Vermont Rail System (VTR, GMRC, WACR, CLP, NYOG)

Northern Power Systems next to the quarry also has a siding which used to be a Bombardier railcar assembly plant, but I'm pretty sure NP itself isn't taking any deliveries these days.

F-line,
Northern Power Systems has shipped out assemblies in the past, but, as far as I know, it has been quite a few years since the last one was shipped by rail.
Best,
Fritz

I'm curious where Rock of Ages would be served from...

At least as of August 2014 it doesn't look like the upper switchback beyond Websterville Road has been used in quite some time... https://goo.gl/maps/8NzXzoqyWPB2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Though I do note the presence of "Warning Active Railroad - expect increased rail traffic effective [date - maybe June 1, 2007?]" signs below the crossbucks. That's as close as you can get on streetview, and the right-of-way is barely distinguishable as a line in the woods beyond there.

However, on the lower switchback (inbound from Northern Power Systems) the tracks even look freshly ballasted, and in not-too-terrible shape (e.g. Quarry Hill Rd crossing) (though there is a tree down across the tracks at Quarry St).

There's a stone train parked along Metro Way in "downtown" Barre in aerial imagery, so I know stone must move from somewhere. Is the track still in service and used all the way to the quarry, despite appearances, or do they transload from somewhere?

deathtopumpkins,
When they do ship by rail, Rock of Ages loads gondolas on the tail of the Upper Switchback (loads are hauled in by truck on a private road). The track "uphill" of the Upper Switchback has not been used in many years.
Best,
Fritz

Hello,
I just wanted to alert you to the fact that the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce will again be running train rides out of St. Johnsbury as part of the Colors of the Kingdom Festival on 17 September 2016. I don't have any details yet on the train consist or how far south we will run, but the rides will follow the old CP Lyndonville Subdivision south along the Passumpsic and Connecticut Rivers through the villages of Passumpsic, East Barnet, Barnet, McIndoe's Falls, Bell, and perhaps further south. Trains will depart the St. Johnsbury Welcome Center (the old Canadian Pacific railroad station) at 0930, 1130, 1330, and 1530 and will last approximately one and half hours. Tickets cost $13 for an adult and $7 for a children (12 and under) and can be purchased ahead of time at the Catamount Arts website (http://www.catamountarts.org/shows/colo ... rain-ride/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). Even if only following trackside, please consider buying a ticket to support the operation of these trains. I'll post more details once they become available.
Have a great day,
Fritz

Hello,
I just wanted to remind you all that the Northeast Kingdom Chamber of Commerce will again be running train rides out of St. Johnsbury as part of the Colors of the Kingdom Festival on 17 September 2016. It sounds like we will have five cars from the "Green Fleet" this year and either the CLP GP38-2 204 or another locomotive on the south end (cab car/coach 1317 will be on the north end). The rides will follow the old CP Lyndonville Subdivision south along the Passumpsic and Connecticut Rivers through the villages of Passumpsic, East Barnet, Barnet, McIndoe's Falls, Bell, and perhaps further south. We will run as far south as we can in roughly 45 minutes, probably somewhere in the Bell/East Ryegate/Wells River area. Trains will depart the St. Johnsbury Welcome Center (the old Canadian Pacific railroad station) at 0930, 1130, 1330, and 1530 and will last approximately one and half hours. Tickets cost $13 for an adult and $7 for a children (12 and under) and can be purchased ahead of time at the Catamount Arts website (http://www.catamountarts.org/shows/colo ... rain-ride/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) or in the old ticket office on the day of the festival. Even if only following trackside, please consider purchasing a ticket to support the operation of these trains.
Have a great day,
Fritz

Noticed this morning that the Bennington line has been shoved full of cars behind Home Depot and under the Bennington Bypass. I'm curious how far south anything has come since this branch closed in the 30's or 50's.

With the demise of the corkscrew in 1953?? the rutland and after the vtr continued to switch bennington proper well into the 1970s.

with the shut down of the xmas paper mnfg company in ??, use of the bennington yard was cut way back but still had some loads of plastic pellets into the 80?s .

with the repair/rehab of the track from manchester down to the B&M/GFD in late 80s early 90s?, and the replacement of the turnout on the B&M allowing interchange again, things changed especially with regard to omya traffic.

