(The following article by Jonathan Lucas was posted on the Stamford Advocate website on April 6.)
STAMFORD, Conn. — Metro-North Railroad is so poorly funded that it is in crisis, the Connecticut Rail Commuter Council said yesterday in its annual report to the Legislature.
“It all really comes down to one thing money,” said Rodney Chabot, chairman of the commuter council.
The state Department of Transportation “has a plan to replace rail cars,” Chabot said, “but without any money, they are stymied.”
The watchdog group appointed by the Legislature to represent commuters reiterated many of the same concerns in last year’s report — replacing and repairing Metro-North’s aging fleet, easing overcrowding and adding parking at train stations.
Add a proposed 5.5 percent fare hike, which would be implemented July 1, and “the viability of commuter rail as an alternative to commuting by car” is threatened, according to the report.
For Metro-North, this winter was a disaster. Snow, ice and cold knocked out more than one-third of its fleet of cars. In January, more than 25 percent of all morning rush-hour trains were more than five minutes late, and most ran with fewer cars. Passengers had to stand in the aisles and vestibules.
In light of that, this may not be the best time for a fare increase, according to the report.
“An increase could work against the goals of the General Assembly and the administration to increase rail ridership and reduce the congestion on our state’s highways,” the report states. “We urge the General Assembly to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that any fare increase, and especially any cuts in service, are not undertaken in 2004.”
But legislative leaders, including Speaker of the House Moira Lyons, D-Stamford, said they support the fare hike if it improves service.
State Sen. Biagio “Billy” Ciotto, chairman of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee, said the state has limited resources to subsidize affluent Metro-North commuters.
“I think people of that part of the state can sustain a small increase on Metro-North,” said Ciotto, D-Wethersfield.
While the report states “Connecticut has done too little” to improve service by ordering new rail cars or building more maintenance facilities to repair older cars, Ciotto said other issues take precedence.
“We have people who are retarded or with mental illnesses and people that are struggling to get by,” he said. “The state has to survive and it’s not just about the principles of Fairfield County. I understand the problem is severe and critical, but it’s not just about Fairfield County. In fact, it’s worse on (Interstates) 84 and 91, where we have no mass transit.”
Lyons said the council has not recognized her efforts to improve rail service by establishing separate funds to purchase new rail cars.
Last month, Lyons announced a $60 million deal with Gov. John Rowland to rush delivery of 20 new rail cars and four locomotives to provide 2,000 additional seats.
Studies have indicated that at least 400 new rail cars are needed to meet ridership demand on the New Haven Line over the next 20 years. Most of the 346 rail cars in the fleet were built in 1972. The average lifespan for rail cars is 20 years, but 210 of the original 244 cars are in use. Repairs are difficult because of a shortage of replacement parts and garage space.
Commuter council Vice Chairman Jim Cameron said adding 20 cars is a token gesture that “is like putting a bandage on a dying patient.” But Lyons said it is part of an incremental plan to continually upgrade the state’s mass transit system.
“I have asked the DOT to come up with a plan to provide a yearly method for cars to be replaced,” Lyons said. “I’m confident times have changed dramatically from the past, when mass transit was a tiny part of the DOT.”
Unless more money is put toward improving rail service, next year’s report will look a lot like this one, Chabot said.
“I’d like to see something different,” he said. “Our hope is with the Legislature. It’s in their hands to provide the money.”