Branford is a Shore Line East only station on the Northeast Corridor. It reopened on May 29, 1990 with the introduction of the Shore Line East. The town previously saw service in the Amtrak-era from the Beacon Hill (a local New Haven to Boston Commuter Oriented Train) starting on April 30, 1978 until 1979. The Amtrak timetables say the station location was 'off Royer Street' but I can't find any place this would be in the town of Branford according to Google Maps. The station's original simple bus shelter, small parking lot and simple low-level wooden platform (providing access to and across both tracks) with a wheelchair lift was on the north side of the tracks at the current location. Starting on January 8, 2001 the station (low-level platform, shelter and parking lot) was relocated to the southern side of the tracks and trains under normal operations trains only can stop if their running along the south track and passengers were prohibited from crossing the line at grade, required to use the overpass of Kirkham Street/Maple Street. The reason for this were new Amtrak rules caused by the electrification and introduction of high-speed Acela Express trains. The station was finally improved with the opening of the current high-level platform on August 8, 2005. The parking lot was expanded from its then 199 spaces to 471 spaces with the opening of a new 272 space parking lot accessed through the current lot via a single driveway over a small creek. A second platform on the north side of the tracks and overpass (with stairs/elevators) will soon begin construction and allow all Shore Line East Trains to stop at the station, not just those operating in the peak direction.
The current station has a standard, modern high-level platform that can accommodate about four cars. The tactile warning strip and edge of the platform has the ability to retract up to allow a freight cars to pass through the station that have wider clearances than passenger cars. The station is located at the edge of a parking lot just west of the overpass of Maple Street (that becomes Kirkham Street on the overpass). The main parking lot (and newer second lot) are all accessed via a single entrance (the sidewalk leads here to Maple Street) where Indian Neck Avenue intersects Maple Street at what would be a T intersection for a normal street grid. The platform has the normal wooden underside canopy that covers about half its length with green beams holding it up. Green is also the color of all fencing on the platform. The one entrance has a staircase up to a small covered windscreened waiting area with benches set back from the platform plus a ramp down to the parking lot, directly to ADA spaces. This area is capped by a decorative Connecticut Commuter Rail weather vane. Just east of the new high-level platform is a green fenced off gate that leads to a small low-level platform and pedestrian crossing to a north track with a Wheelchair Lift sitting on the platform. This is used in the event of single-tracking (instead of a bridge plate) so a train can stop at the station on the north track.
Photos 1-23: 12 June, 2008, 24-29: 19 March, 2013
New Haven-State St. 