Berlin station (Connecticut)

Berlin is a train station located in the Kensington neighborhood of Berlin, Connecticut. It is on the New Haven–Springfield Line and is served by Amtrak's Northeast Regional, Hartford Line, and Valley Flyer, in addition to the Hartford Line commuter rail. Two high-level platforms, each six cars long connected by an overhead pedestrian bridge opened at the Hartford Line service launch on June 16, 2018.

Berlin
A southbound Amtrak Shuttle at Berlin station in July 2019
Location	51 Depot Road, Berlin, Connecticut
Coordinates	41.6356°N 72.7653°W / 41.6356; -72.7653
Owned by	ConnDOT
Line(s)	New Haven–Springfield Line
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Connections	CT Transit New Britain: 512
Construction
Parking	235
Bicycle facilities	Bike racks are available
Disabled access	Yes
Architect	Michael Baker International
Other information
Station code	BER (Amtrak)
History
Opened	December 1839
Rebuilt	1848, 1893, 1896, 1900 2014–2018 (current station)
Traffic
Passengers (FY2018)	16,219[1]  15.8% (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station Amtrak Following station Meriden toward New Haven Hartford Line Hartford toward Springfield Meriden toward Norfolk, Newport News or Roanoke Northeast Regional Meriden toward New Haven Valley Flyer Hartford toward Greenfield Preceding station ConnDOT Following station Meriden toward New Haven Union Station Hartford Line Hartford toward Springfield Newington (proposed) toward Springfield
Former services Preceding station Amtrak Following station Meriden toward Washington, D.C. Montrealer Hartford toward Montreal

On December 21, 2016, the historic 1900-built station building was destroyed by a fire.

History

Early stations and branches

The 1848-built station at an unknown date

The Hartford and New Haven Railroad (H&NH) opened from New Haven to Meriden in December 1838, and to Hartford in December 1839.[2] The first ticket office was located about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south of the modern location, possibly in a general store.[3][4] It was replaced by a wooden station at the modern site in 1848,[3][4] after the original first depot was vacated and sold to Daniel C. Spencer sometime between 1840 and 1855, which he used a steam wheel shop until March 1, 1871. Spencer sold the property the "steam wheel shop" was on to William Daniels who stated in the deed that "said shop is to be removed from the premises at the convenience of the grantor".[5]

Middletown residents, unhappy at the H&HN skipping their town, constructed the Middletown Railroad to Berlin in 1849; it was taken over by the H&NH in 1850.[2] It connected with the mainline at a wye, with the station inside the wye.[3] The New Britain and Middletown Railroad as built from Berlin to New Britain in 1865; the H&NH operated it from the beginning and purchased it in 1868.[2] In 1870, all three lines connecting at Berlin became part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.[2]

Brick stations

An Amtrak train at Berlin station in 1980

The New Haven replaced the 1848 station with a standard yellow brick design, similar to those extant at South Norwalk and Torrington, opening around August 24, 1893 on the east side of the mainline tracks. The two branch lines were extended on a diamond crossing across the mainline around this time.[3][4] The 1893-built station burned in 1896 and was replaced by a nearly identical building in red brick, which in turn burned on June 27, 1900.[3][4] The walls and foundation of the later station were largely intact and used to build a new station, which opened in December 1900.[3][6]

On May 27, 1897, third rail electric service began from Hartford and Berlin to New Britain. Electrification was extended to Bristol in 1898, but withdrawn on July 7, 1906 when the City of New Britain obtained a court order against the electrification, which had caused a number of deaths.[3] However, trolley service powered by overhead wires successfully operated over the Middletown branch from 1906 to the 1920s.[2]

In the 1920s, a southbound station building (possibly a freight house) was constructed on the west side of the tracks.[3][4] Passenger service ended on the Middletown branch around 1932, and on the branch to New Britain around 1935.[2] The southbound building burned in the 1970s.[4] Amtrak took over intercity service on the mainline on May 1, 1971.[2]

