Vermont’s Rail Future

Print More
MP3

With gas prices nearing four dollars a gallon and Vermont’s
highway infrastructure getting harder and harder to maintain, we explore the
possibilities of rail as a serious transportation alternative. We look at the
incentives, the obstacles, and what it would take to make Vermont’s
‘rail future’ a reality. Our guests include retired rail executive Charlie
Moore and Sam Lewis, Operations Manager for VTrans and the state’s Acting Rail
Program Manager. (Listen)

Also on the program, we talk with Rutland Herald business
writer Bruce Edwards about the lawsuit
filed by four Vermonters, three of them
Cuban born, challenging federal restrictions on travel to Cuba. (Listen)

And we continue our series of audio postcards from Vermont
towns with a tour of the granite monuments in Barre’s Hope
Cemetery. (Listen)

 

COMMENTS FROM LISTENERS ABOUT VERMONT’S RAIL FUTURE:

Hilary from Danville:
A few years ago I was aghast to see railway lines being torn up herein the Northeast Kingdom. It seemed shockingly shortsighted to me, based on my understanding of rail as being so much more efficient for freight and passenger travel, especially in the light of finite global fossil fuel supplies, and the global warming problem. (One place I recall that rails were being torn up was near Hardwick).

Paul from Bridport:
I learned recently that Bernie Sanders proudly procured funding to help
convert the Lamoille Valley Railroad to a snowmobile track.We need to put
that railroad back. What a boon and pleasure it would be to be able
to take the train from East Hardwick to Burlington.

Chris from South Burlington:
What do we need in terms of money to buy commuter trains? What
happened to the ones that ran on the Champlain Flyer? And what rider-numbers do
you need to sustain a commuter line from St.Albans to Burlington?
From Burlington to Richmond
to Monpelier?

Alison from Huntington:

I have traveled across country round trip six times on Amtrak, and several
times in Canada
as well. Although we Americans are no longer used to trains as a means of
transportation, we used to be, and even in Vermont,
trains were once convenient and frequent. Maybe now with the price of gas,
people will be willing to give them a chance again.

Traveling by train is safer. It’s a great way to travel with kids (you can talk
and play with them all the way). You can work or read or sleep while traveling. And there’s no need to find a parking place
on arrival.

The Amtrak from St. Albans to New
York City is affordable and a lovely trip. Now that
the bus no longer goes down the western side of the state, we desperately need
a means of public transport to Bennington.
It should start in Montreal. If the
government (state, federal) would subsidize the trains like we do highway or air
travel, railroads would be solvent and easy to use.


Daniela from South Burlington:

I find it mind boggling that there is no commuter rail or
any real rail service down the west side of the state. The Champlain
Flyer that was in service as a commuter train
five years ago when we first moved up here seemed like a farce that was
set up to fail. Why do a commuter train only to Charlotte?!
It made no sense. I see ridership is up on the buses from the
Middlebury/Vergennes area to Burlington
and yet no moves to improve rail service. Vermont
needs a commuter rail service to Burlington. Route 7 cannot support the vehicle
traffic that continues to increase as southern communities grow and commute
north. I really hope Vermont does
grow and make these needed rail improvements.

Carla from Hardwick:
Are there any plans for linking Rutland with the rest of the state? As with the highway system, there is no direct way to get to Rutland from the Northeast Kingdom .

Philip from Brandon:
I’m a rail fan. I live in Brandon, and have enjoyed rail trips onAmtrak throughout Vermont, to Montreal, to Washington, D.C. and most recently, aboard the Ethan Allen to New York City. It was convenient, comfortable, and on time. I support commuter service along Vermont’s western corridor, and hope that the Federal Government. will continue to support Amtrak in light of its tepid support over the years.

Jeff from Burlington:
It seems like there is a great deal of work that needs to be done to the Vermont rail infrastructure. That means person power. Is anyone talking about a Vista like program that would get young, vocationally-minded adults involved? Might be too much mechanization these days, but I think it would do great things to get the youth involved with rail projects in the State.

William from Woodstock:
Improvements allowing 286,000 lbs. freight
cars will give us an infrastructure suitable for at least 60 mph for passenger
service. Faster speeds than 60 mph will require elctronic signaling
systems that indicate track conditions ahead. This system already exists
south of White River Jct. Therefore,79 mph speeds would be possible on
relatively straight sections along the Connecticut River.

Also, you could cut at least an hour from the Vermonter’s running time by going straight through from Brattleboro to Springfield, Massachusetts, rather than the circuitous route through Palmer, Massachusetts. Utilizing the same engines on the Vermonter that are now used
between Albany and New
York City would
obviate the engine change at New Haven, Conn. and save an additional 30 mins. Those two very
practical changes would make the Vermonter
considerably more attractive. (Presently, I drive to Albany, N. Y. and take the train from there.)

Michael from Tinmouth:
Regarding the Middlebury Spur: Having followed the Omya
expansion proposals very closely for years I can tell you that you will not
find a statement from Omya that they are promising to eliminate truck traffic
should the rail spur be built. I would suggest that we take the taxpayer
money earmarked for the profitability of this company’s operations and
spend it for the benefit of all Vermonters by upgrading for passenger rail .

Annette from Danbury:
On the Middlebury Spur: For those of us familiar with the rail
issues, your guests today were talking in code. The bridge upgrades are
for Omya. The issue about not being able to ship fully loaded cars is
about Omya. The money for the western corridor is almost all going to
Omya. Whether people want to see it or not, the fact is that all the emphasis
on rail on the western corridor is going to support Omya, at the expense of
those of us who want passenger service.

The Omya spur has major flooding issues and the people who live around the
proposed route are simply dumbfounded by the amount of money being poured into
it without any discussion about the real impacts. They keep being told to
wait until the Environmental Impact Statement is issued. Their land gets trampled over by engineers
but nobody’s looking at the big picture, it seems.

 

Comments are closed.