New London Union Station

New London Union Station
New London Station in November 2007
General information
Location	27 Water Street New London, CT 06320
Coordinates	41.3541°N 72.0930°W / 41.3541; -72.0930
Line(s)	Acela   Northeast Regional
Platforms	2
Tracks	3
Connections	Southeast Area Transit Cross Sound Ferry Services Greyhound
Construction
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Station code	NLC
History
Opened	1889
Passengers
2008	171,022  6% (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station   Amtrak   Following station Template:Amtrak stations toward Template:Amtrak stations Template:Amtrak lines Template:Amtrak stations toward Template:Amtrak stations Template:Amtrak stations toward Template:Amtrak stations Template:Amtrak lines Template:Amtrak stations toward Template:Amtrak stations Preceding station   CDOT   Following station Template:CDOT stations toward Template:CDOT stations Template:CDOT lines Terminus

New London Union Station is a historic regional rail station located in New London, Connecticut. It is served by both Amtrak and the Connecticut Department of Transportation's Shore Line East. Located on the Northeast Corridor, the busiest railway in the United States, New London station sees more rail service than either of the stations that border it: Old Saybrook and Mystic. Amtrak's Northeast Regional stops here, and select Acela Express trains stop here as well. Along with this service, Shore Line East operates limited service to New London, making it the eastern terminus of the commuter rail service in Connecticut. Greyhound bus service is also available at the station.

Union station was designed in 1885 by noted American architect Henry Hobson Richardson. This was the last of many railroad stations design by Richardson before his death in 1887, though numerous others (including Boston's South Station) were designed by his students. Union Station is particularly large for a Richardson train station and stands out as the only station not built in the style of Trinity Church, Boston. Though with its multi-faceted roof, prominent arched entrance, and elegant brickwork, this building features many of Richardson's characteristic motifs.

As depicted on a postcard mailed in 1905

New London features a similar layout to its preceding station when travelling toward Boston, Old Saybrook. There is one island platform and a side platform, both of which are high level not only to allow handicapped accessibility but also because the Acela Express requires high platforms in order to serve a station. Like most railroad stations along the the Connecticut Coast, the station was originally built for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and Central Vermont Railroad in 1889, and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1971.

Longest (Almost) Continuous Trip on Commuter Rail

New London Union Station is the northern terminus of the longest nearly-continuous trip by commuter rail in the Northeast Corridor. By using a combination of the Shore Line East, the Metro-North, New Jersey Transit, and SEPTA Regional Rail, it is possible to travel all the way to Newark, Delaware, a distance of 258.31 miles (415.71 km). It is necessary, however, to take a short hop on the subway, quick cab ride or mile-and-a-half walk from NJ Transit service to New York's Penn Station to the Metro-North service to Grand Central Terminal.

This is necessitated by the fact that the Metro-North deviates from the Northeast Corridor, providing service to Grand Central and eastern Midtown Manhattan. The Northeast Corridor leaves Penn Station through the East River Tunnels used (though not owned) by the Long Island Railroad, then finds its way through Long Island City and Astoria in Queens, over Ward's and Randall's Islands and through the South Bronx. The Metro-North's New Haven Line rejoins the Northeast Corridor between its Pelham and New Rochelle stations in Westchester County.

Game-day service to the Meadowlands Sports Complex links the Metro-North to Penn Station (by bypassing Grand Central via the Northeast Corridor) which began in September 2009, allowing the full 250-odd mile trip, albeit with a great deal of planning ahead of time. Service is currently provided on Game Days only.

On a related note, the Maryland Transportation Authority has made steps to extend its Penn Line from Perryville, Maryland to Newark, Delaware, which would allow a continuous journey from Fredericksburg, Virginia to New London. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has also taken steps to extend service beyond Providence, Rhode Island to Wickford Junction in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, though no serious talks have begun on linking the MBTA and the Shore Line East. Such a venture, coupled with other planned service, would provide a very slow journey all the way from Virginia to New Hampshire, traveling through ten states and the District of Columbia.

