CT looking for operators for New Haven-Springfield line

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CHamilton

CHamilton

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This project has been discussed in passing in several other threads, but it seems worthwhile to make a new thread. Press release:

STATE TO SEEK PROVIDERS FOR NEW HAVEN-HARTFORD-SPRINGFIELD PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced a significant milestone in progress to provide more robust commuter service on the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail line: the state will be seeking proposals from railroad companies to begin operating the service in 2016.

“Like the I-95 corridor across southern Connecticut, the I-91 corridor through the center of Connecticut is a vital artery for economic development and jobs growth,” Governor Malloy said. “Enhancing commuter rail service between New Haven and Springfield will benefit commuters and their employers, and will reduce traffic congestion by taking cars off the road, with the added bonus of reduced pollution.”

The Governor continued, “As the gateway to New England, the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail program will also facilitate improved service to Massachusetts, Vermont and eventually Montreal. New train service will connect communities, generate sustainable economic growth, help build energy independence, and provide links to travel corridors and markets within and beyond the region.”

The Connecticut Department of Transportation will be seeking proposals in the next six to 12 months. Current service is provided by Amtrak, which owns the line.

“The State of Connecticut believes that the benefits to the customers of our new service can best be realized in the marketplace. We intend to issue a Request for Proposals that will invite state-of-the-art, proven strategies for the highest quality operations, customer service and maintenance,” DOT Commissioner James P. Redeker said in a letter to Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman. “While federal and state statutes drive open competition, the importance of competition to high-quality service is equally or more important.”

The letter to Amtrak concludes with, “We appreciate the long-standing favorable relationship the Department and Amtrak enjoy, and we encourage Amtrak to pursue this new opportunity with us.”

Commissioner Redeker also pointed out that Amtrak will remain responsible for existing services on the line. (For current services, visit www.amtrak.com.)

The New Haven-Hartford-Springfield (NHHS) Rail Program (www.nhhsrail.com) will provide significant new regional passenger rail service options as a key component of a robust and vibrant multi-modal regional transportation system. With funding from the new High-Speed Intercity Rail Program created in 2008, the NHHS Rail Program will provide the infrastructure and trains to operate some of the nation’s best passenger rail services. As the gateway to New England, the NHHS Rail Program will also facilitate improved service to Massachusetts, Vermont and eventually Montreal.

In the future, NHHS rail service will operate at speeds up to 110 mph, cutting travel time between Springfield and New Haven to as little as 73 minutes. Travelers at New Haven, Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin, Hartford, Windsor, Windsor Locks and Springfield will be able to board trains approximately every 30 minutes during the peak morning and evening rush hour and hourly during the rest of day, with direct or connecting service to New York City and multiple frequencies to Boston or Vermont (via Springfield). Future train stations also are planned at North Haven, Newington, West Hartford and Enfield.
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You can expect the bidders to be Amtrak, Veolia, Keolis, and possibly a new consortium or two (which would be unlikely to be able to meet the terms). Metro-North should bid but probably won't. As long as they don't award it to Veolia, it should be OK...
 
jis said:
MNRR might need some enabling legislation somewhere to allow it to operate outside its present territory.

Didn't Bombardier just pick up the MARC CSX lines?
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Yes, Bombardier got the contract to operate the MARC Brunswick and Camden lines. Keolis landed the contract for VRE operations. I think we can expect both to pursue the NHHS commuter operating contract.

Will Amtrak keep operating the Shore Line East once SLE switches to M-8s? Or is that another contract that CT is likely to place for open bids when the agreement with Amtrak is up for renewal?

Edit: PS. Found this March 27, 2014 viewgraph set for a public presentation on the plans for the Hartford Union Station on the project website which presents an updated overview and latest schedule.
 
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Keolis was recently awarded the contract to operate MBTA commuter rail.

Anyone know if the current Amtrak shuttles are funded by CT alone, or does MA chip in a portion?
 
Thank you very much for the response.

Green Maned Lion said:
Veolia has the kind of safety record you'd expect of you'd expect of Jack the Ripper.
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Some might think maybe there is a smiley missing after that statement, or might be asking: What details exactly illustrate that Veolia has such a bad safety record? Should this be a reference to the 2008 Chatsworth accident of Southern California Regional Rail Authority's Metrolink service, or is this related to some airport shuttle or bus services? Maybe there is information that is not so publicly known yet, that could be added, as otherwise it seems that f.e. Tri-Rail or the New Orleans streetcar operated by Veolia do not have any safety issues that are widely reported in the press.
 
As I recall, Metrolink had a lot of SPAD issues with Veolia prior to the Chatsworth crash resulting in the revoking of the contract.
 
The Chatsworth accident was a very public, very horrific last straw for Metrolink. Veolia has the worst safety record of any of the major transit operators. They consistently show they have no particular interest in the safety of their employees.
 
