1. One of the major issues facing the New Haven Line has been replacement of the aging and unreliable rolling stock. Now that the process of acquiring the new rail M-8 cars and constructing a major new maintenance facility for servicing these cars has begun, are you satisfied with the terms of the purchase agreement and schedule that has been laid out for implementing these improvements?

2. Are you satisfied that the features and specifications, features, and amenities of the M-8 car design will serve the commuters well?

3. In your view, has the acquisition of the rail cars from Virginia Railway Express proceeded as you envisioned and have you seen any positive benefit for Shoreline East service from it yet?

4. While awaiting arrival of the new M-8 cars, DOT is also embarked on a program to rehabilitate some of the older (M-2, M-4, M-6) equipment (this is known as the CSR Program). What benefit will this have for the rail commuter and what timetable has DOT laid out for the council to consider?

5. Have you been satisfied with the performance of the locomotives the DOT has leased from Amtrak?

6. DOT recently released its plan for expanding and improving service on Shore Line East. Do you feel that the council had a significant enough role to play in developing this plan? What is your opinion of the plan?

7. How great an obstacle does the current agreement with respect to the maximum number of trains that can run on the shoreline because of the movable bridges represent a threat to the future viability and expansion of the Shoreline East? How do you think the interests of rail commuters and recreational marine traffic can best be accommodated?

8. When commuter service is operating on the New Haven Line, Shore Line East, and the New Haven-Hartford–Springfield corridor, what scenario do you see as the ideal for how these services will be integrated and who should be the entity operating them? Are there alternatives not being considered at present that you think should be?

9. What issues do you see that affect the branch lines, in particular the Danbury and Waterbury branches. Are you satisfied with where things stand currently with the Danbury branch electrification project? Do you think the state can be moving faster on this?

10. What value do you see in possibly extending the Danbury branch line service to New Milford?

11. Plans are progressing for demolition of the Stamford station parking garage and its replacement with a new structure. What do you think about the current plans?

12. Is commuter rail service in Connecticut being marketed innovatively enough? Are there things you would like to see Metro North, Amtrak, and the DOT do that are not being done now?

13. What opinions do you have on the issue of whether the New Haven line operations should provide service to Penn stations as well as Grand Central? What are some of the issues you see with regard to this possible service enhancement?

14. Is service into New Jersey possible as well?

15. What “quality of life” issues for rail riders (for example, quiet cars, cleanliness, adequate seating, on-time performance, frequency of power outages) do you think are most in need of addressing?

16. What are the most common kinds of complaints the council receives from riders?

17. What problems does train overcrowding create for the attractiveness and effectiveness of the rail service?

18. Are there changes to the New York side of the service that you would like to see made to improve service quality and efficiency?

19. Now that DOT has completed the rail governance study, what station and parking ownership issues do you think it raised that the council should have a role in addressing?

20. The proposal for New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail commuter service is moving into the environmental assessment stage. Do you think the proposed level of service is adequate to make it successful? If not, what service level would you want to see implemented? How would you like to see it integrated with the New Haven and Shoreline East services? Who should provide the service for the state? Would acquiring the line from Amtrak be any benefit in your view?

21. What adjustments, if any, do you think would be appropriate for the $ 1 per ticket surcharge currently in place to help fund the M-8 car purchase?

22. Station parking issues are among the most difficult to resolve for the New Haven Line service. As plans proceed for the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield service, what do you think needs to be done differently with respect to parking along the line that might avoid the pitfalls experienced along the New Haven line? What role do you think the council can play in resolving some of the issues between the municipalities and the state that seem to make it so difficult to solve parking issues?

23. Besides the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail proposal, the legislature has directed DOT to do two studies on meeting the mobility needs of residents and businesses in eastern Connecticut and implementing commuter rail service between New London and Worcester. Has the council had any involvement in shaping these studies? Do you perceive any problems with DOT meeting the January 1, 2008 reporting deadline the legislature set?

24. Is Connecticut undergoing a rail “renaissance” or are there limits to what commuter rail should be expected to produce?

25. Assuming one or more of these new services come to pass, what do you feel rail users would like to see happen around the stations or rail lines in terms of development and amenities to enhance their commuting experience?

26. What can you suggest for improving conditions for passengers during breakdowns, delays, and power outages?

27. What are your opinions with respect to the pending proposal to build a new station in West Haven or Orange?

28. What input do you think the council should have on pending and future planning and decision making for proposed new stations? Are more train stops or express train services needed?

29. Are you familiar with the study of a possible fuel cell power generating station for the New Haven line service? Do you think such a facility would be a benefit?

30. Proposals at the federal level suggest some major changes to the way Amtrak provides intercity rail service, including who would be responsible for the infrastructure on the Northeast Corridor and who would run certain key services. What implications do you think this might have for services like Shoreline East? If Connecticut must accept a greater responsibility in this area, what do you think it should get in return?

31. What role do you think the council should play with respect to the Connecticut Transportation Strategy Board? Do you think there should be a formal relationship between the two? How do you think the council could be best integrated into this process and the board's deliberations?

32. What are your views on rail service security issues? Do you see the need for additional security procedures for protecting rail passengers?

33. Are improvements in feeder bus or other types of station-to-employment circulation capabilities along the Shoreline East- Metro North corridor being effectively implemented? Where must this be accelerated?

34. Can anything more be done to make the rail commuting system more user friendly for bicyclists who want to use the “park-and-ride” mode for getting to and from the trains?

35. The council's statutory charge is to study and investigate all aspects of the daily operation of the New Haven commuter line, monitor its performance, and recommend changes to improve service efficiency and quality. Are you satisfied with this role or do you believe the council could play a different or expanded role? If so, what would this be?

36. Do you believe Connecticut functions as an equal partner in its relationship with New York and the MTA? In what ways do you think Connecticut's role in this partnership can be strengthened? Would you like to see Connecticut pursue getting a seat on the MTA?

37. What do you perceive as the most important issues for commuter rail service in Connecticut—parking availability, station quality, service quality, cost, or something else?

38. Are you satisfied with how Metro North and MTA are responding to the council's input?

39. Are there any other issues that affect rail commuters that you feel are not currently being addressed but should be?