Metro-North Danbury Branch: Full Ride Train
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 มิ.ย. 2024
- Metro-North's Danbury Branch, is a 23.9 mile-long branch line running from South Norwalk, CT up north to the city of Danbury, CT. The Danbury Branch is one of the 3 branch lines part of Metro-North's New Haven Main Line, which runs from Grand Central Terminal in New York to New Haven, CT. Trains that operate on the Danbury Branch, typically run as shuttles from South Norwalk to Danbury, however on weekdays only a few peak-hour trains provide direct "one-seat-ride" service to/from Grand Central.
In this video we are aboard Metro-North Danbury Branch Train #1860, the weekday PM-peak express-service train, from Grand Central Terminal to Danbury. We run non-stop from Grand Central to Stamford where we make out first stop. After that, South Norwalk station is next up. After South Norwalk, we leave the New Haven main-line and join the Danbury Branch, making stops at Merritt 7, Wilton, Cannondale, Branchville, Redding, Bethel, and Danbury.
Today, our train consists of 8 Shoreliner coaches, with a GE P32AC Locomotive leading the train. Our top speed along the main line is 80 MPH and our top speed along the actual branch line is 60 MPH. Until just after we pass Mt. Vernon East station, we are running on electric third-rail mode, after that we run in diesel-mode for the rest of the trip.
This video was recorded on Wednesday September 5, 2018 with an Apple iPhone 6S. Video also rendered using Sony Vegas Pro 15.
Video Timetable Index:
[0:00-2:55] - Boarding our train at Grand Central Terminal.
[3:05] - Departing slowly out of Grand Central.
[13:50] - Harlem-125th St. Station
[16:00] - Mott Haven Junction (Where the Hudson Line splits.)
[17:15] - Melrose Station
[19:00] - Tremont Station
[19:55] - Fordham Station
[20:40] - Botanical Garden Station
[21:40] - Williams Bridge Station
[25:50] - Woodlawn Station
[26:25] - Woodlawn Junction (Where the Harlem line splits from.)
[28:00] - Mt. Vernon East Station
[29:00] - Switching from third-rail to diesel power.
[29:55] - Pelham Station
[31:50] - Joining the Northeast Corridor Line
[32:50] - New Rochelle Station
[52:40] - Arriving at Stamford Station
[1:04:25] - Arriving at South Norwalk Station
[1:06:35] - Leaving the Northeast Corridor/New Haven Main Line
[1:16:00] - Arriving at Merritt 7 Station
[1:21:05] - Arriving at Wilton Station
[1:24:30] - Arriving at Cannondale Station
[1:30:30] - Arriving at Branchville Station
[1:37:30] - Arriving at Redding Station
[1:44:20] - Arriving at Bethel Station
[1:48:30] - Arriving at Danbury Station
![Amtrak Northeast Regional #95 Full Ride From New Haven to New York Penn Station [7-31-20]](/img/n.gif)
As of the beginning of June of 2023 Merritt 7 is no longer using its ground level platform, it now has a brand new full platform that fits a full 8 car train.
A branch on Danbury always works to check the new haven line power system in the 1980s acquainted system.
Of the past century, it used to be viewed as diesel electric power then electric to diesel in the 1950s plus the exact history of the branch is the acquainted system of the past from my own days.
To think....I used to fight my way through that regularly. Thank god I don't have to anymore.
Thanks for posting & segmenting Captain Ace... Do these switch to diesel when they leave Park Ave tunnel??? Also, what is the logic that the locomotives always facing North (or East)?
bring back the weekend trains to pittsfield. Would require some investment, but would be great for the Housatanic region
Amen to that! Definitely needs more trains around Pittsfield
The entire route from at least southeast to Canaan should get trains running during the summer. Connection in Danbury if looking to go north or south.
1:09:15 That mall is done now, the SoNo collection. There is a proposed station for there now
the third way of knowing how danbury works with switches in grand central is through park avenue tunnel then diesel to noroton heights, danbury, and rowayton to south norwalk
it takes a minute to accelerate out of norwalk to danbury...the 3:50pm train to danbury does this a few times
I noticed that it skipped all the stops until Norwalk, and yet it took an hour and a half to go the entire route. How long is the route?
The entire distance traveled in this video was 64.6 miles. The branch itself is 23.6 miles-long.
How many steps, does the Danbury Branch have from Stamford Connecticut?
Only 4 from Stamford before turning into over to the branch it’s self.
Until the 1950's the Danbury Branch was electrified. Has it ever been proposed to re-electrify the branch?
It was electrified until 1961, just a correction. Yes, there have been studies to propose re-electrification of the branch and add station stops at North Danbury, Brookfield, and New Milford. However, I don’t see it actually happening anytime soon.
@@captainace6083 Thanx for the info
Why was it de-electrified in the first place?
@@captainace6083 - Me either, and I don't want electrification. I like the diesel trains.
radanju3 The New Haven RR had some bad corporate leadership at the time. A bad storm in the 60’s did some bad damage on the line and gave the railroad an excuse to strip electrification. But, their plan was to actually remove all electrification from the railroad and have diesel-only service due to cheaper short term costs.
Nice
Wow- I had no idea you could go direct without transferring at South Norwalk.
Only on weekdays at Peak Times - These trains are almost always full.
What accelerates faster, an M8 of the same length or this train?
Elaine Fairchilde Even an M8 set double the length of this train would still accelerate faster, as it’s powered by an external power source (overhead catenary or third-rail).
@@captainace6083 Good point, toots. I have noticed that the Genesis is faster-accelerating in one mode or the other but can't remember which, at least in TS2017 as I normally use with the NH line. Toot-toot. Thanks for the reply.
@@elainefairchilde7982 It's rate of acceleration (I'm pretty sure) is faster when it's operating in third-rail mode.
@@captainace6083 i believe you must be right, Sir Colonial Railfan. :) toot-toot
can you please do a round trip full ride on CTRail Hardford please
"Hartford"
Retired Railfan did one on that line.
I’ve done the round trip many times but never filmed
18:00 is where I live.......
danbury branch has been diesel since the fifties and will continue for the next million years with no electrified proposals
14:16 Gesundheit!
I don’t think they should’ve the de-electrified it but knowing the US in the 1960s it was bound to happen
Danbury need an early morning train to grand central…. It’s a shame so many people drive to Brewster NY to get into the city early and when you return in the evening all the cars park in Brewster have Connecticut plates
They do. There is a through train with no transfer from Danbury to Grand Central. It only operates on weekdays and departs from Danbury at 6:08AM.
@@bencarter8324 thank you for your info but I catch 5:01 express train leaving out of Brewster that reaches grand central at 6:26 am….Danbury don’t have a train that depart early enough for me
@@Starayshia That is a shame. I believe they used to have more express trains. I wonder whey they were removed.
22:57 Chevy’s fat bus which I don’t like.
Seven cars, not eight