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75-612: Springfield Line may refer to: New Haven-Springfield Line , an intercity rail line in Connecticut and Massachusetts Springfield Avenue Line (Newark) , a former streetcar route in New Jersey Springfield Route , a never-built Washington Metrorail line to Backlick Road, branching off the Blue Line at Van Dorn Street Springfield railway line , Brisbane,

150-424: A joint venture between TransitAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts Inc . Half of these trains operate between New Haven and Hartford, with the other four running the whole line between New Haven and Springfield. Amtrak added three new Shuttle round trips on top of its previous service. This brings the total round trips on the line to sixteen between New Haven and Hartford, with twelve of them operating along

225-616: A final report in 2005, which was presented for a grant application to the Federal Transit Administration New Starts program. Construction added 27 miles (43 km) of double track as well as 2 miles (3.2 km) of new passing sidings , leaving less than 12 miles (19 km) of single track. Five new interlockings were built and new signal systems were installed, including the installation of Positive Train Control . Bridges and culverts on

300-894: A mainstay of striped bass and other pelagic fish . The ban of netting of bunker - which were over-fished in the late 1990s - has significantly improved the quality and volume of the striped bass population in Long Island Sound. Underwater cables transmit electricity under Long Island Sound, most notably a new and controversial Cross Sound Cable that runs from New Haven in western Connecticut, to Shoreham in central Long Island, and an older one from Rye in Westchester County to Oyster Bay on Long Island. Scientists debate whether submarine power cables are safe for marine ecosystems, but installations like large-scale armoing around cables helps to protect overall ecological impact and provides ecosystem regeneration. Over

375-563: A nontidal, freshwater lake to a tidal, saline arm of the sea. Numerous rivers empty into the Sound, including: Connecticut New York Rhode Island The whole watershed population is about 8.93 million as of the 2010 census. Due to extent of the Connecticut River, many riverside cities and towns are included in the Long Island Sound watershed. The largest towns and cities from south to north, west to east are: Seaweeds in

450-522: A recessional moraine . Other islands, including the Thimble Islands , are for the most part exposed bedrock with a thin amount of drift, often not continuous. Other shoals and islands off the Connecticut coast are a mixture of these two extremes. The glacier also created several sandy outwash deltas off the coast, including one off Bridgeport, Connecticut , and another off New Haven, Connecticut . Fishers Island, New York , appears to be related to

525-560: A suburban railway line in Queensland, Australia Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Springfield Line . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Springfield_Line&oldid=640413312 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

600-451: A third or fourth track would require removing or relocating the busway. The connection between a new double track section from Hartford to Windsor and an existing section from north of Windsor to south of Windsor Locks was completed on September 25, 2018, leaving less than twelve miles (19 km) of single track on the line. The new section was not expected to allow additional service, but to increase reliability. One proposal to replace

675-404: A type of goose. During the 1930s, the Long Island Sound was struck by an outbreak of a mold infection known as " eelgrass wasting disease ". As a result, most of the eelgrass that grew in the sound was killed off, and as an extension, populations of wildlife in the area that depended upon the eelgrass either as food or as a habitat went into a sharp decline. During the succeeding decades, areas along

750-506: Is a shift in the types of plankton that make up their community in Long Island Sound. Over the last several decades, excess nitrogen may have adversely affected diatoms —microscopic, single-celled algae at the base of the food chain, which make shells ('frustules') of opaline silica. When diatoms are less productive, they are replaced by other phytoplankton such as dinoflagellates or blue-green algae , which grow well in waters with high nitrogen levels, but do not need silica . Such changes in

825-474: Is dependent upon sunlight, and the water of the Long island Sound can be very murky. Eelgrass roots help stabilize muddy sediments and can trap moving sand, helping prevent erosion. The leaves, that can range in size from less than 1 m to 2 m long, slow currents, providing calm environments for many species of mollusks and other invertebrates. Eelgrass is also an important food source for waterfowl, especially brant ,

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900-549: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages New Haven-Springfield Line The New Haven–Springfield Line is a railroad line owned by Amtrak from New Haven, Connecticut , north to Springfield, Massachusetts , serving the Knowledge Corridor . As a branch of the Northeast Corridor just north of New Haven State Street station , it

