Rutland Revival
Vermont Rail System's legendary septuagenarian diesel number 405 leads a three car Trains magazine charter special performing a photo runby eastbound on the Green Mountain Railroad's Bellows Falls Subdivision mainline at MP 27 as it descends the grade passing the old wooden passenger station. This line traces its history back to 1849 when the Rutland Railroad's mainline from the Connecticut River town to Burlington opened by way of its namesake community.
The venerable Alco RS-1 rolled out of the Schenectady plant in November 1951 as one of a half dozen of the model built for the Rutland and served the erstwhile Class 1 until it shut down for good in 1961. While her siblings were scattered to the wind she never left her home state being picked up by Nelson Blount (founder of Steamtown) and then staying with the Green Mountain Railroad in freight service even after Steamtown left in 1983. She has remained in service on her home rails for 73 years and still occasionally is called up to freight duty, though now largely enjoys an easier life on excursion and passenger duty such as this.
Per a history of the town published in 1949 the wooden station at left dates from 1851 and is the second one on the site and was remodeled in 1891. I'm not sure who owns it now and if it is railroad or town property but as one of only a few surviving in its as built location it makes for a popular photo prop.
Ludlow (village), Vermont
Saturday September 28, 2024
Rutland Revival
Vermont Rail System's legendary septuagenarian diesel number 405 leads a three car Trains magazine charter special performing a photo runby eastbound on the Green Mountain Railroad's Bellows Falls Subdivision mainline at MP 27 as it descends the grade passing the old wooden passenger station. This line traces its history back to 1849 when the Rutland Railroad's mainline from the Connecticut River town to Burlington opened by way of its namesake community.
The venerable Alco RS-1 rolled out of the Schenectady plant in November 1951 as one of a half dozen of the model built for the Rutland and served the erstwhile Class 1 until it shut down for good in 1961. While her siblings were scattered to the wind she never left her home state being picked up by Nelson Blount (founder of Steamtown) and then staying with the Green Mountain Railroad in freight service even after Steamtown left in 1983. She has remained in service on her home rails for 73 years and still occasionally is called up to freight duty, though now largely enjoys an easier life on excursion and passenger duty such as this.
Per a history of the town published in 1949 the wooden station at left dates from 1851 and is the second one on the site and was remodeled in 1891. I'm not sure who owns it now and if it is railroad or town property but as one of only a few surviving in its as built location it makes for a popular photo prop.
Ludlow (village), Vermont
Saturday September 28, 2024