Subsequent to the ml rehab, you could say that the long quasi abandonment of the bennington branch effectively ended with some improved track work from the wye pushing down to lake paran and slightly beyond.

from time to time there has been talk of tourist passenger service or complete tear out for a bike trail. vtr has fought the good fight to keep the branch in place if not quite alive in bennington if any industrial development should happen.

smsullivan11 wrote:Noticed this morning that the Bennington line has been shoved full of cars behind Home Depot and under the Bennington Bypass. I'm curious how far south anything has come since this branch closed in the 30's or 50's.

Bennington proper was serviced into the late 80s. Boxcars were stored south of Route 7a in 2002 and the last revenue move was the removal of a large tank from the Benmont mill there in 2003.

Safetee wrote:With the demise of the corkscrew in 1953?? the rutland and after the vtr continued to switch bennington proper well into the 1970s.

with the shut down of the xmas paper mnfg company in ??, use of the bennington yard was cut way back but still had some loads of plastic pellets into the 80?s .

with the repair/rehab of the track from manchester down to the B&M/GFD in late 80s early 90s?, and the replacement of the turnout on the B&M allowing interchange again, things changed especially with regard to omya traffic.

Subsequent to the ml rehab, you could say that the long quasi abandonment of the bennington branch effectively ended with some improved track work from the wye pushing down to lake paran and slightly beyond.

from time to time there has been talk of tourist passenger service or complete tear out for a bike trail. vtr has fought the good fight to keep the branch in place if not quite alive in bennington if any industrial development should happen.

After Phase II of the Western Corridor passenger upgrades brings Amtrak up through N. Bennington to Rutland et al someone will undoubtedly propose running a Berkshire Scenic/North Adams-style RDC dinky from N. Bennington AMTK to downtown Bennington during peak tourist season. It may not get further than recurring vaporware because the Bennington Branch needs a bit more in upgrades to be viable for a tourist skunkworks op than the very much active Adams Branch did for Berkshire Scenic. But it's a mortal lock to at minimum be That Local Proposal™ that keeps going in front of the local media and town Board of Selectmen with buzz. Whether longshot or not it's at least plausible enough a real-world concept given shortness of the branch and certainty of the eventual Amtrak stop in NB to justify VTrans' and VRS's foresight in keeping the branch and its crossings a going preservation concern during all the years of inactivity.

Freight? Can't ever picture a new freight use for it besides more of the same car storage. It has the advantage of the Overlea Rd., Rice Ln., and Orchard Rd. crossings all being a mile apart from each other with large tracts of un-abbutted, swampy-access space serving up boundless car storage that won't bother anyone or elevate the crime risk. I could see VRS making it operable as far as Emma St. or Orchard Rd. just for purposes of increasing their revenue options for long-term car storage. Street View already shows them storing cars south of the Rice Ln. crossing as late as 2012. They've more recently rebuilt a small stream bridge and did some re-ballasting and spot repair between the Overlea and Rice crossings, so recent action tends to point to more of the same from VRS. Orchard Rd.'s only 1.2 miles from end-of-track at the old downtown depot, so bare operable condition for car storage would keep thumb on about two thirds of the branch's length if they really do want to keep their south-of-Rice storage options active.

Photo by Gary Knapp:

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/591997/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I just returned from spending a few days in Manchester VT and noticed a rail line running through town. Just after noon on both days I was there (Tuesday & Wednesday) I heard a train blowing for the crossings, and seemed to be heading south. The line ran through a lot of green (grass) in spots, and in other spots it was well ballasted.

1. What kind of action does this line see (how many trains, length, etc.)
2. What class trackage is this?

Thanks for any info the group can provide!

That is the Vermont Railway B&R job that runs between Rutland and North Bennington Monday thru Friday, The train serves several local customers on the route, but the main purpose of the train is to interchange traffic with the Pan Am Railway at North Bennington. Occasionally, the interchange is made at Hoosick Jct. NY.
Car counts vary, but can range anywhere from a dozen to forty or more. I should have noted that the train makes a round trip.

I am not positive on the class of the track. I think it is class #1 between Rutland and south of Manchester and Class #2 between there and North Bennington. The latter section was rebuilt in the 90's as part of a plan to reroute the Amtrak Ethan Allen, which has not materialized, although it is still in the long term plans.

Thank you for the information!!

I'll have to try to catch it next time I am in the area.

State of Vermont has two railroad bridges for sale.

http://vermont.craigslist.org/for/5806846381.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;