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Bill D
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 332 Location: Waterbury, CT
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:55 am Post subject: [CT] CT Transit - new facility for New Haven division |
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In spite of current economic problems, constuction is proceeding on a new facility for the New Haven division of CT Transit. The new facility is located on State Street in Hamden, about 1 1/2 miles north of the present garage at State and James Streets. The new building will total about 250,000 square feet, and will house administration, operations and maintenance for the New Haven division's fleet of 110 buses. Below is an artist's rendering of what the completed facility will look like, as well as a couple of pictures of the current construction progress.
(sketch couresy of CT DOT website)
Bill |
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timecruncher
Age: 73 Joined: 23 Dec 2008 Posts: 456 Location: Louisville, Kentucky
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 12:21 pm Post subject: |
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Capital money for construction projects like this is ample, it seems. Even the Economic Stimulus $$ that our benevolent president is ramrodding out purportedly for our benefit has mucho dollars for new buses and major construction projects like this.
Trouble is, there still is no money for operations -- and that is where transit is having its biggest problems right now. Our revenue streams are being choked off by the miserable economy and no amount of Congressional pork spending is going to make any noticeable difference in transit funding levels for the near future.
If there is any money left for matching formula grant money, CT may hopefully be able to get a few new buses to put in their shiny new garage!
timecruncher |
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Bill D
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 332 Location: Waterbury, CT
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:57 am Post subject: |
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timecruncher wrote: | Capital money for construction projects like this is ample, it seems. Even the Economic Stimulus $$ that our benevolent president is ramrodding out purportedly for our benefit has mucho dollars for new buses and major construction projects like this.
Trouble is, there still is no money for operations -- and that is where transit is having its biggest problems right now. Our revenue streams are being choked off by the miserable economy and no amount of Congressional pork spending is going to make any noticeable difference in transit funding levels for the near future.
If there is any money left for matching formula grant money, CT may hopefully be able to get a few new buses to put in their shiny new garage!
timecruncher |
The problem here is not the federal dollars, but the state's 20% share. Federal funding for this facility, as well as one for Waterbury has been available since the mid 1990's. The projects are delayed for a dozen or so years, and then state officials are left scratching their heads as to why it is costing so much more. In the case of the Waterbury facility, a site was purchased about 10 years ago. Now the design work is at about the 60% level of completion, and it is expected that by the time that it is finally constructed, the operation will have outgrown the facility.
As for new buses, the fleet of 1996 Novas is currently due for replacement, but to the best of my knowledge no bid specifications have been written yet. The word is that unless you have an order in for new buses or can piggyback with another agency, the availability of stimulus funds will create a huge backlog of orders across the country. If Connecticut drags its' feet long enough, I wouldn't be surprised to see more used equipment purchased, possibly from out of state agencies, to keep the bus system afloat.
Bill
Last edited by Bill D on Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:02 am; edited 1 time in total |
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timecruncher
Age: 73 Joined: 23 Dec 2008 Posts: 456 Location: Louisville, Kentucky
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:35 am Post subject: |
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Indeed, that is how we have acquired the last 30 or more vehicles -- by piggybacking on other transit agencies' orders. We're still getting Gilligs, and that is good in a way, because Gillig is very flexible (no pun intended) about final specifications when building for another property off of another RFP.
Gillig is just happy to have the business, and they show it by being one of the best vendors to the transit industry. Plain vanilla buses, perhaps, but they back up their product far better than any of the other bus builders!
timecruncher |
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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Bill,
Nice to see somebody still building something in this economic disaster that we're facing!
Leave it to Connecticut Transit to lead the way!
Great photos of what will be a beautiful facility.
Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY |
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Bill D
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 332 Location: Waterbury, CT
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Mr. Linsky!
The New Haven division of CT Transit deserves a new facility. I've seen blueprints of the building and it appears to be well designed.
The present facility was built in 1948 by the Connecticut Company to replace the trolley barn in use up until that time. For a "birds-eye" view of the present facility, click on the link below:
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qwkbrk8xr5jf&style=b&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=15175267&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1
The building on the west side of James Street is the present garage, and across the street is the former 2 story trolley barn. Amtrak's route to Boston passes to the south of the building, so there is plenty of rail action (including Acela trains) in addition to all the bus activity at this site.
Bill |
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Bill D
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 332 Location: Waterbury, CT
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Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:12 am Post subject: |
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Some pictures of the current progress on the construction of the CT Transit New Haven facility.
Bill |
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Bill D
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 332 Location: Waterbury, CT
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Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:15 am Post subject: |
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An update:
The New Haven facility is scheduled to be competed and a dedication ceremony to be held in July. Then the operation will make the move from the present facility at James Street, and should be fully operational by the time that new buses arrive in the fall. It appears that New Haven will be getting 14 New Flyer Xcelsiors and an undetermined number of Nova articulateds. There are about 30 1996 and older buses running in New Haven, so it will be interesting to see if all are replaced or if some continue in service for a while longer.
Here are some pictures of the present state of constuction at the new facility.
Main entrance on Edmund Street showing guard shack and administrative offices.
Bus exit from storage area to Edmund Street.
South side of building where the maintenance shop is located. The loading dock is to the right in the picture.
Bill |
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Bill D
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 332 Location: Waterbury, CT
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 6:52 am Post subject: |
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Constuction is just about complete, and the move to the new facility is scheduled for August 6th.
Bill |
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Bill D
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 332 Location: Waterbury, CT
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 6:40 am Post subject: |
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The new facility finally opened for limited operation over Labor Day weekend, and full operation will begin today.
Main entrance to the facility
Bus storage area
Bus storage area
Service lanes
Inspection pits
Maintenance bays
More pictures can be found here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/billonthehill2001/sets/72157624813558971/ |
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RailBus63 Moderator
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 1063
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 9:59 am Post subject: |
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Nice shots, Bill. I see at least one of the New Flyer high-floor buses is still soldiering on. |
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thehartfordboy
Age: 31 Joined: 29 Dec 2008 Posts: 240 Location: Hartford, CT
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 11:19 am Post subject: |
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On another note, bus #350 is back from the dead. I've seen it running road tests in Hartford. |
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Bill D
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 332 Location: Waterbury, CT
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 3:46 am Post subject: |
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RailBus63 wrote: | Nice shots, Bill. I see at least one of the New Flyer high-floor buses is still soldiering on. |
There are still a few of the D40HF's operating in New Haven.
There is an articulated demo bus scheduled to arrive in Connecticut this week. It will be used to evaluate the garages and potential routes for any issues which will have to be addressed before the artic order begins arriving in November. It appears now that New Haven will get at least 13 artics, and receive them first, before Hartford and Stamford. This order, along with the 14 XDE40's, should allow (sadly) the retirement of all the 1994 and 1996 buses operating in New Haven. |
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RailBus63 Moderator
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 1063
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:23 am Post subject: |
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Any idea on the timeframe for the new buses at the various divisions? |
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Mr. Linsky BusTalk's Offical Welcoming Committee
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 5071 Location: BRENTWOOD, CA. - WOODMERE, N.Y.
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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Bill,
So far, everyone has failed to mention that this new CT facility has to be an operators dream - it just can't be real! Wow!
I would have to rank it among the top in the country and certainly on a par with Santa Monica Municipal which has held the title for many years.
In knew the Connecticut Company would amount to something someday but this is extreme.
CT gets a 'well done'!
Regards,
Mr. 'L' |
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