Amtrak resumes service in Vermont on July 19th — and plans are under way at every station (and on board) to celebrate!
A special $1 fare is being offered for July 19th only, between any points in Vermont. Reservations will be essential and can be made at https://www.amtrak.com/vermont
VTrans will provide bus shuttles to enable round trips returning from Montpelier, Brattleboro and Castleton. There will be buses in advance of the train to enable round trips from Castleton (leaving 7:00 am for Rutland) and Brattleboro (leaving 11:15 for Bellows Falls). You can also make a round trip by train, spending the afternoon in Brattleboro, which is worth the time. Make shuttle reservations here.
The train is already 50% sold out in some segments, so do not delay your reservation.
The celebrations at the stations will be worthwhile themselves. Vermont is really going all out to welcome the train. Details are below.
Congressman Peter Welch will speak at the 8:30 a.m. event at the St. Albans Station to celebrate the return of the Vermonter. Also scheduled to speak are Chair of the House Transportation Committee Rep. Diane Lanpher, Amtrak Vice President Ray Lang, Vermont Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn, St. Albans Mayor Tim Smith, and Village of Essex Junction Board of Trustees President Andrew Brown, among others.
A 7:30 a.m. event at the Rutland Station will celebrate the return of the Ethan Allen Express. Speakers include David Allaire, who is Mayor of Rutland and a member of the Vermont Rail Advisory Council and the Operation Lifesaver of Vermont Board. Vice-Chair of the House Transportation Committee Rep. Charles “Butch” Shaw will also speak at the Rutland event.
Operation Lifesaver of Vermont will be providing short presentations on rail safety at each station. At the Montpelier Junction event, free maple creemees will be served by Palmer Lane Maple of Jericho and funded by Vermont dairy farmers and AOT.
Here is a summary of every event:
St. Albans: 8:30am; train leaves 9:15 – coffee/tea/pastries provided. See above.
Essex Jct: 9:00 am; train leaves 9:44 – coffee & treats provided. Includes walking tour of 5 corners infrastructure changes
Waterbury: 9:30 am; train leaves 10:10 – Speakers: State Rep. and Chair of Revitalizing Waterbury, Theresa Wood; Bill Shepeluk, Town Manager and Laura Parette, who spearheaded the restoration of the station. Operation Lifesaver presentation by Alex Schwartzmueller of VRS. Food: Cold Hollow Cider Mills donuts and cider; coffee
Montplier Jct: 9:00am; train leaves 10:25 – Speakers: Mayor Anne Watson; Berlin Selectboard Chair, Justin Lawrence; Operation Lifesaver of Vermont-Toni Hamburg Clithero,
VTrans/OLVT State Coordinator • Educational: Display by the Berlin Historical Society
• Food: Coffee, juice, and some light refreshments, as well as Free Maple Creemees
by Palmer’s Lane Maple • Music: Amerikana Blue
Randolph: 10:15am; train leaves 10:59
White River Junction: 10:30; train leaves 11:37 – Free coupons for
local WRJ food establishments, Light refreshments o Music: Entertainment from guitarist and singer Rob Oxford
Windsor: 11:15am – train leaves 11:56
Claremont: 11:30am – train leaves 12:06
Bellows Falls: 11:45am and 5:00pm – train leaves at 1230 – Speakers: Sen. Becca Balint; Windham-3 VT reps Carolyn Partridge (noon), Leslie Goldman (5:00); Operation Lifesaver: Norma Jean Griffiths, Federal Rail Administration/OLVT Board Member. • Food: Smokin’ Bowls food for noon event; Jamaican Jewlez food for 5 pm event
• Music: 8 pc jazz band on for noon and 5 pm; Detrani Brothers Band
Brattleboro: 12:15pm; train leaves at 1:02 pm – Operation Lifesaver: presentation by Norma Jean Griffiths, Federal Rail Administration/OLVT Board Member. • Ice cream
• Music: Detrani Brothers Band
Greenfield: event expected
Northampton: 1:00pm; train leaves at 2:01pm – hosted by Trains in the Valley
Rutland: 7:30aam; train leaves 8:15 – see above. Light refreshments
Castleton: 7:45am; train leaves 8:34 – Speakers: Town Manager, Michael Jones; Chair, Board of Selectman, James Leamy; Interim President Castleton University, Jonathan Spiro; American Legion Post 50 Color Guard on Platform event; OLVT- Norma Griffiths, Federal Rail Administration/OLVT Board Member. Light refreshments
Details of these celebrations may change and expand.
Events at stations are being organized by local communities with support from VTrans. A big thanks to VTrans for making this a red letter day and all the organization that is part of it.
I’ll be at Saint Albans and on the Vermonter, south to Brattleboro and returning on the evening train. I hope you’ll say hello.
Please mark your calendar and plan to come out!
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