In an effort to effort to address crowding aboard its trains operating during afternoon hours on the CTrail Hartford Line, Amtrak is limiting advance ticket sales.
The effect is to allow more seats for travelers with Hartford Line tickets.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation agreed to the change, which effects Train 475 (Hartford to New Haven) and Train 474 (New Haven to Hartford).
CDOT said the limitations on advance reservations for those trains will open up seats for for up to 72 riders with CTrail Hartford Line tickets.
Overcrowding of afternoon Amtrak trains on the route has persisted since last summer in part due to Amtrak agreeing to honor CTrail tickets on its trains on the Hartford Line.
But the overcrowding has resulted in Amtrak personnel sometimes refusing to allow CTrail ticket holders aboard Amtrak trains that are at capacity.
Although then-Gov. Dannel P. Malloy called this practice a violation of the state’s agreement with Amtrak, Connecticut Public Radio recently reported that its review of the contract between the state and Amtrak found it does not contain language that makes CTrail and Amtrak tickets equal.
CDOT has maintained since September under the agreement Amtrak conductors can’t ask CTrail and student-ticketed passengers to exit trains that are full on the Hartford line.
But the agreement does not explicitly state that there is a formal “One Ticket, Any Train” agreement between Amtrak and CDOT.
Amtrak trains run with two cars, which is two fewer that CTrail trains have.
“The challenge that we’re faced with is we have more customers wanting to use the service than available seats,” said Rich Andreski, CDOT’s bureau chief of public transportation. “The bottom line is we need to provide more seats for customers.”
CDOT has asked Amtrak to add more cars and even more trains to the route to help meet passenger demand.
In particularly, the agency wants to see Amtrak operate at least one more train during the afternoon hours.
“We understand the frustration of passengers being asked to wait for another train and appreciate their patience until we can resolve this issue,” CDOT spokesman Judd Everhart said.“At the same time, we recognize Amtrak’s position that having passengers standing in the aisles and vestibules can be a safety concern.”
CTrail service began last June between Springfield, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut, with stops in Windsor Locks, Windsor, Hartford, Berlin, Meriden and Wallingford.
Since September, when Amtrak trains are full conductors have asked CTrail and U-Pass ticketed passengers to either stay on the platform or give up their seats to those holding Amtrak tickets.
Amtrak has been generally honoring CTrail’s “One Ticket, Any Train” desire except when its own trains are full.
Amtrak has said it only leaves CTrail ticket holders behind or ask non-Amtrak passengers to give up their seats during such “unsafe conditions” as passengers have to stand in the vestibule.
Passengers booking travel through Amtrak must have a reservation, but CTrail ticket buyers do not.
However, Connecticut officials acknowledge they are limited in their ability to demand that Amtrak increase capacity of its trains.
The state could request that of Amtrak in writing but acceding to those requests is at Amtrak’s discretion.
One other option that state officials are considering is to establish a system whereby CTrail and Amtrak passengers would essentially purchase the same ticket.