amtrak there would be no way for the Springfield line to go to Connecticut. The 56 miles from new Rochelle - New haven is controlled by Ct by way of MNRR. The 2 train per hour that MNRR has placed on Amtrak needs expnsion. Only by allowing more Amtrak trains on NH - NRO should CT ( MNRR ) be able to operate on the 62 mile NH - SPG line. Some Quid pro quo.
As well remove the 39 train a day limit east of NH.
blue streak 1 If I were Amtrak there would be no way for the Springfield line to go to Connecticut. The 56 miles from new Rochelle - New haven is controlled by Ct by way of MNRR. The 2 train per hour that MNRR has placed on Amtrak needs expnsion. Only by allowing more Amtrak trains on NH - NRO should CT ( MNRR ) be able to operate on the 62 mile NH - SPG line. Some Quid pro quo. As well remove the 39 train a day limit east of NH.
Agreed, CT has proven itself incompetent in passenger railroad operation repeatedly via internal politics and they are preventing Amtrak in most cases from fulfilling it's mission as a National system for the rest of us that use Amtrak. Time to give CT the boot fully, in my opinion. I would not even give CT another chance.
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