Big news for Vermont

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps ... 07/ARCHIVE

In the next five years if this groes threw Vermont will be a hot spot for railroads. Imiagine seeing double stacks and autoracks rolling threw the country side.

BELLOWS FALLS -- Graceful stone arches tower over the Guilford Industries freight train as it plunges into a tunnel beneath the town square in this southern Vermont village, framing the train's boxcars and tankers -- and the dilemma that the historic structure has posed for transportation across the state and region.
If there were just 7 inches or so more clearance to the ceiling of the 400-foot-long tunnel, it could accommodate double-stacked cars carrying containers from the port of Montreal or automobile rack cars from a port near Providence, R.I.
A $2 million appropriation from the federal government is designed to make that happen, fueling new hopes for a rail revival in the state that officials say could also help to trigger business development throughout New England.
That money likely will be spent before winter sets in and state officials also are planning for the nearly $40 million in other rail improvements that Sen. Jim Jeffords, I-Vt., was able to direct to his home state.

Will Guilford also raise their track speeds, too? No mention about track rehab for increased or maintained speeds.

Guilford doesn't set the speed limits here. The track belongs to New England Central. Amtrak took this track by eminent domain in 1988 and then turned it over to the Central Vermont for rehabilitation so the Montrealer could be restored. New England Central became the track owner in 1995 when it purchased the Central Vermont.

Even if the clearance existed I see little of that traffic using the line. D&H/CP goes to Montreal from the Albany area, any such traffic that materialized from southern New England ports go out of New England via CP, Guilford, CSX, or some combination thereof.

Just wishful thinking on the aprt of some VT railfans or policaticians and maybe NECR's management. I can't see paying to drop the floor of the tunnel just to run a few stack cars or autoracks a day through it.

The money isnt just going to the tunnel. It is also going to track and bridge improvements so stack cars and autoracks can take a more direct route without the worry of broken rail or bridge collapse.

Good for Vermont! Not only do they sponsor not one but 2 daily Amtrak trains, they are also investing in their freight railroads. Just look at how VAOT bought the Conn River Line north of White River Jct. Business had dried up to the point of extinction by Guilford (surprised anyone?) and then VAOT has brought it back to life, with help from the Vermont Railway. With most of the major thru rail lines in Vermont still operating as freight railroads, Vermont has definetly got its act together. Too bad the same can't be said of New Hampshire.

-JH

[quote="oibu"]Even if the clearance existed I see little of that traffic using the line. D&H/CP goes to Montreal from the Albany area, any such traffic that materialized from southern New England ports go out of New England via CP, Guilford, CSX, or some combination thereof.

...True... P&W will interchange with CPRS at Bellows Falls... eliminating CSX, Guilford.


Brian
Conductor NECR

First off, it will be quite some time before the newer heavy stack packs
and auto carriers will be able to operate on this route. Bridges will also
need work and there are a lot of bridges.
After all of the work is taken care of, I can see a few more cars on every
train and maybe eventually a dedicated automobile train or combined
container and automobile train.
I don't see a huge increase in traffic as the former D & H is a shorter and
better route with a full CTC system over most of its length.
I do think it is money well spent, this is by far the best north-south route
through Vermont and New Hampshire.
Noel Weaver