With passenger service at low levels for the last part of the century, the station fell into disrepair. The roof and gutters built into the walls leaked, causing freeze-thaw damage to the brick structure. Many of the original electrical, plumbing, and heating systems were also in ill repair. Despite this, the station was among the best-preserved 19th-century stations in the state, with much of its original interior still intact.[6] The town received $2.12 million in state and federal grants in 2005 to fund restoration. Engineering assessment of the station began in 2008, with final design completed in 2012.[6]

New station

Southbound platform and pedestrian bridge under construction in December 2015

Construction on the new station started in 2014.[6] The historic station building, including the ticket office, closed on March 4, 2016 for renovations. On April 25, 2016, a temporary platform was opened south of the station building so that the northbound high-level platform could be constructed on the site of the former low-level platform.[7]

Historic Berlin station building after December 2016 fire

On December 21, 2016, the 1900-built station building was destroyed by an early-morning fire. The under-construction platforms and bridge were not significantly harmed, but Amtrak briefly stopped service to the station before resuming with a speed restriction.[8][9] On December 29, state investigators ruled that the station remains were too damaged to repair. Instead, historically significant items like radiators and stone lintels were salvaged and the station remains demolished.[9] The demolition was delayed due to insurance concerns in January 2017.[10]

The rebuilt Berlin station partially opened on June 16, 2018, the same day the Hartford Line commuter rail commenced service, following Meriden and Wallingford in late 2017.[11][12] Amenities at the new station include two high-level platforms connected by a pedestrian bridge, automatic snow melt systems, and train information displays.[11] The Vermonter stops at Berlin and Wallingford stations were discontinued on June 9, 2018 due to the addition of Hartford Line service.[13] A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the completed station on October 23, 2018.[14]

References

1. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2018, State of Connecticut" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2019. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
2. Karr, Ronald Dale (1995). The Rail Lines of Southern New England. Branch Line Press. pp. 74–78. ISBN 0942147022.
3. Belletzkie, Bob. "Stations: B-BO". Tyler City Station. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
4. Roy, John H. Jr. (2007). A Field Guide to Southern New England Railroad Depots and Freight Houses. Branch Line Press. pp. 33–34. ISBN 9780942147087.
5. Berlin, Index to Land Records, Grantor, A to Z, 1785 - 1850, Pg. 626, (line 20), Vol.21,Pgs. 14 - 15 MTG. Also, Vol.21, Pgs. 14 - 15
6. "Berlin, CT (BER)". Great American Stations. Amtrak.
7. "Information Center: Archived Construction Updates". New Haven–Hartford–Springfield Rail Program. Connecticut Department of Transportation. April 22, 2016.
8. Dempsey, Christine; Byron, Ken (December 21, 2016). "Large Fire Destroys Old Amtrak Station In Berlin". Hartford Courant. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
9. Leukhardt, Bill (December 30, 2016). "State Rules 116-Year-Old Berlin Train Station Will Have To Be Demolished". Hartford Courant. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
10. Backus, Lisa (January 10, 2017). "Insurance concerns delay demolition of Berlin train station". New Britain Herald. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
11. "New Hartford Line Stations Open in Meriden and Berlin" (PDF). New Haven - Hartford - Springfield Rail Program. Summer 2018. p. 3. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
12. Porter, Mikaela; Owens, David (June 17, 2018). "Thousands Take A Free Ride On Hartford Line's Inaugural Run". Retrieved June 17, 2018.
13. "Vermonter Timetable" (PDF). Amtrak. June 9, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
14. "Gov. Malloy Announces Completion of New Train Station in Berlin Serving the Hartford Line" (Press release). The Office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy. October 23, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.

External links

• Berlin, CT – Amtrak
• Berlin – Hartford Line
• Berlin Amtrak Station (TrainWeb)
• Berlin (BER) – Great American Stations