Rutland/Central Vermont

Did either the Rutland and/or Central Vermont ever have
signalled main lines in the past? I know today current GMRR and
NECR (except Brattleboro-White River Jct) use manual block
rules (TWC) to govern movements. If these roads had signal systems,
when were they removed?

I know of a semaphore that was still in place on the former Rutland as of a few years ago, and while I don't know if it is still there, I have to assume that there was some sort of signalling, but that's all it is...an assumption. Anyone else?

David Becker

I've seen photos of semafores around Center Rutland, and last summer I saw a signal of some sorts on the ex-Rutland in Shelburne, but outside of that, I have not seen anything nor read anything about either lines having signals.

Of course, today the NECR is signalled from Brattleboro up to White River (installed by the B&M in the 60s?) and at Essex Junction (installed a few years ago).

The Connecticut River Line was all signaled in B&M/CV days, including the shared trackage between East Northfield, Mass., and White River Junction. Even prior to the transfer of that entire section to the CV in the 1980s, the CV owned Windsor-WRJ, so that was a section of CV-owned signaled track.

Going back to the 1960s/70s timeframe, the CV had a short CTC installation through the St. Albans terminal.

As for Center Rutland, my recollection is that those signals were just for the interlocking at the Rutland/D&H/C&P crossing there.

Thanks. I was just wondering about signal systems after seeing
some GMRR/NECR action in Bellows Falls. All moves there were made under signal indication. Conversely, I heard the NECR dispatcher give
an operating warrant to a train in the Palmer area over the radio.

Central Vermont had interlocking signals for some moves in St. Albans
terminal. They had automatic signals between White River Junction and
Windson (the property line was the north end of the Connecticut River
Bridge). There were no automatic signals on the Central Vermont line
between Brattleboro and East Northfield although there were signals on
the Boston and Maine line between East Northfield and Brattleboro. In
this territory, northbounds used the Boston and Maine and southbounds
used the Central Vermont. In the days before CTC was put in by the B&M
in the 1960's, this territory was all ABS and after CTC was installed, the
CV would not allow the CTC between Windsor and White River Junction so
this remained ABS.
As for the Rutland, there was no ABS territory on the former Rutland
although there was an interlocking station in Burlington for many years
governing the Union Station area and the junction with the Central
Vermont Burlington Branch in that area, eventually it became an
interlocking operated by train crews and finally was removed in the 1960's
when the Rutland finally folded.
The Rutland did have drawbridge signals for the bridges in the Champlain
Islands and both railroads had train order boards on many of their
stations some of which were semaphores.
Ball signals were also used at various locations as specified in timetables.
Noel Weaver