Update: Click Here for Photo Gallery From the Evening

Vermont Rail Action Network Annual Meeting Honors Flood Reconstruction
Awards Go to David Wulfson, Vermont Rail System, New England Central Railroad

For more information contact Christopher Parker, Vermont Rail Action Network Executive Director: (802) 536-4607

At its annual meeting in Montpelier on Monday, the Vermont Rail Action Network celebrated the railroad’s restoration from Irene and gave two awards to honor the Vermont Rail System’s investment in the tracks used by the Ethan Allen and to recognize the incredible teamwork of the flood restoration.

David Wulfson, President of the Vermont Rail System, was awarded the Jim Jefford’s award for Community Rail Advocate of the Year in recognition of his commitment to addressing the track issues that had caused timekeeping problems for Amtrak’s Ethan Allen. 

Governor Peter Shumlin spoke, emphasizing his commitment to rail and its necessity for future environmental and economic realities and presented Wulfson with the Jefford’s award.

The Herb Ogden award for Rail Advocacy work was presented jointly to both railroads, the Vermont Rail System and the New England Central Railroad, in recognition of the heroic effort of recovering from Irene, which excepting one bridge took just three weeks.

Transportation Secretary Brian Searles presented the awards to the railroads, noting that the best advocacy is results.

The important role of the contractors who helped the railroads was highlighted by the Governor.  Engineers Construction and R.J. Corman were present.  Shumlin called the restoration “extraordinary.” 

Freelance photojournalist Kevin Burkholder presented a slide show narrated by New England Central Railroad General Manager Steve Coomes of the flood damage and repair as well as “high-speed” rail construction.  Burkholder’s photos were also part of a presentation by Dave Wulfson, President of Vermont Rail System about the flood.

 Photos: Governor Peter Shumlin and Vermont Rail System President David Wulfson; Transportation Secretary Brian Searles with Wulfson and New England Central Railroad General Manager Steve Coomes.

On Wednesday I upgraded our civiCRM constituent relationship manager that handles all back-end database tasks involving our mailing list, event registration and donations.  The upgrade was mostly prompted by the desire to get ready for the upcoming fundraising appeal.  If something doesn't go quite right when using the database and I seek help, the first question is always 'what version are you using?' followed by a recommendation to upgrade.  There have been a few issues and I have a desire to avoid any during the peak fundraising period. 

We went from version 3.1 to version 3.4.7.  It's important to keep up to date on software releases for security reasons, but it also gives us some nifty new features:

• Comprehensive change logs for contact data and contributions.  If I have a volunteer working on somebodies record and it gets screwed up, I can now see what was there before and revert to it (previously I could see who made the change and when).  This is a big security feature.
• Allows pictures to be stored with constituent records, helping jog my memory and helping whomever comes after me learn who everybody is.
• Automatic Event Name Badge generation.  Could have used that for the annual meeting!
• Integrated polls, surveys and petitions connected with Get Out the vote phone and canvass lists and voter tracking
• Integrated campaign reporting, pulling together events, donations and activities connected with a specific campaign
• Improved duplicate record checking

-- Christopher

All the railroads in Vermont, save one bridge, are now back in service and our upcoming annual meeting, Monday October 17 will celebrate that and honor the workers. 

You'll want to be there.  You'll meet railroaders, contractors and political leaders who made this happen and advocates who provided support made it known this was important. 

We will be at Montpelier's Capital Plaza, 6:00pm - 9:00 pm. 

An RSVP (including meal choice) is requested and can be done on-line at: 
http://www.railvermont.org/2011-annual-meeting 

The first train to run through on the Green Mountain Railroad (Vermont Rail System's Rutland - Bellows Falls line) ran Friday a week ago.  The first train from Rutland to Bennington and Hoosick Junction ran Sunday. The New England Central re-opened as a through route on Monday evening. (Photo at the right is bridge 114 being Christined as the first train crosses after reconstruction.  By Kevin Burkholder)

The last trouble spot that is still out of service is the Washington County Railroad bridge over the White River in White River Junction. This work has been delayed after workers discovered the remains of a highway bridge washed out in the floods of 1927 -- right where they wanted to drill pilings. 

A lot of railroaders didn't get sleep over these last 3 weeks since the flood.  Weekends disappeared.  Contractors and equipment were brought in.  A lot of work was accomplished. 

VRAN's Annual Meeting will be Monday, October 17th, 6-9pm at the Capital Plaza in Montpelier.

More Info     On-Line Registration

The following message is from the National Association of Railroad Passengers (Note that Vermont's congressman, Bernie Sanders has been very supportive of Amtrak -- but you should know what's going on and make your opinons known in the form of thanks to Bernie and prompts to your out-of-state friends): 

House Subcommitee Approves Shutdown Budget for Amtrak!

High-Speed Rail Funding Eliminated

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation & Housing proposed slashing funding for Amtrak to $1.1 billion—a reduction of more than $357 million from what Amtrak received in FY2011.  

The bill forbids use of the operating grant to fund short corridors, potentially endangering almost 150 weekday state-supported trains and stranding millions of passengers in California, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

This really would kill all of Amtrak because of how loss of “state corridors” would cut revenues and increase costs of Northeast Corridor and overnight trains.  The NEC and interstate trains would be severely victimized both by assuming much of the shared costs now assigned to the short corridors, and the loss of revenues from connecting passengers disenfranchised by loss of those corridors.

The High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail program—a highly oversubscribed program that has seen 39 states apply for funds (Including Vermont) to improve (and introduce) modern passenger trains for the 135 million Americans that live in a community connected to a rail corridor—was given no funding at all. 

This proposed budget is a direct attack on the right of Americans to travel by train, indeed, on the very existence of intercity passenger trains in the U.S.  Take a minute and call your Congressperson to ask them to stand up for trains.  Or click the Take Action link and write a letter to your Representative.

We need your voice today!

We would like to thank the public for showing their support for National Train Day in Brattleboro on May 7,2011. We would also like to thank our sponsors, listed below