Next stop: New London
Connecticut looks to connect with Union Station
In a move likely to hearten local rail advocates, the State of Connecticut has earmarked upwards of $2.25 million to study the possibility of linking Worcester’s Union Station and New London, Connecticut through passenger rail service.
Although it’s not the increased Boston-bound service advocates have clamored for over the years, the commitment by the Constitution State shows an interest by parties outside of the Hub to rejuvenate Worcester’s train service.
A P&W spokesman was not immediately available for comment.
The funding for the project comes from a bond and is part of a $2.6 billion transportation bill finalized earlier this year by the State of Connecticut.
It may be a while before Union Station sees New London-bound trains come or go. The study is not slated to begin until next year and will take at least a year to complete. The goal of the study would be to determine the projected ridership and the cost of installation and upkeep of the line, Trotta says.
If it’s approved, Trotta says, "it’s at least a few years before we could even put a shovel in the ground – perhaps as late as 2010."
State Sen. Edward Augustus, one of the area’s more vocal rail advocates, says discussions between the two states over a proposed passenger link between the two cities has been vague and preliminary, although he applauds the efforts.
Adding rail service, Augustus says, could ease the pain of spikes in gas prices and soothe what he calls a "renewed awakening" to environmental consequences of fossil fuel use.
"This is a perfect opportunity for some regional leadership - particularly if we had a governor who could reach out to talk with other states about what they are doing and see how the pieces fit together," he says.
Roughly 1,000 passengers a day take the MBTA commuter train from Union Station into Boston. Trains run 10 times a day, although there is currently no "reverse-commute" service that can take workers into Worcester from the east in the morning.
Jacksonville, FL.-based CSX Corp. - the nation’s largest freight operator - owns the rights-of-way along the current rail line linking Worcester and points east. Coordinating the use of that single track for passenger and freight service has proved a major hurdle for increasing the frequency of passenger service out of Union Station.
The Bay State’s Executive Office of Transportation is reportedly in talks with CSX about acquiring those rights-of-way, but no announcement of a decision has yet been made.
Kenneth J. St. Onge can be reached at kstonge@wbjournal.com
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