975-537: Is inhabited by both marine fish and anadromous fish (oceanic or estuarine species that spawn in freshwater streams and rivers, see fish migration ). The most common marine fish in the Sound include porgy , butterfish, winter flounder , summer flounder , windowpane flounder , fourspot flounder , northern and striped sea robin , little skate , menhaden, Atlantic silversides, black seabass , blackfish (tautog), cunner , bluefish , and smooth dogfish . Frequently Atlantic bonito and false albacore , both members of

1050-400: Is one of the few vascular plants found in the marine environment. Despite its name, it is actually not a species of underwater grass; instead, it is a plant that bears a physical resemblance to grass. It can tolerate a wide range of water salinity. It grows on muddy to sandy sediments (even among rocks), mostly below low tide, often forming large meadows. it grows best in shallow water because it

1125-921: Is part of the Inland Route connecting Boston and New York via Hartford, Springfield, and Worcester , in contrast to the " Shore Line " along the Connecticut Shore and through Rhode Island . The line was originally built by the Hartford and New Haven Railroad , and opened to Springfield in 1844. In 2004, Congress added the New Haven–Springfield Line onto the Northern New England Corridor , one of ten federally designated corridors for potential high-speed rail service. Upgrades needed for higher-speed rail , including rebuilding portions of double tracking removed in

1200-596: Is served by approximately seven daily Northeast Regional round trips, some continuing from New Haven to Washington, D.C. , along the Corridor and others terminating at New Haven as shuttles . On weekends, there is one train daily to Roanoke, Virginia . It is also served by the daily Vermonter , which starts in Washington, D.C., and continues north from Springfield, finally terminating in St. Albans, Vermont . The line

1275-793: The American toad , and the hognose snake (which feeds on Fowler's toads). There are six broad categories of bird habitats near Long Island Sound: (1) open water areas, including bays, coves, rivers and the Sound itself; (2) tidal marshes; (3) mudflats; (4) sandy beaches; (5) offshore islands; and (6) mainland uplands, including woodlands and fields. Some birds are summer residents or winter residents, while others are spring and fall transients. Year round residents include herring gull , great black-backed gull , common tern and double-crested cormorant . Coastal migrants (also called "transients") include shorebirds such as plovers , turnstones , sandpipers , willet and yellowlegs . Summer residents include

1350-542: The Atlantic oyster drill , the northern moon snail , Atlantic moon snail , the channeled and knobbed whelks . Crustaceans include crabs , shrimp and lobsters . In the Sound there are the green crab (a non-native species first reported in Boston around 1900, but a common crab found on the shore, where it feeds on eastern oysters and soft-shell clams ), blue crab , red crab , Jonah crab in deepwater areas, and

1425-545: The Atlantic rock crab , which settles in large numbers along rocky shores, especially around Millstone Point, Niantic Bay and Fishers Island Sound. Other crabs found include the lady crab , spider crabs , and fiddler crabs ; hermit crabs and mole crabs are also found. By the late 1980s, the Japanese shore crab , an invasive species, was the most commonly found crab in the sound. The sand shrimp Crangon septemspinosa and two species of grass shrimp are plentiful along

1500-590: The Bronx in New York City . The climate of Long Island Sound is warm temperate or Cfa in the Köppen climate classification . Summers are hot and humid often with convective showers and strong sunshine, while the cooler months feature cold temperatures and a mix of rain and occasional snow. About 18,000 years ago, Connecticut, Long Island Sound, and much of Long Island were covered by a thick sheet of ice, part of

1575-480: The Cross Sound Ferry (between Orient Point and New London ). The ferries that cross Long Island Sound carry automobiles, trucks and buses, as well as foot passengers. Long Island Sound has historically had rich recreational and commercial fishing , including oysters , lobsters , scallops , blue crabs , tuna flounder , striped bass , and bluefish . However, in recent years the western part of

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1650-543: The Harbor Hill Moraine along most of northern Long Island . The next moraines ( recessional moraines ) to the north were created just on and off the Connecticut coast. These moraines, created by much smaller deposits (probably from equilibrium states that were much shorter in time) are discontinuous and much smaller than those to the south. The Connecticut coast moraines are in two groups: the Norwalk area and

1725-770: The Inland Route , starting July 1, 1911, by agreement of the NYNH&;H and the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad (lessee of the Boston and Albany Railroad ). During the 1940s period of peak passenger volume, the NYNH&H ran several New York City - Boston trains through the Inland Route, that is, via New Haven, Hartford, Springfield and Worcester, in the #50s series of train numbers. The service included an overnight train with sleeping car service. By

