Noroton Heights (Metro-North station)

Noroton Heights
Station building, an "overgrown Plexiglass [sic] shelter protected by a metal lean-to" — consultant's report[1]
Station statistics
Address	325 Heights Road, Darien, CT 06820
Coordinates	41°04′12″N 73°29′52″W / 41.070099°N 73.49787°W / 41.070099; -73.49787
Lines	New Haven Line
Connections	CTTransit Stamford: 42
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	4
Parking	772 spaces
Other information
Electrified	12,500V (AC) overhead catenary
Traffic
Passengers (2006)	301,080[2]  0%
Services
Preceding station   Metro-North Railroad   Following station Stamford toward Grand Central New Haven Line Darien toward New Haven – State Street

The Noroton Heights Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Darien, Connecticut via the New Haven Line. It is 36.2 miles from Grand Central Terminal.

The station is located near Exit 10 on Interstate 95. The highway borders the southern side of the station, which faces Heights Road to the north, Hollow Tree Ridge Road to the west and has access to Noroton Avenue to the east (via Ledge Road). The station is one of two in Darien; the other is the Darien Metro-North train station.

The Noroton Heights station building is "unique in that it resembles an overgrown Plexiglass [sic] shelter protected by a metal lean-to," according to a January 2007 state Department of Transportation report. According to the report, the station is a "notable alternative to the downtown Stamford train station. The Noroton Heights station is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. All the railroad parking at the station (772 spaces^[1]) is owned by the state. The farthest available parking spaces are as much as 1,500 feet from the station.^[3]

Platform and track configuration

This station has two high-level side platforms, each 10 cars long. The northern platform, adjacent to Track 3, is generally used by westbound or Manhattan-bound trains. The southern platform, adjacent to Track 4, is generally used by eastbound or outbound trains.

The New Haven Line has four tracks at this location. The two inner tracks, not adjacent to either platform, are used only by express trains.

History

As of January 2007, Northeast Utilities had plans to put an underground 345-kV cable along the south edge of the eastbound parking lot (just north of Interstate 95). The state Department of Transportation agreed to the location because it would "minimize the potential impact to any future parking structure built at this site."^[3]

In 1989, the attractive former station building was slated for demolition. Instead, a group of Darien residents changed it into "The Depot", a youth center. The building remains at the far end of the train station, near the intersection of Noroton Avenue and Heights Road.^[4] Across the train tracks from "The Depot" is the Post 53 ambulance unit (which previously occupied "The Depot" building before moving into its more modern headquarters).

In recent years the town government of Darien has been collecting parking revenue from the station, which has gone into an improvement fund. The stairs leading to Hollow Tree Ridge Road were replaced in late 2010 along with new lighting being installed. Renovations will also include an update to the overpass (witch will be closed for renovations starting Jun 6, 2011). The improvement project is running behind schedule with the original completion date being December 2010, no new date has been announced. ^[5]

Gallery

• 

  Bridge over the tracks (to be replaced)

• 

  View from across the tracks

• 

  View from platform

• 

  Former station building, now The Depot youth center

• 

  View of old station building from across tracks

• 

  Metro-North train painted like a former New Haven Railroad locomotive

See also

• Connecticut Rail Commuter Council is the official state advocate for commuters and brings station problems to the attention of officials.

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} [1]"Task 2: Technical Memorandum parking Inventory and Utilization: Final Report" submitted by Urbitran Associates Inc. to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, "Table 1: New haven Line Parking Capacity and Utilization", page 6, July 2003
2. ^ Using 260 weekdays in a year multiplied by number of weekday passengers (1,158)
3. ^ ^{a b} [2] Bureau of Public Transportation of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, "Noroton Heights Train Station Visual Inspection Report" dated January 2007 (although parts of the inspection were carried out in September 2006)
4. ^ [3]"History" page at The Depot Web site, accessed April 12, 2007
5. ^ [4] Fisher, Joshua, "Klein touts record: Won’t say if she’s running (but it sounds like it)" article in The Darien Times, July 19, 2007, accessed same day

External links

• Metro-North Web page for Noroton Heights station
• List of upcoming train departure times and track assignments from MTA
• Connecticut Rail Commuter Council: Noroton Heights Railroad Station Frequently Asked Questions
• Cablevision News 12 editorial about the station, January 28, 2004