Waiting room at New London Station

Boston South Greenbush, Old Colony, and Fairmount Lines Back Bay Inland Route Boston to Route 128 Boston to Route 128 Ruggles Forest Hills Hyde Park Franklin/Foxboro Line and Fairmount Line Readville Route 128 Route 128 to Providence Route 128 to Providence Canton Junction Stoughton Branch Sharon Framingham Secondary Mansfield Middleboro Subdivision Attleboro East Junction Branch South Attleboro East Providence Branch MA RI Providence and Worcester RR Pawtucket/​Central Falls Providence Providence to New London Providence to New London T. F. Green Airport Seaview Railroad Wickford Junction Kingston Westerly RI CT Mystic Groton Wharf Branch Norwich and Worcester Railroad New England Central Railroad New London New London to New Haven New London to New Haven Valley Railroad Old Saybrook Westbrook Clinton Madison Guilford Branford Steam Railroad Branford Air Line New Haven–Springfield Line New Haven State Street New Haven New Haven to Stamford New Haven to Stamford West Haven Milford Waterbury Branch Stratford Bridgeport Fairfield Metro Fairfield Southport Green's Farms Westport East Norwalk Danbury Branch South Norwalk Rowayton Darien Noroton Heights New Canaan Branch Stamford Stamford to New York City Stamford to New York City Old Greenwich Riverside Cos Cob Greenwich CT NY Port Chester Rye Harrison Mamaroneck Larchmont New Rochelle New Haven Line Oak Point Link New York Connecting Railroad LIRR Main Line Lower Montauk Branch LIRR Main Line New York New York City to Newark New York City to Newark Empire Corridor NY NJ CSX River Subdivision NJ Transit Secaucus Junction Waterfront Connection Kearny Connection Newark Penn Station Newark to Metropark Newark to Metropark Raritan Valley Line / Lehigh Line Newark Liberty Int'l Airport North Elizabeth Elizabeth Staten Island Railway Linden Linden Industrial Track Rahway North Jersey Coast Line Metropark Metropark to Trenton Metropark to Trenton Port Reading Secondary Metuchen Edison New Brunswick Millstone Branch Jersey Avenue Jamesburg Branch Princeton Junction Princeton Branch Hamilton Trenton Trenton to Philadelphia Trenton to Philadelphia NJ PA Trenton Cutoff / NJT Morrisville Yard Fairless Branch Levittown Bristol Croydon Eddington Cornwells Heights Torresdale Bustleton Branch Holmesburg Junction Tacony Bridesburg Atlantic City Line North Philadelphia SEPTA Main Line Chestnut Hill West Line CSX CSX Keystone Corridor Zoo Junction Philadelphia–30th Street  Philadelphia to Wilmington  Philadelphia to Wilmington West Chester Line Philadelphia Subdivision Airport Line Darby Curtis Park Sharon Hill Folcroft Glenolden Norwood Prospect Park Ridley Park Crum Lynne Eddystone Chester T.C. Highland Avenue Chester Secondary Marcus Hook PA DE Claymont Shellpot Branch Wilmington Wilmington to Baltimore Wilmington to Baltimore Philadelphia Subdivision Shellpot Branch Churchmans Crossing Delmarva Secondary Newark, DE DE MD Port Road Branch Perryville Aberdeen Edgewood Martin State Airport Port of Baltimore Baltimore Baltimore to BWI Airport Baltimore to BWI Airport West Baltimore Halethorpe Camden Line BWI Airport BWI Airport to Washington BWI Airport to Washington Odenton Bowie State Pope's Creek Subdivision Seabrook New Carrollton Landover Subdivision Alexandria Extension MD DC Camden Line Brunswick Line Washington, D.C. RF&P Subdivision

See also

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

External links

• New London, CT – Amtrak
• New London, CT – Station history at Great American Stations (Amtrak)
• Shore Line East - New London, CT
• New London Amtrak-Shore Line East Station (USA Rail Guide -- Train Web)
• Greyhound info