1800-524: The Inland Route . With the November 14, 1971 timetable , this was assigned the name Bay State , and extended south from Philadelphia to Washington, DC . The train was discontinued March 1, 1975, though on October 31 of that year, the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited began, restoring Springfield–Boston service. On April 1, 1976, Amtrak acquired the New Haven–Springfield Line from

1875-594: The Madison - Old Saybrook area. Sandy plains and beaches resulted from the erosion of moraines and redeposition in these areas, and to the east of each, where the drift cover is thinnest, exposed bedrock , creating rocky headlands, often with marshlands behind them. The Captain Islands off Greenwich, Connecticut , along with the Norwalk Islands and Falkner Island off Guilford, Connecticut , are parts of

1950-1028: The Throgs Neck Bridge in the early 1960s. The Long Island Sound ecosystem has historically been polluted by a number of different sources, including industry , agriculture and communities (untreated sewage and urban runoff ). Pollutants entering the Sound include toxic substances such as heavy metals ; a specific example includes mercury discharged by the hatting industry in Danbury, Connecticut . Other pollutants include pathogens , debris, and nutrients (which contain nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer runoff). Eutrophication occurs when bodies of water, like Long Island Sound, are exposed to higher levels of nutrients like nitrogen, causing harmful overgrowth of cyanobacteria that feed on them. Eutrophication can also lead to algal blooms and eventually hypoxia , when runoff into water causes rapid development of algae and phytoplankton that blocks

2025-399: The northern yellow periwinkle , the blue mussel (a popular, edible species), the eastern oyster , the Atlantic slipper shell or "common slippershell" ( Crepidula fornicata ), the hard clam (also known as the quahog, little neck clam or cherrystone clam), the Atlantic bay scallop , the mud snail (also known as the eastern mud nassa ), the salt marsh snail (or " coffee bean snail "),

2100-420: The osprey , seaside sparrow , saltmarsh sparrow , clapper rail , mallard and black duck , herons and egrets , including the black-crowned night heron and snowy egret as well as the least tern and piping plover . Upland species include the yellow warbler , red-eyed vireo , red-winged blackbird and Carolina wren . Winter residents include large flocks of ducks , geese , and swans winter in

2175-399: The pannes are sea lavender , salt marsh aster , seaside gerardia , and some species of glasswort . Plants found near the border of the marsh with the upland include bayberry and groundsel-tree shrubs, switchgrass (growing where occasional storm tides reach), reeds and marsh elder . In areas where the Sound's salt water is more diluted with freshwater from rivers, including along

2250-483: The 147. Train 142 was dropped October 27, 2003, and the November 1, 2004, timetable dropped 140 and 147, ending the use of the Inland Route . On May 22, 2012, construction started on the CT Fastrak busway between New Britain and Hartford in the northern two track slots between Hartford and Newington Junction . The southern two track slots are used for the active double-track rail line. Any future re-addition of

2325-510: The 1980s, were performed in preparation for the CT Rail Hartford Line commuter service, which launched on June 16, 2018. The New Haven–Springfield Line was built by the Hartford and New Haven Railroad (H&NH) and began operations in 1844, forming the first all-rail route between Boston and New Haven, with steamship service on Long Island Sound completing service to New York. The Shore Line, today's Northeast Corridor ,

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2400-481: The Atlantic Coast, tagged individuals sometime being identified in multiple rivers during their lifetimes. Long Island Sound was formed when the terminal moraine that dammed the waters of glacial Lake Connecticut failed, and sea water mixed with the lake's fresh waters. Prior to colonization, it's estimated that around 10,000 to 15,000 natives inhabited along Long Island Sound. The first European to record

2475-488: The Connecticut coast saw a slow gradual recovery of eelgrass populations. Unfortunately, the north shore of Long Island did not see much success, and efforts have been made to re-introduce eelgrass by planting it, especially in the eastern part of the Long Island Sound in the waters of Suffolk County. It is unlikely that the Long Island Sound will experience a complete recovery of its eelgrass population because there are still occasional outbreaks of eelgrass wasting disease within

2550-424: The Connecticut shore is the northern limit. Mature upland vegetation along the Connecticut coast is mostly hardwood forest, with dominant tree species including oaks and hickories, especially white oak , black oak , pignut hickory and mockernut hickory . Other trees include sassafras , black gum , and black cherry . Mature trees tend to be sparse in coastal forests, likely because of their greater exposure to

