MetroNorth New Canaan Branch - Future Needs
Train Travel - On the Horizon...
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As the automobile-choked Connecticut Turnpike (I-95) becomes even more intolerable, the New Haven line of Metro-North is experiencing a renaissance. Roughly 225 trains carry 85,000 riders a day. In the early 1970's, passengers on the New Haven line numbered 17 million annually; today there are 25 million. This is more than AMTRAK carries nation-wide. 54 new cars (M4 Triplets) are joining the existing fleet of 270 cars.
Ridership between New Haven and Grand Central increased 9.5% between 1985 and 1987 while Stamford to Grand Central only increased 6%. Ten years ago, people went to Fairfield and Norwalk to find affordable shousing, now they are extending to Milford and New Haven's suburbs. For this reason New Haven is becoming more importantand the years ahead should prove to be ones of growth in Connecticut trail travel.
Transforming Transportation - The Future of U.S. Railroads?
America's railroads—if given proper attention and resources, offer an economically and ecologically valid alternative to our current over-dependence on the automobile. Read about how our nation's trains can help in resolving America’s energy and transportation challenges. Transforming Transportation >
