In the department of fun and imagination and dreaming – with a base of vision – is this exercise of reworking the freight train schedule of Vermont Rail System as if all freight traffic that could went over the rails. All of this is based on traffic that is already moving, just waiting to be hauled by a train. It would be quite profitable. The catch is that it would take sizeable capital expenditures to realize this plan, and while the return on that investment would be better than that realized for road expenditures, it would not satisfy the capital markets.

The major through trains are the following:
Selkirk NY – Burlington – St. Albans (with mixed freight, autos and intermodal)
Mechanicville NY – Syracuse NY (CSX intermodal connector)
Selkirk NY – Brattleboro – St. Johnsbury – Orleans-Newport
St. Johnsbury-Groveton connection
New Haven CT – Orleans – Newport (connecting with MMA)
Selkirk NY – Florence (mostly Omya traffic for Selkirk)
Florence – Glens Falls NY (mostly Omya traffic for NY paper mills & CP)
Bellows Falls – Ticondaroga NY


In addition to switchers and locals there are bulk hauler shuttles that run all day long (maximizing car utilization) as mini unit trains (as short as just a few cars, but usually more like 10 cars). These haul aggregate, logs, wood chips and garbage. Cars used will be quick unloading bottom dump gondolas strengthened to haul logs so trains can be loaded in both directions and cars shuffled around from job to job. Because car utilization is so high and the trains are moving most of the time, these shuttles can make money (when operated with a crew of one person) even if the haul and train length is short.

You will note I’ve taken the liberty (as long as we are dreaming a bit) to expand the VRS system in a few directions that make sense. These could be services operated in cooperation with connecting railroads or outright takeovers.

The plan below assumes that main lines are operated at 40 mph (that’s the bulk of the capital expenditures) with new sidings as needed to facilitate operations and switches that are used every day equipped with time-saving radio controlled power switches.

Because of the power switches, improvements in track configurations and changes in switching procedures, time spent switching in this schedule is considerably reduced. Some of this could be because I’m not quite as familiar with operating requirements as I might be. Through freights will be blocked to drop set-offs off the rear with no switching, just a simple uncoupling and break test. Yard personnel with have a new FRED (flashing rear end device) ready to stick on the new last car.

Lowering time spent switching brings considerable improvements in productivity for all of the other cars in the through train that don’t need to wait as well. Faster timings will allow intermodal service to be operated competitively on the Selkirk-Burlington route.   more »

I'm occasionally frustrated by advocates for good causes who make a lot of noise but aren't effective. And there are others who choose apathy and feel powerless when seeing that. I offer below a quick course in effective political communication. This is not regarding elections and voting but in working with those we've elected. The point is to have an impact, to be effective, rather than simply complaining among the choir.

Three main points: - All Politics is Local (the representative or official cares about how it will effect their district)
- QUALITY of communication is important (be concise and focused)
- Build a long-term relationship (we're all humans here!)

The mindset here is to be strategic; to ask, "What will it take to get X to happen?" Then you plan backwards, thinking about the laws and regulations that might have to change, who you'll have to reach to make that happen, and what points of leverage you have. Obviously there are other powers in play, so I'm not saying you can win all the time . . . But there ARE some things you can achieve.   more »

If you want to be well informed about railroading in New England, get Atlantic Northeast Rails & Ports.  There is nothing else like it.  You'll know the scoop before anybody else, and more accurately.
http://www.atlanticnortheast.com/

I’m writing this from a big MCI intercity coach owned and operated by Vermont Transit. I just got on, at the Bellows Falls train station, and I’m heading to Boston en-route to Logan Airport and Atlanta. This is my report of the bus ride.

Immediately I realize this bus is more comfortable than my car. Not if someone were sitting beside me, but the bus is mostly empty.   more »

I have some comments about the proposal, just introduced before the house and now in the appropriations committee, to buy new dmu (diesel multiple unit) equipment for the state supported Amtrak Vermonter service, which is important to our district and to me.

I just looked up the bill and have two concerns:   more »

Get a group talking about transportation and sooner or later someone says, “I don’t understand why we don’t support our railroads more.” In fact the state of Vermont does support railroads, to a degree, and just completed a strategic policy plan to guide spending on rail and evaluate progress.

The overall aim of the plan is to maintain and modestly improve the rail network that exists. “By using spending criteria and performance objectives outlined in the plan, “We’ll see hopefully how well we are dong and make wise decisions as to how to spend our limited resources,” says Scott Bascom, the Agency of Transportation Planning Coordinator who was in charge of developing the plan.

The topic of rail policy might make your eyes glaze over, but documents such as this shape decisions that influence daily life. Supporting the rail infrastructure in Vermont used by Amtrak and freight railroads removes cars and trucks from the interstates and benefits the environment. And like other policy decisions, it supports some interests while others loose out.   more »

If the train arrives in St. Albans too late the night before, it therefore becomes late the next day . . . affecting the northbound, and so on. Amtrak - across it's system - is short of extra crews. Ideally the crew that takes the train up from New Haven should be qualified on CSX and NECR as well so they can proceed on to Palmer or Amherst and meet the southbound counterpart there. And - even more radical - there should be some arrangement so Amtrak can draw from freight railroad extra boards from time to time. It's all a big jigsaw puzzel and it's impossible to always have a crew . . . but Amtrak - across it's system - has a consistent problem in this area.   more »

The vision I'm setting forth here is considerably more expansive than what is described in the current draft of the state rail plan. It would result in some significant increases in service and improvements in the efficiency of the network. It would require taking some leadership and some funds. I believe it is possible and that the funds are there and that a case can be made for their expenditure.   more »

I think it's a real shame that Burlington (Vermont) commuter train service died. I believe it could be sustainable and have a plan for how it could work.

First thing to know is that not ALL the trains were empty. The media spin was that nobody was riding it -- but actually the rush hour trains had 100 people or so per train, which is viable. But that was only three runs, the other 10 (or so) runs were indeed empty.

Also consider that Burlington-Essex Junction is the real core of the service and Essex Junction which the Champlain Valley Flyer did not serve (but could) is the location of IBM, the state's largest employer

So here's my vision, presented in schedule form. (you've got to click this link because it started as an excel document). It's got off-peak Burlington-Essex Junction service all day long and a few peak trains from Shelburne, St. Albans, Montpelier/Barre. It assumes 59mph service. I do believe this is doable, although of course it would take capital costs to set up.   more »

The gleaming Agri-Mark truck shows up early, and Harold Rainey is there to meet it. Rainey has just finished milking his heard of Jersey cows on his Westminster West farm.
Dale Allen emerges from the cab, stuffs a hose through the opening on Rainey’s barn and goes inside the milk room where he throws a switch. Motors start and through the noise Allen explains that he is starting the agitator, which churns the contents of Rainey’s large silver bulk tank that holds the product of two day’s milking.

Allen shares small talk and good-natured barbs with Rainey as he takes a sample into a vial, checks some numbers and waits for the truck pump to finish suctioning the milk.

For two or three generations this story has been repeated every other day, and upon this ritual rests the shrinking income of the Vermont dairy farmer.   more »

One women yelled at the café car attendant so much he closed down and refused to serve anybody else." Yikes!   more »

Here is a link to two older articles I wrote for the Brattleboro Reformer and Trains Magazine on Vermont Rail Service's takeover of the Connecticut River Division and a study Vermont undertook of possible alternate private operators for the Vermonter Amtrak train.   more »

I present at this link, an imagined schedule for an improved Amtrak service to Vermont on the Connecticut River Valley route. I believe this should improve financial results at the same time as improving service. Highlights are a return of the Montrealer (as an extension of a Florida train, using only one extra equipment set) and an extension of a Springfield train from White River Junction, (not using any new equipment at all, just laying over at WRJ overnight instead of Springfield). Efficient use of equipment is part of what makes these runs financially viable.   more »