2625-607: The Harbor Hill Moraine. To the east of the Thimble Islands, inland moraines along the Connecticut coast include the broken Madison Moraine and the Old Saybrook Moraine. The Long Island Sound basin existed before the glaciers came. It probably had been formed by stream flows. A relatively thick cover of sand and gravel (termed outwash ) was left in the basin from glacial meltwater streams. On

2700-518: The Late Wisconsin Glacier . About 3,300 feet (1,000 m) thick in its interior and about 1,300 to 1,600 feet (400 to 500 m) thick along its southern edge, it was the most recent of a series of glaciations that covered the area during the past 10 million years. Sea level at that time was about 330 feet (100 m) lower than today. The continental ice sheet scraped off an average of 65 feet (20 m) of surface material from

2775-583: The Long Island Sound Study (LISS) in 1985 with plans for restoration and clean-up projects in the region. More habitat conservation, health monitoring, and pollution standards have been established between NY and CT in the years since to protect the estuary for future generations. Ferries provide service between Long Island and Connecticut, notably the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry (between Port Jefferson and Bridgeport ), and

2850-701: The Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation studied adding a dedicated New Haven–Hartford–Springfield Commuter Rail Line between New Haven and Springfield to create a more accessible commuter connection to the Metro North commuter lines between New York City and Southwestern Connecticut, and also give more transit options to people commuting within the Knowledge Corridor region surrounding Hartford and Springfield. As part of this, extending or adding stations and right of way and new rail options were investigated. The study culminated in

2925-625: The New England landscape, then deposited the material (known as drift ) from the Connecticut coast into the Sound, creating what is now Long Island (the terminal moraine ). When the ice sheet stopped advancing 18,000 years ago (as addition of snow at the origin was in equilibrium with the melting at the southern edge), a large amount of drift was deposited, known as the Ronkonkoma Moraine, which stretches along much of southern Long Island. Later, another period of equilibrium resulted in

3000-478: The November 10, 1996, timetable, with the extension of the daily Virginia Service train 85/86 to Boston via Springfield. That train was later truncated, and the former Washington – Boston Bay State was reinstated via the Inland Route . By the October 28, 2002, schedule, trains 140 (weekend) and 142 (weekday) provided northbound Inland Route service, while the only weekend service was provided southbound via

3075-424: The Sound in the twentieth century were the 1938 hurricane, the 1955 hurricane, Hurricane Belle in 1976, Hurricane Gloria in 1985, Hurricane Irene in 2011, and Hurricane Sandy in 2012. After Hurricane Belle, leaves near the coast were badly salt-burned, then turned brown and shriveled. Many trees were downed by the storm, leaving openings in the forest cover, promoting the growth of vines and shrubs. The Sound

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3150-654: The Sound include the eastern spadefoot , a rare, toadlike amphibian that hasn't been recorded in the area since 1935. Its overall coloring is beige or off-white with a pattern of green markings. Small orange dots punctuate this pattern. As many as 1,500 shortnose sturgeon , listed as 'endangered' by the Endangered Species Act, inhabit the Connecticut River. Approximately 900 of those live downstream of Holyoke Dam. While shortnose sturgeon primarily remain in their natal rivers, they will feed in estuarine waters like Long Island Sound and make extended trips along

3225-756: The Sound occur in greatest abundance in rocky areas between high tide and low tide as well as on rocks on the sea floor. Green seaweed populations fluctuate with the seasons. Monostroma , reproduces in the early spring and dies out by late summer. Grinnellia appears in August and disappears four to six weeks later. In the rocky areas of the intertidal zone there are the seaweeds characterized by their brown tone, Fucus and Ascophyllum , some species of which have air bladders that allow them to float and receive direct sunlight even at high tide. Also present are Ectocarpus and red algas Polysiphonia , Neosiphonia , Porphyra and Chondrus ( Irish moss ). In

3300-454: The Sound, e.g. blue shark, mako shark, hammerhead shark and thresher shark, there are only four species of sharks which are regularly found in the area. These are the sand tiger shark , the sandbar shark , the spiny dogfish and the smooth dogfish . Mollusks ( gastropods and bivalves ) that can be found include the rough periwinkle near the high-tide line, the European periwinkle ,

