The Train Campaign

By Sue Frisch and Colleen Gundlach

The town of Norfolk is isolated by lack of affordable long-distance public transportation within a reasonable distance (up to a half-hour drive). People who want to go to New York City must either drive an hour to get on the train at Wassaic or pay $45 one way on the bus…if they can find a stop. Driving to Danbury or New York is an option, but it’s an expensive, exhausting way to commute to school or work.

In Norfolk, we find that people leaving the city often don’t want to buy here…many a real estate sale has fallen through over the long drive to the train at Wassaic, whether the prospective buyer is a retiree or a weekender who wants to keep their ties to family, friends and cultural attractions, or someone who’d like to live outside the city and commute to work or school, yet doesn’t want to drive.\The same is true of other Northwest Corner towns.  

There are several bills already in the Massachusetts legislature to support railroad lines. Most notable for the Norfolk area is a bill, pS.2096 to fund a study of passenger service on the Housatonic Rail Line, which would look at the feasibility of a rail route from Pittsfield south to New York City.  To achieve this ultimate goal will obviously take the cooperation of the state of Connecticut as well.

In an effort to support efforts to get train service through Canaan and south into New York, Norfolk Economic Development Commission member Tom McGowan is spearheading an initiative to recruit volunteers to join in the Train Campaign, a rail advocacy organization for Berkshire County and Litchfield counties. The Train Campaign is a project of the non-profit Barrington Institute,and a founding member of the Western Mass Rail Coalition. 

McGowan cites the hour long drive to the Wassaic train station from Norfolk as being a huge detriment to the growth of the communities in the Northwest Corner.“It is very inconvenient for people who need to commute or who visit the city regularly,”he says.“Rail service between Canaan and New York City would have a strong effect on the prosperity of Norfolk and surrounding communities.”

McGowan is recruiting people to support the Train Campaign and other initiatives working for the return of passenger rail service from Pittsfield south through Connecticut to Danbury and New York by working on enabling legislation in Connecticut. The group believes that an active passenger rail line within easy reach would bring residents in Norfolk and its neighboring towns, and in Connecticut as a whole, with the result of  more jobs, both direct and indirect; easier access and a greater choice of education and employment; easier access to affordable housing, which would benefit both individuals and businesses in the region and adjacent urban areas; increased tourism; greater tax and other revenues, and more real estate sales, which could translate into more children in our dwindling schools

McGowan also stresses that better, more accessible public transportation would foster environmentally friendly travel habits, reduce carbon emissions and relieve automotive congestion.

There are many railroad improvements currently underway. The 37 miles of the Housatonic Berkshire line in Massachusetts is currently being upgraded to passenger standard by the MassDOT, a $30 million project. Bridges in Connecticut are being upgraded for an $8.6 million railroad project beginning in the New Milford area. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton is leading an effort to see passenger service restored on the Maybrook section, and the draft transportation bill includes restored passenger service from Danbury to New Milford. McGowan and members of the Train Campaign want to see  the restoration of passenger service north to Canaan and connecting into Massachusetts as well.

“People need to write to their legislators to stress the importance of rail service to the Northwest Corner,” says McGowan. We need to encourage lawmakers to start the process.”  To volunteer your services or to learn more about Train Campaign, go to traincampaign.org.