According to Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Haven_Line_(Metro-North)

Some major project highlights

Direct service to the meadowlands. First game scheduled would be September 20, 2009. It would operate NJ equipment and operating agreement between NJT, MNRR & Amtrak. It would use the NH line to New Rochelle where it would transfer to the Amtrak tracks to cross Hells gate Bridge. At Secaucus, fans would transfer to a shuttle bus to take them to the Meadowlands. Proposed stations are: New Haven, Bridgeport, Westport, SoNo, Stamford, Greenwich, Rye, Larchmont (huh??) & finally Penn station.

Danbury expansion to New Milford. Would add an additional stop in Danbury (Federal road, route 7 I think), Brookfield & finally New Milford. I think they'll have to electrify the branch again before they think about expanding. There was also a draft on the table to expand north as far as Pittsfield, MA which is totally stupid, but I don't think they'll be expanding that far, if they even expand at all.

New Haven-Hartford-Springfield thing won't die, but I think if the system does expand, this should be the first priority, but might cost a lot as the majority of that track (NH-Hartford) is 1 track).

A recent prospoal that is new to me is expanding the Waterbury branch to New Britian & Bristol which is another awful suggestion. I know ESPN headquarters are in Bristol but everyone that works there whether they be anchors, production staff, or TV crew all live in the state, and all can afford cars, and its not like there's a lot of people living that far up work in New York, or even Stamford/Bridgeport for that matter. Hell, even the people that commute from New Haven, the majority of them (I'd say about 65-70% maybe more) are going to Bridgeport, Stamford, SoNo.

And of course the supposidly new Tappan zee bridge which could potentially have tracks capable of carry Port Jervis & Pascack valley lines across for a 1 seat ride to New York, which will be useless if NJT ever builds that second Hudson tunnel which I don't see happening in the near future. Plus, imagine how long of a trip that'll be (since one proposal has it splitting off around Port Chester making a stop in White Plains)?? It's already more then 3 hours for a trip from Hoboken-Port Jervis, with this new plan, your gonna be approaching 5 hours. Who wants to spend 10 hours commuting?? I know I sure wouldn't.

And of course the M8's are delayed again (gee I'm shocked, really). First they were already supposed to be testing in 2008, then the first quarter or 2009, then they pushed it back to late 09, and now we have the "Current schedule calls for one 8 car test train to be delived late 2009 and full testing beginning in "early" 2010. Also, according to wiki there's supposed to be a M9 rail car thats under construction for the LIRR for the 2009-13 capital construction project, and I can almost guarantee the M9's will be on the rails before the M8's are. As for new stations: The new station in Fairfield is "supposed" to be under construction, but I know that exact area where its supposed to be and I haven't seen one thing there yet to lead me to believe their actually construction a station, and apparantly they've started construction on a new station in West Haven. Someday I'll have to take a trip up to New Haven to see if thats the case up there.



Don't really care if anyone cares or not, but thought I'd post the updates in case anyone travels on the line a lot but doesn't know a lot about it.

Why OT (Off Topic), 7express? This is interesting, though. Thank you.

Another update:

The Milford station has undergone construction, and now 8 cars are able to platform at Milford. I haven't been up to New Haven in a while, so maybe on my way to Yankee stadium I'll go up there first and go into the city from there.

On the way home from Stamford today, I FINALLY saw construction going on for the new Fairfield station. I think it should be ready by Thanksgiving, 2010 if not sooner, but knowing ConnDOT it won't be ready until Thanksgiving, 4050. They have already laid the pillars for the platform.

The platforms are going up at the Fairfield metro centre station, but still no sign of the parking lot people were talking about. Probably be open by next summer if not sooner. Since I've been taking the train from New Haven haven't seen construction in West Haven or Orange, and I'm in those neighborhoods a lot, especially in West Haven where they would probably put the station if they ever decided to build it.

Construction on the EB tracks from South Norwalk-Bridgeport is FINALLY done. First time EB trains can use track 4 from East Norwalk-Fairfield since November or December of 2007, now unfortunatly, their digging up track 2 (the one to the left of 4), so were in the same predicament we were in before, sans the bridge plates.

Actually managed to catch the progress at Fairfield metro (or black rock whatever the hell their gonna call it) on my way home last year. Platforms for the most part are up (at least on the southbound side). Still haven't seen this "garage" the state has been hootin and hollorin about, maybe its an invisible garage? Depending on what happens with the mysterious garage, the station could be up and running late next year, but knowing the state, they'll wait to open it till the garage is open as well. Will be interesting to see what happens first: The M8's appear on the line, or the new Fairfield station is open? I'll put my money on the latter.

Took the train the other day for the first time in 2 months. The Black Rock station is in great progress, and walkways have been built to separate the EB (New Haven) and WB (NY) tracks, so it looks like this garage they've been talking about will be built. As I said a couple months ago it remains to be seen whether they wait to open it when the garage is finished, or whether they open it when they finish the platforms. Garage will probably take a while to construct.

The M8's have arrived in New Haven.

Really??

Two cars are being pulled by two diesel engines for clearance testing through out the system

The M8's have arrived and have officially begun testing, yesterday running from Stamford-New Haven.

Who cares thats its only 8 cars, at least its a start.

Saw the M8 car go through Bridgeport the other night. I forgot how many miles they need to have before their put in revenue service, but once that happens, and engineers and conductors get qualified they'll be on the line slowly replacing the M2's.

They are still in acceptance testing, haven't even started the 30 day test yet. Once you are past the 30 day no fault test you will see training start and more units arrive.

A friend of mine worked a night job with the M8's and sandbags for customers for load testing a two weeks ago.

I belive that they are still testing and working out the kinks in the M8s so it will be just wait and see. And once the M2s and Possibly M4s the M3s and 3As will be the oldest commuter cars left.