Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Money
  • Election 2020
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Money
    Election 2020
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

Rell gets long-delayed ride on the railroad

  • by Uma Ramiah
  • November 15, 2010
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

NEW HAVEN–It was a long time coming, but Gov. M. Jodi Rell took her first ride Monday on one of more than 300 new rail cars being added to the Metro North New Haven line.

“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” she said of the five-year wait for delivery of the first of the cars. “I’ve been bugging the DOT, literally, almost every day saying, ‘When? When are we going to get them in service, when are we ready to go?'”

The cars won’t really be ready to go until next month, when DOT finishes testing the first 22 of the 348 cars ordered. But Rell, who is leaving office in less than two months, said the state has fulfilled a promise to commuters.

“It was five years ago that we laid out this vision, and what we said was that we wanted to remake Connecticut’s commuter rail system,” she said. “This is what we promised our commuters, and this is what we’re delivering today.”

She rode in a car with “Governor M. Jodi Rell” painted on the side-a surprise for the governor, Department of Transportation Commissioner Jeffrey A. Parker said.

“I wish I could put M. Jodi Rell on every single one of them,” Rell said.

Thanking the DOT, the commuter rail council and the legislature, Rell said the New Haven line is critical to economic development in Connecticut.

She said recent numbers show that this year for the first time, Metro North carried more passengers in one month than the Long Island railroad.

“So we’re going to make sure that our passengers have good, clean, exciting trains to ride.”

The new cars, designed by Kawasaki Rail Car, have high-backed red and grey seats and roomy restrooms. Each row has electric outlets for commuter use and the trains are pre-wired for Wi-Fi service.

“This is the most complicated car we’ve ever made,” said Hiroji Iwasaki, CEO of Kawasaki Rail Car, who joined Rell and Parker for the test ride.

Commuters had long complained about the existing 35-year-old fleet of cars, saying there are grungy, overcrowded and uncomfortable. But it remains to be seen what kind of economic effect this new fleet, which will cost the state $559 million, will have on the state.

“The overall capacity of the trains will go up,” said Parker, saying the total number of seats will increase. But focus groups conducted prior to the purchase centered on the new features existing commuters would like to see, he said, and not on whether the fleet would reduce the total number of cars on the road.

“We didn’t look at whether it would attract new commuters,” he said.

Regardless, Rell was in a triumphant mood as she rode from New Haven to the Fairfield station. She answered questions but made sure to look out the windows. “Beautiful scenery,” she said.

“Since my days even in the legislature, we’ve talked about transportation,” she said. “And every time we talked about doing something whether it was building new roads or buying new trains we’d come up against a brick wall.”

“I said we can’t give up,” Rell said. “I couldn’t be more proud if I was the mother of this train.”

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Uma Ramiah

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
‘No one took us seriously:’ Black cops warned about racist Capitol Police officers for years
by Joshua Kaplan and Joaquin Sapien | ProPublica

While many officers were filmed fighting off Capitol rioters, at least 12 others are under investigation for possibly assisting them.

Donald Trump built a national debt so big (even before the pandemic) that it’ll weigh down the economy for years
by Allan Sloan and Cezary Podkul | ProPublica

The national debt has risen by almost $7.8 trillion during President Trump’s time in office.

For some transgender people, pandemic paves path to transition
by Carol Leonetti Dannhauser | C-HIT.ORG

The COVID-19 pandemic has given many transgender individuals the incentive to begin gender-affirming hormone therapy.

The struggle for racial justice and equality is far from over
by Marilyn Moore

On the eve of the annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, I and many others are reflecting on what recently transpired at the U. S. Capitol and how it relates to the injustices that Dr. King and so many others fought to change so many years ago. It is obvious that our nation's fight for racial justice and equality is far from over. In fact, it continues to this day.

The mentoring circle: Supportive relationships across generations
by Josiah H. Brown

January is Mentoring Month, January 17 International Mentoring Day — with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday a day of service. 

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion The struggle for racial justice and equality is far from over
by Marilyn Moore

On the eve of the annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, I and many others are reflecting on what recently transpired at the U. S. Capitol and how it relates to the injustices that Dr. King and so many others fought to change so many years ago. It is obvious that our nation's fight for racial justice and equality is far from over. In fact, it continues to this day.

Opinion The mentoring circle: Supportive relationships across generations
by Josiah H. Brown

January is Mentoring Month, January 17 International Mentoring Day — with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday a day of service. 

Opinion Evidence not clear that Trump incited Capitol destruction
by Alan Calandro

Defending President Donald Trump is not popular and I have no interest in writing this other than adherence to truth. Recognizing the truth (if we can find it, which is not always possible of course) should make us be able to come together around that and move on with a common understanding.

Opinion Securing our nuclear legacy: An open letter to President-elect Joe Biden
by Erik Assadourian

Dear President-elect Biden: As you noted in a tweet shortly after protestors stormed the Capitol on Wednesday, “Today is a reminder, a painful one, that democracy is fragile.” Indeed it is. And so are nation-states.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO