MTA Metro-North Railroad advises customers that over the nine-day period from Saturday, June 29, through Sunday, July 7, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) will replace the Atlantic Street Bridge located at the east end of the Stamford station.

 

This bridge replacement work will reduce the number of main-line tracks available in Stamford from five to two, reducing track capacity by 60%; it also significantly constrains the railroad’s ability to move trains into and out of Stamford Yard, one of the two major train-servicing facilities on the New Haven Line.

 

Recognizing that the bridge replacement will have a significant impact on New Haven Line   track capacity, restricting the number of trains that can operate on only two main-line tracks, CTDOT scheduled the bridge-replacement work for the week of the July 4 holiday, a time period when the New Haven Line sees a reduction of approximately 25-30% in weekday ridership.     

 

This special New Haven Line schedule generally protects the existing peak-hour frequencies at New York State stations, with most stations retaining the same frequency of service, and no station having a peak-hour reduction of more than two trains. In Connecticut, several stations east of Stamford have no reduction in peak-hour frequencies, with no station having a reduction of more than three trains. Due to the reduced track capacity at the station, Stamford has six fewer morning rush-hour trains and ten fewer evening rush-hour trains.

 

To accommodate the bridge replacement project, the railroad must reduce the number of trains operating during rush hours; this reduction will primarily effect service at and east of Stamford.

 

On July 1-3 and 5, typically a period of reduced ridership because of vacations coinciding with the Independence Day holiday, 44 morning rush hour trains are scheduled, 10 fewer than normal, and 37 evening rush hour trains are scheduled, 13 fewer than normal. To minimize impact to customers, schedules are being adjusted and some trains will add additional stops. As a result of the changes, departure times at most stations will vary by up to five minutes earlier or later than the normal scheduled departure times, and crowding is possible.

 

Danbury Branch and Waterbury Branch service frequencies remain the same, but schedules have some adjustments in order to connect with main-line trains, and customers should be aware of schedule changes to main-line trains. On the New Canaan Branch, substitute bus service will be in effect after 10:30 p.m. on Friday, June 28, through Sunday, June 28.

 

The special schedule will not affect weekend service.

 

Metro-North encourages customers to preview schedule changes at specific stations by using the MYmta app or MTA.info, or visiting this link to see the special, temporary timetables:

On July 8, when the special schedule concludes, minor schedule adjustments will take effect on the New Haven Line. The new schedule is designed to reflect more accurately where and when trackwork and infrastructure projects are occurring along the lines, resulting in more reliable and dependable service for customers.

 

Metro-North crews will be out in this summer making aggressive infrastructure improvements in the Bronx.  The railroad will put its new SMARTRACK program into action, strategically shutting down a continuous segment of track between Woodlawn and Mott Haven so that multiple work groups have uninterrupted access to maintain and enhance the system. Crews will make drainage improvements, replace rail and install new ties. 

 

The New Haven Line - which has the greatest number of infrastructure projects and densest volume of trains -  shares the trackage between Woodlawn and Mott Haven with the Harlem Line. 

 

On July 8, the following minor schedule adjustments will be in effect on the New Haven Line to accommodate track work in the Bronx:

Information about the planned schedule change noted in this press release, and all planned service changes, is available through Metro-North Railroad’s real-time service information sources.

 

MYmta app & MTA.info – Customers who use the new, comprehensive MYmta app will see real-time travel information for Metro-North and connecting services all in one place, with push notifications when service is not operating normally. As a caution, trains that start out their trips on time may experience delays en route. The Metro-North Train Time app also remains available for customers to access Metro-North train information. The rail tab of the “Service Status” box at new.MTA.info is always the definitive source for the latest status for each line, updated every minute. 

 

Email and text message service updates – Customers are urged to sign up to receive the alerts by visiting MyMTAAlerts.com. To avoid unwanted messages, a user can tailor the messages to the specific branch, and the specific times of day.

 

@MetroNorth on Twitter – Twitter users can follow @MetroNorth to receive updates of a similar nature to the email and text alerts, shortened to fit Twitter’s format.

 

The above communications channels can be accessed while at home or on the go. For customers who are located at stations, Metro-North will post the latest service updates on digital signs at station platforms and will make audio announcements over public address systems, and on-board announcements made by train crews.

 

For those who prefer the telephone, information is available from the Metro-North’s Customer Service Center by calling 511, the New York State Travel Information Line, and saying: “Metro-North Railroad.” For customers calling from Connecticut, the number is: 877-690-5114.  Those who are deaf or hard of hearing can use their preferred service provider for the free 711 relay to reach Metro-North at 511.