Noroton Heights station


The Noroton Heights station is a commuter rail stop on the Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line located in the Noroton Heights section of Darien, Connecticut. The station is located near exit 10 on Interstate 95. The highway borders the southern side of the station, which faces Heights Road to the north, Hollow Tree Ridge Road to the west and has access to Noroton Avenue to the east.

History

As of January 2007, Northeast Utilities had plans to put an underground 345-kV cable along the south edge of the eastbound parking lot. The state Department of Transportation agreed to the location because it would "minimize the potential impact to any future parking structure built at this site."
In 1989, the attractive former station building was slated for demolition. Instead, a group of Darien residents changed it into "The Depot", a youth center. The building remains at the far end of the train station, near the intersection of Noroton Avenue and Heights Road. Across the train tracks from "The Depot" is the Post 53 ambulance unit.
In recent years the town government of Darien has been collecting parking revenue from the station, which has gone into an improvement fund. The stairs leading to Hollow Tree Ridge Road were replaced in late 2010 along with new lighting being installed. Renovations will also include an update to the overpass. The improvement project is running behind schedule with the original completion date being December 2010, no new date has been announced.
A $8 million reconstruction of the station platforms began in March 2017, with completion then planned for late 2018.

Station layout

This station has two high-level side platforms, the northern platform is 10 cars long, while the southern platform is 9 cars long. The northern platform, adjacent to Track 3, is generally used by westbound trains. The southern platform, adjacent to Track 4, is generally used by eastbound trains. The New Haven Line has four tracks at this location. The two inner tracks, not adjacent to either platform, are used only by express trains.
The Noroton Heights station building is "unique in that it resembles an overgrown Plexiglass shelter protected by a metal lean-to," according to a January 2007 state Department of Transportation report. According to the report, the station is a "notable alternative to the downtown Stamford train station. The Noroton Heights station is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. All the railroad parking at the station is owned by the state. The farthest available parking spaces are as much as 1,500 feet from the station.