Agency Outlines Work for Montreal Passenger Trains
At the legislative Commission on International Trade & State Sovereignty in Montpelier, Chris Cole from the Agency of Transportation, outlined the state's ongoing work to restore passenger train service from Vermont to Montreal. Four issues need to be resolved: 1. Pre-Clerance proceedures 2. Funding & Building the pre-clerance facility in Montreal 3. Resolving Operating Agreements 4. Upgrading the tracks. Tags: Quebec Constructing Interstate to Parallel Railroad To VermontAn autoroute (the Quebec equivalent of an interstate) is being built between Montreal to the American border at Highgate Springs, north of Saint Albans. The route parallels the Canadian National Railroad that links to the north end of the New England Central Railroad, providing an increase in competition to the railroad. Currently 80% of the exports of Quebec travel to the US via truck, while only 46% of Canadian exports as a whole are trucked. The new route will save 15 minutes to Montreal and provide a bypass to the current two lane route. An additional highway is under construction that will bypass Montreal, making highway trips to Ottawa and Toronto easier. It is projected highway traffic crossing the border will increase from the current 3,000 a day to 7,000. The state of Vermont has been working to restore intercity passenger train service to Montral on this route. The rail link north of Saint Albans is as slow as 10 mph. 53% of traffic crossing the border at Highgate Springs is bound for Montreal. In the other direction, 46% of the crossings are bound for Vermont, while 24% are bound to Massachusetts. In contrast, 40% of truck crossings are bound for Massachusetts and only a small amount stop in Vermont. The 23.5 mile new highway will cost $460 million (which compares to $70 million just invested in the 150 miles of New England Central Railroad in Vermont).
Rail Director Joe Flynn Appointed Director of Vermont Emergency Management
[Press release] Waterbury, VT – 01/18/12 – The Vermont Department of Public Safety Commissioner Keith Flynn today officially announced the appointment of Joe Flynn as the Director of Vermont Emergency Management (VEM). Flynn, who is no relation to Commissioner Flynn, has been the Rail Director for the Vermont Agency of Transportation since 2009. Flynn was a critical leader within VTrans' Irene emergency response operation, serving as the Commander of the VTrans Regional Response Center in Dummerston. He then served as an operations director in the Irene Recovery Office, where he is still working under the direction of newly appointed Recovery Officer, Sue Minter. “Flynn's previous management experience on the select board in South Hero, as a deputy sheriff with Grand Isle County Sheriff’s Department, and as a the retired chief of the South Hero Volunteer Fire Department, will serve Vermont well in his role as VEM director,” said Commissioner Keith Flynn about Joe's recent decision to accept the position.
Turtle Crossings Installed By New England Central Railroad and ECI for Endangered SpeciesThe New England Central Railroad and Engineers Construction Inc, which was hired to do the work, have built 15 turtle crossings in Vernon to allow endangered spotted turtles to cross between wetland and nest. The crossings are turtle sized steel tunnels inserted under the rails. Delay In Removing Bennington Branch BridgeThe short branch line from North Bennington to Bennington has been out of service for a few years, ever since former customers Ben-Mont paper, Johnson Controls and Morse Block packed up shop and left town. Access to rail makes future industrial development in Bennington possible, but others want to use the tracks as a bike path. In the middle of a branch is an old bridge over route 7a at the bottom of Harwood Hill under which many tractor-trailers find themselves stuck. The Agency of Transportation planned to remove the bridge, but this has turned out to be a more complicated job than first thought, owing to the poor shape of the concrete abutments which would not stay upright if the span on top is removed, as was the original plan. It's back to the drawing board and a postponnment of the work to next summer. Rail Historian & Filmmaker To Appear on WDEV FridayVermont rail author Robert C. Jones and his son, rail-documentary specialist James R. "Jim" Jones, are featured guests on WDEV radio's Mark Johnson Show this Friday, December 30, from 9am-10am. Joel Najman, of VPR's MY PLACE fame, covers for Mark in what promises to be an entertaining hour at 96.1 FM, 550 AM or on-line at WDEV.com WDEV is one of the state's last family owned stations, serving the northern half of the state from its Waterbury, VT studios. This third generation rail family will provide a nostalgic look at Vermonts colorful rail history, plus an insiders glimpse at researching and creating books and DVDs in this genre. Joel will open the phone lines, taking your calls. |
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Amtrak's Ethan Allen will be leaving Rutland 15 minutes later and making it's trip 15 minutes faster, thanks to summer trackwork by the Vermont Rail System between Whitehall and Rutland.
