New train cars on CTRail’s Hartford line are one step closer.
On Monday, the Connecticut Department of Transportation showed off prototypes for what will eventually be 60 new rail cars, rolling out in early 2027.
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“It’s kind of like a modern European style train,” Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said.
The Alstom model European train cars are being brought into the United States for the first time, the commissioner said.
Each car has four workstation tables, bicycle storage for four, automatic exterior doors, LED lighting, real-time route information and outlets at every seat.
The design is wheelchair friendly with 32-inch aisles and ADA-compliant restrooms.
The max speed of the car is 125 mph, although the Hartford line’s maximum is 110 mph.
The prototype was delivered at New Haven Union Station after a years-long feedback and order process. The cars were custom tailored for the CT DOT.
“Europe has a huge amount of rail all over their countries, and they’re bringing that type of rail into Connecticut for the first time,” Alstom contract manager Diane Dulka said. “It’s all state of the art. It’s wonderful.”
The rail car prototype looks like a gray box with windows. It sits next to a generator in New Haven Union Station’s east lot.
Passengers wishing to try it out and provide feedback can do so from now until Jan. 6 on Tuesdays and Thursdays (excluding holidays) from 7 to 9 a.m. and from 3 to 5 p.m.
“There’s a lot of interest in how it’s going to roll out, so, you know, we want as much feedback as possible,” Eucalitto said. “The feedback is going to help us make determinations on whether we need to make any additional changes or tweaks to the design.”
The commissioner said other transit systems in the country are interested in potentially getting onto the contract.
“We’ve been working with [manufacturer Alstom] on every single detail over the past couple of years,” he said.
Delivery to CT DOT will begin late next year for testing. They will transport customers starting in early 2027.