3375-641: The Sound. Few undisturbed beach and dune systems exist on the Connecticut shore, the ones that do are located along the eastern portion of the coastline (east of the Connecticut River). Sea rocket and dune grass occur here, but not in abundance. Dune grass and plants that thrive on dunes are largely responsible for the creation and growth of the dunes. On the seaward side of dunes can be found Lathyrus japonicus (beach pea), Dusty Miller , and seaside goldenrod . Other beach plants are orache , beach clotbur , seaside spurge , and jimson weed . On

3450-713: The Sound. In West Haven, Connecticut 8,000 scaup (also called broadbills or bluebills) were regularly counted in the 1970s. Greater scaup , black ducks , mallards , and Canada geese are among the most abundant wintering birds. There are also significant populations of red-breasted mergansers , common goldeneyes , buffleheads , white-winged scoter , American wigeon (also sometimes called baldpate), long-tailed ducks and mute swans . Others (less abundant) include gadwalls , northern pintails , green-winged teal , northern shovelers (also sometimes called broadbill), ruddy ducks , redheads , ring-necked ducks , snow geese , and brant . Rare, endangered and extinct species of

3525-477: The aging Interstate 84 viaduct through Hartford as part of the I-84 Hartford Project is an at-grade roadbed, which would require relocating the rail tracks and busway north of the new road. The viaduct crosses the tracks and busway twice, a route dictated by the placement of abutting development back when the viaduct was constructed in the 1960s. Subsequent demolition has made the proposal to move

3600-764: The area. Specifically 25–35% of the tidal wetlands in the Sound have been dredged, filled, and developed over and hypoxia and eutrophication resulting from pollution have led to low dissolved oxygen levels (less than 4.8 mg of oxygen per liter) in the water. The low dissolved oxygen levels limit the fishes' ability to swim, feed, grow and reproduce and loss of habitat prevents success in fish larval growth. The impacts listed here are directly associated with these specific species in Long Island Sound: killifishes, silversides, bay anchovy, eels, menhaden, cunner, tautog, sticklebacks, winter flounder, weakfish, bluefish, tomcod and striped bass. An example of impacts from nitrogen

3675-447: The coastal area (and elsewhere), including the diamondback terrapin in salt marshes and brackish waters (and deposits and hatches its eggs on nearby sandy beaches). Terrapin meat became such a popular delicacy in the early 1900s that the price for a dozen adult females reached as high as US$ 120. Overhunting made the species uncommon and even rare through most of the Sound and eliminated at some places. After its popularity as food declined,

3750-813: The economic and population growth the Industrial Revolution created led to increased pollution. Around the 1950s and 60s, the US Government began to recognize more of the environmental impacts pollution was having on water quality, as well as human health around regions like Long Island Sound. After the Clean Water Act was passed federally in 1972 to protect water quality around the US, the Environmental Protection Agency partnered with Connecticut and New York to pass

3825-735: The existence of Long Island Sound was the Dutch navigator Adriaen Block , who entered the sound from the East River in 1614. The sound was known as The Devil's Belt in colonial times and the reefs that run across the sound were known as Devil's Stepping Stones, from which Stepping Stones Lighthouse got its name. As the Industrial Revolution grew, Long Island Sound began to be utilized more for manufacturing and production uses that are still observed to this day, like textiles, metal finishing, fishing, and oyster harvesting. Yet,

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3900-492: The full line to Springfield. On weekends and holidays, CT Rail operates four New Haven–Hartford round trips and three New Haven–Springfield round trips. Amtrak continues to offer its existing weekend service with some minor schedule changes. Together, 12–13 round trips are offered on weekends. The Springfield–New Haven corridor is served by some Northeast Regional trains in the 136 and 140 series. These trains provide direct service from Springfield to Washington, D.C. , without

3975-512: The line have been repaired, rehabilitated or replaced. Stations at Wallingford , Meriden , and Berlin were completely rebuilt, while New Haven State Street and Hartford had improvements made. New Hartford Line commuter rail service on the line began on June 16, 2018. Expanded Amtrak Shuttle service on the line launched one week earlier on June 9, 2018. Connecticut DOT provides eight round trip commuter trains on weekdays under its CT Rail branding that are operated by its new contractor,

