by Noel Weaver
I just received my September Trains and on the cover is mentioned "Amtrak's Loneliest Stations". I immediately thought of Port Kent, NY and Montpelier Junction, Vermont and both of them were listed numbers 1 and 2 in this feature. There is a good reason for both of these lonely outposts: Port Kent is only functional when the ferry runs between Port Kent and Burlington, VT which is a decent size metro area and this provides a second rail departure for New York. I have never boardered the train at Port Kent but the ferry ride between Port Kent and Burlington is a delightful experience. This provides a good overnight link out of New York by going one way to Essex Junction and the other way via Port Kent. The other stop Montpelier Junction is not far from Montpelier which is a great part of the central region of Vermont. Montpelier has good restaurants, hotels and attractions and makes a good destination for an escape from the hustle and bustle of the metro areas to the south. Both of these stops might be lonley but very legitimate stops in the Amtrak network and I suspect the other locations in this feature have very legitimate reasons for their existence as well.
I can still remember my ski trips to Vermont back in the mid 69's (before 1966) spending the night in Montpeilier and heading over to the station at the Junction to see the SB "Boot" in the evening. It would be right on time with two sparkling clean GP-9's and maybe eight or nine cars. A decent number of folks would be waiting there to board for points south and leaving time came, two beeps on the communicating whistle and time to go. Start the train in the first notch but by the time the last car cleared the platform he would really be moving. In the station which was staaffed 24/7 one could hear the key as they still were using the telegraph for communication between the stations. In those days White River Junction, Randolph, Montpelier Junction, Waterbury, Essex Junction and St. Albans were all open 7 days a week around the clock and all staffed by friendly people. Lots more great memories. The Central Vermont was the shining star in New England in those days.
Noel Weaver
I can still remember my ski trips to Vermont back in the mid 69's (before 1966) spending the night in Montpeilier and heading over to the station at the Junction to see the SB "Boot" in the evening. It would be right on time with two sparkling clean GP-9's and maybe eight or nine cars. A decent number of folks would be waiting there to board for points south and leaving time came, two beeps on the communicating whistle and time to go. Start the train in the first notch but by the time the last car cleared the platform he would really be moving. In the station which was staaffed 24/7 one could hear the key as they still were using the telegraph for communication between the stations. In those days White River Junction, Randolph, Montpelier Junction, Waterbury, Essex Junction and St. Albans were all open 7 days a week around the clock and all staffed by friendly people. Lots more great memories. The Central Vermont was the shining star in New England in those days.
Noel Weaver