My apologies in case this might get off-topic (though it shouldn't be completely off-topic as Veolia at least theoretically could be operator of the new New Haven-Springfield service :) ): are there any publicly available articles or reports about Veolia having the worst safety record of any major transit operator? In case there are these documents, would it be possible to provide the names of these publications for reference?
 
They exist. I am not going to be a free secretary for you. Most of the details are buried in a file cabinet in my basement.
 
Consolidated safety record report on Veolia Transportation or anyone else's safety record is kind of hard to come by in this country that apparently values whatever lack of transparency one can get away with to protect the Corporation Person. However, here is an interesting article from 2011:

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/veolia-one-of-biggest-transit-operators-1.2947475

And here is a press release in which Veolia is tooting its own horn on safety record at MBCR.

https://www.aar.org/newsandevents/Rail-News/Documents/Rail%20News%20July%202013/PDF3.pdf

Apparently MBTA was not sufficiently impressed.
 
Neither was Cap Metro here in Austin when they had to fire this bunch of Key Stone Cops when they couldn't get the signals to work and as a result couldn't pass Federal Safety Tests! A Billion Dollars down the Drain and Jay Hadley's son And Keolis rode to the Rescue! It passed and was in operation a month later!
 
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Regarding Veolia, I already mentioned a few aspects shortly above. In order to mention them in detail:

1) Veolia was Metrolink's operator at the point of time that the Chatsworth crash happened, though they are not anymore since 2010. To what degree the accident, or the decision for them not to be operator anymore since 2010 has a connection with Veolia's own safety record, I wasn't able to find reliable information about yet. After all, Metro North also had the Spuyten Duyvil accident in December, so would they be assumed to have the "worst safety record of any of the major transit operators" now because of this? Probably not, in the same way it would seem unreasonable to assume the same about a worldwide operator like Veolia because of that one commuter rail incident. It even seems like both accidents could have been prevented with PTC and it surely wasn't within the scope of decisions to be made by Veolia that PTC wasn't operating in 2008 in California yet. And in addition, the whole Chatsworth accident was in 2008, so in what way that has something meaningful to tell about current Veolia operations in 2014 would still be another question.

2) In 2007, Veolia was in the press regarding an airport shuttle-service contract in Ford Lauderdale. While also there Veolia took action after an incident, this is not only already 7 years ago but one might also wonder to which degree the business of operating airport vans and operating a rail service might still differ substantially.

3) In 2009, Veolia's bus service operations in Gwinnett County, GA were criticized regarding their safety, but a year later the county renewed the contract because it said Veolia had turned things around. So this is not only 5 years ago, but also whatever was not as good as it should has been, has been improved afterwards.

4) Also in 2009, Veolia's contract to run the CapMetro rail service in Austin, TX was cancelled, with the agency citing as one of the reasons that Veolia was flagged for violations by the FRA. What really happened might never be known for sure, however, as there are different accounts. In the following article linked, it is stated that

Austin [City Council Member] and Cap Metro Board Member Mike Martinez said the real problem was that Cap Metro's management scheduled a launch date before it had worked out problems with the line's signaling and crossing gate system and said Veolia was "scapegoated."
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Source: http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2009-12-18/930183/

So once again it seems unclear to what extent any safety conclusions regarding Veolia can be drawn for its time in Austin, of course besides the fact that all of that already happened 5 years ago.

Not trying to randomly be in favor of any organization or company, or randomly be against any organization or company here, but having the idea that everyone should be treated fairly, and some might think that in order to say that one company should not become the operator of an upcoming rail service one should have substantial reasons. As Veolia currently already operates TriRail, the New Orleans trolleys and Sprinter light rail in California as well as hundreds of other rail lines worldwide it would seem like be more commonly known that all these agencies awarding contracts to Veolia made a mistake as the information would be widely available that Veolia has the "worst safety record of any of the major transit operators".

Of course many might think that safe rail operations matter, and good treatment of the workers matters. And the statements above are just assessments based on some of the information available to the public. If something is overlooked, and in the interest of safe rail operations and good treatment of workers, additions are very welcome. Also in case there is something to back up "They consistently show they have no particular interest in the safety of their employees", it would probably be helpful for the public if the sources and details of these claims could be provided to the public.
 
Some questions:

1. Who dispatches Springfield to New Haven now?

2. Who got the contract to run the commuter trains between Springfield and New Haven?

3. Who will dispatch this territory?

4. Will the Amtrak shuttles go away?

jb
 
John Bobinyec said:
Some questions:

1. Who dispatches Springfield to New Haven now?

2. Who got the contract to run the commuter trains between Springfield and New Haven?

3. Who will dispatch this territory?

4. Will the Amtrak shuttles go away?

jb
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It appears to me that the shuttles will continue as part of the commuter service. I don't know if the same ticket prices will apply to the shuttles, but I would be surprised if monthly pass holders for the commuter trains are unable to use them on the shuttles.
 

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