Ethan Allen Discussion, including Expansion (Burlington)

The true question is this the ridership for the train between New York and Burlington or did they break it down and just look at the numbers between Albany Rutland and Burlington. I'm guessing they did not. Eight thousand butts in seats between Albany and Burlington sounds kinda wishful.

It wouldn't be too hard to add a Shelbourne stop - the station is already there.

The true question is this the ridership for the train between New York and Burlington or did they break it down and just look at the numbers between Albany Rutland and Burlington.

I'm pretty sure this is total ridership for the whole line. However, it's worth noting that pre-pandemic levels showed a total of 50k passengers/year, so it does look like the extension significantly boosted ridership.

FatNoah wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 9:05 am

The true question is this the ridership for the train between New York and Burlington or did they break it down and just look at the numbers between Albany Rutland and Burlington.

I'm pretty sure this is total ridership for the whole line. However, it's worth noting that pre-pandemic levels showed a total of 50k passengers/year, so it does look like the extension significantly boosted ridership.

Nah I dont think so. There are less roundtrips between ALB and NYP I thinks its two total. Amtrak has yet to completely restore all Empire Service trains to pre COVID levels. I see manifests and hear conductors talk about how few or how many at each stop. As an example last nights train had a grand total of three getting off at Burlington.
The majority of the counts is coming from local service between ALB/NYP.

A friend and I would like to ride the Ethan Allen this summer for new miles. We probably would be starting at Schenectady and it looks like we would have to spend the night in Burlington. Any suggestions on hotels within walking distance of the station would be appreciated. I understand that hotels are expensive there and we would be looking for the most reasonably priced close to the station. Is there parking available at the Burlington station? Any advice welcome. Thanks.

BAR
Williamsburg, VA

Mr. BAR, I've learned there was a hostel (if you're into that kind of "lodging") that closed. Perhaps another opened in its place. Otherwise, best accept that Hilton Garden @ $315/ni (June weeknight) is what you are looking at. Other chains "three star" are there as well.

While I've never set foot in Burlington (only seen it from FL150 once flying CYUL to KJFK on a perfect flightseeing day), this was all learned from a friend whose kid was going to school out there. He wasn't doing well (since dropped) and she was flying out there several times each month to help with (probably do) his homework and term papers.

Finally, I think that everyone had best accept that in our post-COVID world and the resulting inflationary spiral, hotels just plain cost more - and much more than has the Consumer Price Index risen. I've been booking several upcoming trips I plan to make and all I can say is that my "obscenity button" is buzzing away

You might find you'd save the cost of a cab ride by staying in South Burlington, near I-89. I see two not-very-large parking lots beside the tracks north of the station, but I could imagine them full at 10 AM on a weekday. I have walked around the downtown a couple of times, but it's been decades since I stayed overnight in that area. There are hotels and motels along VT 7 between Burlington and Shelburne, but the Shelburne Museum says "temporarily closed"; it was the major long-distance draw for that area.

Railjunkie wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 10:28 am The true question is this the ridership for the train between New York and Burlington or did they break it down and just look at the numbers between Albany Rutland and Burlington. I'm guessing they did not. Eight thousand butts in seats between Albany and Burlington sounds kinda wishful.

I was working a switch engine in the afternoons over the summer. Many days I had to wait for 291 to finish station work in Saratoga, before finishing the doubles of the outbound train that we were building. Many days a healthy crowd alighted there.

jbvb wrote: ↑Tue Mar 07, 2023 9:22 pm... but the Shelburne Museum says "temporarily closed"; it was the major long-distance draw for that area.

The Shelburne Museum is re-opening on May 13, 2023
https://shelburnemuseum.org/visit/

For Vermonter DIscussion: amtrak-vermonter-montreal-greenfield-bo ... 12081.html

https://www.wcax.com/2023/05/16/amtrak- ... utType=amp

Vt. Amtrak ridership exceeds expectations; Montreal planning continues

For nine months now, dozens of Vermonters and tourists alike have been seen boarding the Ethan Allen Express at Burlington’s waterfront.

On a sunny weekday morning, we hear a murmur of destinations: Saratoga Springs, Albany and, of course, New York City.

Dan Delabruere with VTrans said this is not a commuter train, but rather an intercity passenger train. Unsurprisingly, the number one destination from Burlington, Vergennes, and Middlebury is the Big Apple.

“We’ve got a little over 24,000 riders between those three stations, which if that holds true you know, we’ll end up the year, maybe 30 to 33,000 riders and when they predicted 30,000,” said Delaburere.
...

Nice video at South Burlington:

Was that station at which the videographer took that video one of those for the short lived commuter serivce?

I believe so. Even my foamer grandfather (who passed this habit on to me) that lived within a short walk of the South Burlington Station, thought it was a boondoggle. While ridership didn't come close to living up to expectations, I still find it amazing that a 12.9 mile commuter rail line serving a city of ~44k managed to generate a little over 80k annual trips.