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	Re-Development of Rail Line Proposed For Patriots Stadium (Columbia-WTNH) _ Plans to move a plant sitting on the proposed site of the stadium for the New England Patriots appear to be going nowhere. The goal is to clear 11 acres along the Connecticut River. But Robert Wright, the president of the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority and one of the negotiators, says not much progress has been made. But another project aimed at getting fans into the stadium site is moving forward. News Channel 8's Peter Standring reports. To get from Northeast Connecticut to Hartford the most direct route is Route 6. But some day it may be a passenger rail service. Folks out here sure hope so. John Filchak, Northeast Council of Govts.: "We're commonly called the quiet corner. More often than not it's the forgotten corner. It's hard to get there from here. We have north-south railways but no real east-west connection." Now an east-west rail connection may not be out of the question. The Connecticut Southern Railroad company is thinking about re-developing a railway from Willimantic to Manchester. From here the rails have been ripped up but the beds still exist. It's a straight shot for almost 20 miles. More importantly, the state owns all of it. Area lawmakers say that makes re-developing this corridor smarter than trying to build a new expressway. Jack Burke, Killingly Town Council: "This is a terrific alternative. The beds are in place, ya can build a mile of rail a lot cheaper than a mile of highway, it's cheaper to maintain, and ya move volumes." At first perhaps just volumes of freight but ultimately they'd like to see volumes of people moved, especially in a few years when a new stadium is built in Hartford for the Patriots and fans begin flocking to the games. Wayne Doubleday, Willimantic: "If they put the rail line is between Willimantic and Hartford, it would cut down on a lot of congestion on Route 6 and save a lot of lives." Claire Doubleday, Willimantic: "If we had one here I would ride it. When I was a kid my mom and I rode it all the time to Hartford and back." Peter: "So you'd like to see that again?" "Yeah." Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

Re-Development of Rail Line Proposed For Patriots Stadium
(Columbia-WTNH) _ Plans to move a plant sitting on the proposed site of the stadium for the New England Patriots appear to be going nowhere. The goal is to clear 11 acres along the Connecticut River. But Robert Wright, the president of the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority and one of the negotiators, says not much progress has been made. But another project aimed at getting fans into the stadium site is moving forward.
News Channel 8's Peter Standring reports.

To get from Northeast Connecticut to Hartford the most direct route is Route 6. But some day it may be a passenger rail service. Folks out here sure hope so.

John Filchak, Northeast Council of Govts.: "We're commonly called the quiet corner. More often than not it's the forgotten corner. It's hard to get there from here. We have north-south railways but no real east-west connection."

Now an east-west rail connection may not be out of the question. The Connecticut Southern Railroad company is thinking about re-developing a railway from Willimantic to Manchester. From here the rails have been ripped up but the beds still exist. It's a straight shot for almost 20 miles. More importantly, the state owns all of it. Area lawmakers say that makes re-developing this corridor smarter than trying to build a new expressway.

Jack Burke, Killingly Town Council: "This is a terrific alternative. The beds are in place, ya can build a mile of rail a lot cheaper than a mile of highway, it's cheaper to maintain, and ya move volumes."

At first perhaps just volumes of freight but ultimately they'd like to see volumes of people moved, especially in a few years when a new stadium is built in Hartford for the Patriots and fans begin flocking to the games.

Wayne Doubleday, Willimantic: "If they put the rail line is between Willimantic and Hartford, it would cut down on a lot of congestion on Route 6 and save a lot of lives."

Claire Doubleday, Willimantic: "If we had one here I would ride it. When I was a kid my mom and I rode it all the time to Hartford and back."
Peter: "So you'd like to see that again?"
"Yeah."

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