Shore Line East

Shore Line East
A westbound train arrives at Guilford in 2015
Overview
Type	Commuter rail
Locale	Southeastern Connecticut
Termini	Stamford New Haven Old Saybrook New London
Stations	14
Daily ridership	1,900 (Q1 2016)
Website	shorelineeast.com
Operation
Opened	May 29, 1990
Owner	Amtrak (east of Shoreline Junction) ConnDOT (west of Shoreline Junction)
Operator(s)	Amtrak (under contract to ConnDOT)
Rolling stock	Push-pull coaches
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	25kV 60 Hz AC (only used by Amtrak)
Route map Amtrak Northeast Corridor New London Niantic River Bridge Niantic(proposed) Connecticut River Bridge Old Saybrook Westbrook Clinton Madison Guilford Branford New Haven-State Street New Haven-Union Station West Haven Milford Stratford Bridgeport Stamford Amtrak Northeast Corridor & Metro-North New Haven Line This diagram:

Shore Line East (SLE) is a commuter rail service which operates along the Northeast Corridor through southern Connecticut, US. A fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT), SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor from New London west to New Haven, with limited through service to Bridgeport and Stamford. Connecting service west of New Haven to New York City is available via Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line.

The service was introduced in 1990 as a temporary measure to reduce congestion during construction work on I-95. However, it proved more popular than expected, and service was continued after construction ended despite criticisms that the line was too expensive to operate. The service has been continually upgraded since its inception with rebuilt stations and new rolling stock as well as extensions to New London in 1996 and to Stamford in 2001. Around 1,900 to 2,100 riders use the service every weekday depending on the season.

Most weekday SLE trains run local westbound from New London or Old Saybrook to New Haven in the morning, with some nonstop eastbound service. This traffic pattern is reversed in the afternoon and evening rush. A handful operate through New Haven as far as Stamford.

Most weekend SLE trains also run local westbound in the morning, then express in the afternoon, stopping only at Guilford and Westbrook between Old Saybrook and State Street. Eastbound service is reversed. This is because Branford, Madison, and Clinton only have platforms on the eastbound track, and thus switching is needed to platform a westbound train.

Around half of SLE trains operate to and from New London Station. New London SLE multi-ride pass holders are also allowed to board selected Northeast Regional trains, or Acela Express train #2151. There are plans to increase the service to New London, which is limited by U.S. Coast Guard requirements regarding the bridge crossing the Connecticut River. After years with just one or two trains to New London, additional New London round trips were added in 2010 and 2013, and weekend service began in June 2013.