4050-753: The marshy areas of the intertidal zone can be found Cladophora ( mermaid's hair ), Ulva ( sea lettuce ) and Codium . In the subtidal zone (below low tide) are Palmaria palmata a red alga, along with two algae, Laminaria ( kelp ) and Chorda . Kelp can often be found washed up on the beach, and individual specimens are not uncommonly a yard or two long. Deeper in the subtidal zone are red algae such as Spermothamnion , Antithamnion and Callithamnion , which also often float freely. In tidal pools can be found red or pink colored Phymatolithon , which can often encrust rocks and mollusk shells. Also present are green algae, including Ulothrix , Cladophora , and Ulva . Tidal marshes are some of

4125-549: The mid-1950s these trips needed transfers in Springfield. By the startup of Amtrak on May 1, 1971, the Inland Route was no longer in use, but frequent Penn Central trains continued to serve the New Haven–Springfield Line. Amtrak continued the Connecticut Yankee (by that time shortened to Philadelphia-Springfield) along the route. On May 17, 1971, Amtrak added a train between Philadelphia and Boston via

4200-409: The more protected landward side of dunes are beach plum , bayberry and beach rose . Rare species found on the landward side are beach knotweed and sand false heather . In areas next to the shoreline but hardly ever salty, the sound's environment can nevertheless be a crucial factor in the presence of certain species. Areas near the Connecticut shore are the northern limit for some species needing

4275-429: The most productive biological systems in the world. Along the sound, they produce three to seven tons per acre per year of vegetation, largely in the form of salt marsh grasses. Much of this, enriched by decomposition, is flushed yearly into the estuary water where it directly contributes to the great finfish and shellfish production of the sound. Salt water cordgrass ( Spartina alterniflora ) grows along ditches and on

4350-741: The need to change trains in New Haven. For 150 mph (241 km/h) or more in the US, see High-speed rail in the United States Long Island Sound Major Connecticut cities on the Sound include Stamford , Norwalk , Bridgeport , New Haven , and New London . Cities on the New York side of the Sound include Rye , Glen Cove , New Rochelle , North Hempstead , Oyster Bay , Smithtown , Port Jefferson , Brookhaven and Riverhead , Larchmont , Mamaroneck and portions of Queens and

4425-578: The newly formed Conrail , along with most of the Northeast Corridor . During the mid-1980s, due to the high cost of operating the New Haven–Springfield Line and the competing newly-constructed expressways, Amtrak removed 25 miles (40 km) of track, turning the line from a double-track line to a line with a single track with passing sidings. Of the 62 miles (100 km) between New Haven and Springfield, 23.3 miles (37.5 km) of double track and 38.7 miles (62.3 km) of single track were left. The final iteration of Inland Route service began with

4500-611: The number of the Amtrak train it is connecting to. In September 2019 Amtrak adopted the state of Connecticut’s Hartford Line branding for its trains on the line, replacing the Shuttle designation. The branding is shared with the state operated CTrail commuter trains which also serve the corridor. Together the two services make up the Hartford Line commuter rail program. The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) and

4575-414: The salt marshes of western Connecticut. Rodents include the white-footed mouse , the meadow vole (probably the most abundant coastal mammal) and the meadow jumping mouse . Muskrats are heavily trapped but remain abundant. Raccoons and red foxes who live in areas near the marshes will hunt in them. The long-tailed weasel and short-tailed weasel are both found near the Sound, occasionally living in

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4650-483: The salt marshes. Dolphins are occasionally spotted in Long Island Sound, along with Harbor seals and gray seals that can be found among the rocks off Stonington and Groton at the eastern end. Long-finned pilot whales and harbor porpoises can also be infrequently sighted in open water, a few miles off the coast. In 1975, a finback whale beached itself in Groton. Animals that need moist woodlands are found in

4725-456: The seaside edges of marshes where high tides daily inundate it. Salt meadow cordgrass ( Spartina patens ) and spikegrass ( Distichlis spicata ) grow in areas less frequently inundated by saltwater, typically closer to dry land. A short form of salt water cordgrass can sometimes be found in the depressions ( pannes ) in the higher areas where salt water collects and evaporates, leaving water even higher in salinity than seawater. Other plants in

4800-463: The shore, especially in late summer and fall. The American lobster is fished commercially. Most animal species on the Connecticut side of the Sound also occur inland, but some are much more abundant along the shore. Animals along the Sound are most concentrated in the salt marshes. Two species of shrews , the masked shrew and the American short-tailed shrew , are common in salt marshes. The least shrew has been thought to exist in small numbers in

