This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

Shoreline Rail Work Set for the Season

Shoreline residents who live near the railroad tracks can put their earplugs away: The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) reports that the rail work between Guilford and Old Saybrook has been completed. The exception is a pedestrian walkway over the tracks plus an additional platform in Clinton; that project has gone out to bid and will be awarded in the next few weeks. Construction will begin in spring.

In April 2019, work between Branford and New Haven will resume and will finish in August.

The work by Amtrak, which began in late April between New Haven and Old Saybrook, addressed drainage issues by removing contaminated gravel, mud, and stone ballast from underneath the tracks, followed by installation of clean stone ballast and track structure realignment.

Stone ballast supports the tracks and slopes down from them, allowing water to drain away. The contaminated material was removed with a ballast undercutter, a piece of heavy machinery that created noticeable noise for those living and working nearby. In addition, horns were sounded more often than usual—sometimes at night—to alert workers to oncoming trains.

One of the two tracks could not be used during the project, necessitating bus service and delays, which affected both Amtrak and Shoreline East passengers.