I was recently surprised to experience first-hand how high passenger demand during the holiday season has mandated additional weekend service on Metro-North’s New Haven Line.
When I traveled to New York City last Saturday and returned that same night, parking spaces at West Haven and New Haven train stations were filled prior to 10 a.m. I scurried to find alternative parking as I already missed a couple of trains to Grand Central Terminal. I arrived a half hour late to a brunch reunion among my fraternity brothers (I am rarely late for dining reservations).
When boarded in New Haven, there were mobs of passengers in the stairwell and on the platform waiting patiently for train doors to open. Conductors reminded boarding passengers at every station stop that it was a 12-car train, and more seats were available in the last two cars.
By the time we reached Bridgeport, there were few available seats in my train car. A father with two young sons tried sitting in two empty seats next to me. I immediately relocated to an open seat nearby, which the father appreciated (a train conductor fist-bumped me). It was amusing to hear the older son excitedly appreciate his newly acquired (and my prior) window seat.
On the return train to New Haven, I was surprised to find Grand Central’s train screen displaying a New Haven Line train with Westport as a first stop. I reminded myself it was Saturday night and not a weeknight during peak service. Once again, the platform and train cars were packed but conductors reminded passengers it was a “super express train” to New Haven with fewer Fairfield County stops.
As a train aficionado, I asked a conductor about the unusual express train. He said it was needed this time of year and there are four trains with similar service on weekends. Plus, more train cars have been added than the typical eight or 10 cars.
Maybe more of us will be visiting the city and doing so frequently on Metro-North. Having this express service makes a notable difference and demand may increase into next year. The Metro-North holiday lights trains have also returned this month with featured dawn and nighttime service.
I am overdue to tour the train model and will do soon. I will also continue taking Metro-North to New York City, but I will have to remind myself to leave home earlier so I can get a parking space during the busiest time of year.
Jonathan L. Wharton, Ph.D., is associate professor of political science and urban affairs as well as sociology department chairman at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven.