After posting about how Metro North contributed to Stamford’s development, I wanted to experience Stamford’s transit-oriented development for myself, so I hopped on a train from NHV to STM. The experience was not entirely seamless. I walked 30 minutes from campus to Union Station, to find I just missed one train and must wait almost 45 minutes for the next.

Aside from the lack of frequency, Metro North is quite comfortable. The seats are a cheerful red and white vinyl, a good choice compared to other regional rail networks (I’m looking at you, Bay Area Regional Transit’s cloth seats fiasco). I often take this line straight to Grand Central, and appreciate that there are outlets at every seat. I had also posted about how Metro North’s electrification doubled Stamford’s population,  so I was very excited to notice my train car drawing power from overhead electrical wires. The only thing missing is WIFI onboard, and maybe a cafe car.

  

Two eager University of Connecticut undergrads sat next to me. “I want to move to New York City after I graduate”, one started hopefully. The other scoffed that he would “need to make at least a hundred grand, to afford a closet-sized room in Manhattan”. After agreeing that a dollar ain’t what it used to be, the two 19-year olds decided that “Stamford is good enough, you can get a place for $1,200/month, and it’ll be nice and new, unlike the old stuff you find in New York”. I couldn’t wait to arrive at this magical land of good enough.

Stamford Station reminded me of Beijing in its boom days, everywhere the sounds and smells of construction and traffic. As I emerged from the train, a Chaotic strip of I-95 separated me from giant buildings that house the corporate jewels of the new Stamford economy: RBS, UBS, Marriot, and One Stamford Forum. The scale seems made for hummer-size SUVs, while hapless pedestrians are left to wander half lost, craning their necks at signage too large to comprehend. A confused man asked me how to enter the station. Equally confused, I shrugged. Together, we poked around the mess of tracks until we found the main station entrance, beholding Dunkin Donuts, Subway, and Java Joe’s inside.

Stamford Station is a quick jaunt to South End, the focus of our study. See my South End Adventures in Part 2.