Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy says the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail line will be open for business on June 16.
Malloy made the announcement on Thursday at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Meriden train station, which will be one of the stops on the line. “And what will this service allow on this 67-mile corridor? Real transportation alternatives, real possibilities of moving from major cities to smaller cities to out-of-state cities. The possibility on a timely basis to travel anywhere in this corridor to New York or Boston in another route.”
Department of Transportation Commissioner Jim Redeker said Meriden and other communities like it on the 1-91 corridor will benefit from the new rail line. “And here we are to the cut the ribbon on a brand new station, which is a destination, which is an origin, which is at the center of Connecticut, but connecting to the entire region: north to Springfield, south to New Haven, to Boston, to New York, and beyond.”
The June 16 launch is a month behind schedule. State officials say they need the time for repairs to 16 rail cars it’s leasing from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
The State of Connecticut is spending more than $4 million to lease and repair the 30-year-old rail cars.
Connecticut DOT officials say that the MASS DOT is performing all necessary repairs and inspections before the cars will be delivered.