4875-637: The shores of the larger river estuaries such as the Connecticut River , cattail marshes replace salt marshes. Various types of grasses, including wild rice , and sedges , including bulrushes , are found here. Eelgrass - sometimes known as "Saltwater Eelgrass" in order to distinguish it from Freshwater Eelgrass, which is a different species ( Vallisneria americana ) - is typically found in protected bays, coves, and other areas of brackish water, but it also persists along areas of exposed shoreline along Long Island's north shore near Orient. Eelgrass

4950-418: The sound has become increasingly deficient of marine life . The fishing and lobster industries have encouraged efforts to identify the cause of the dead water and rectify the problem. Lobsters have suffered diseases of unknown cause, but recreational fishing improved dramatically in the last 10 years due, in large part, to restoring a key component in the food chain, menhaden (a.k.a. "bunker") fish which are

5025-645: The surface of water from sunlight and deprives oxygen to marine organisms. Eutrophication and its effects are direct environmental impacts on the Sound that are exacerbated by higher temperatures, stratified water columns (when the water is not well mixed vertically) and excess nutrients. The primary target for water remediation tactics in Long Island Sound have been nutrients discharged by sewage treatment plants and in surface runoff . Long Island Sound sustains significant populations of fish and nurseries. This biological function has been threatened by both terrestrial and chemical alterations resulting from urbanization of

5100-666: The terrapin population started recovering. Sea turtles occasionally travel north on the Gulf Stream and wander into the Sound. The loggerhead turtle , green turtle and leatherback turtle are rarely seen along the Connecticut shore. Other reptiles and amphibians found along the edges of the salt marshes and nearby bodies of water include the green frog , bullfrog , pickerel frog , spotted turtle , painted turtle , northern water snake , and common snapping turtle . On beaches and sandy areas there are Fowler's toads (which are also found inland but find sandy areas preferable),

5175-410: The tracks a viable option to consider. Amtrak runs Hartford Line trains between Springfield, Massachusetts , and New Haven, Connecticut . These trains connect with Northeast Regional or Metro-North New Haven Line service at New Haven's Union Station , usually by a cross-platform or same-track transfer. The Hartford Line trains are in the 400 series, with the last two digits usually denoting

5250-484: The tuna family, enter the sound and can be caught by anglers from small boats and shore. Many species have declined rapidly since 1975 due to over fishing. Winter flounder may not be currently present except for rare, small local populations. Tautog and summer flounder are also less numerous. Anadromous fishes include striped bass , white perch , alewives, blueback herring, and American and hickory shad . Although several shark species likely infrequently wander in and out of

5325-403: The warmer environment provided by proximity to the Sound (which has a longer growing season than inland Connecticut and winters that are less harsh). These include sweetgum (only found in Connecticut in the extreme southwestern area of the state), the American holly , post oak and persimmon , which only exist in Connecticut along the shore. For many species which grow typically in sandy soils,

5400-482: The west, a ridge rising to about 65 feet (20 m) below the present sea level is called the Mattatuck Sill. Its lowest point is about 80 feet (24 m) below sea level. Glacial meltwater formed " Lake Connecticut ", a freshwater lake in the basin, until about 8,000 years ago, when the sea level rose to about 80 feet (24 m) below today's level. Seawater then overflowed into the basin, transforming it from

5475-410: The wind. This results in more sunlight reaching the forest floor, encouraging a jungle-like tangle of vines and shrubs, including the vines catbriar , poison ivy , bramble and bittersweet , and the shrubs blueberry , huckleberry , viburnum and hazelnut . Along with the moderate climate, tropical cyclones can have an important impact on observable vegetation patterns. The greatest storms to hit

5550-505: The years, bridges over the sound have been proposed, including a bridge between Rye in Westchester County and Oyster Bay on Long Island; between New Haven, Connecticut , and Shoreham on Long Island; between Bridgeport, Connecticut , and Port Jefferson on Long Island; or between Orient Point, New York , and Rhode Island . A tunnel under the sound, as between Rye and Oyster Bay has also been proposed, to carry both freeway lanes and railroads. However, no crossing has been built since

5625-536: Was completed in 1858, but the Springfield route continued to carry most traffic until the bridge over the Thames River at New London, Connecticut , opened in 1889. The H&NH was merged into the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad (NYNH&H) in 1872, and the NYNH&H continued to operate regular service between New York City and Springfield over the line. Various services were also operated over

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