My memory is a little foggy, but didn't the Montrealer use to run straight up the Connecticut River line from Springfield through Holyoke/Northampton instead of its current route over NECR? I seem to remember hearing about it being re routed because Guilford didn't take care of its tracks???
Yes, you are correct. The traditional route for Montreal service was always the B&M's Conn River Route out of Springfield, up the valley to Greenfield and beyond. The first reroute of the train after the Guilford fall out was via New London CT and an all CV routing to East Alburgh, VT.
When the Vermonter was instituted as a day train the service was routed via Conrail and the NECR at Palmer. It is a shame that the added time to run to Palmer and up the NECR does little to help the train. There are some decent loadings at Amherst but the main population centers along the old B&M are missed. Passengers are also confuces by the long trip from Springfield to Amherst via the current routing. "How come it takes so long?"