On the snowy Tuesday before Thanksgiving, during my long drive home marked by cautious breaking and downshifting, I finally understood what rail could do for people like me. I’m a college student who’s lucky enough to own a car to get back and forth from school. It’s not convenient or energy efficient for my parents to pick me up, so like many young people, I drive myself. Fortunately, I carpooled with a friend with this time. Read more…
Rail is to community as roads are to solitude. On a rainy day, inside the massive warehouse where the Budd Cars are maintained, Greg Morgan, Chair of the Essex Economic Development Commission, expressed how rail is important to the future in a time of evolution and change. For Morgan, rail is in Essex Junction’s DNA. The creation of an accessible and versatile public transportation will be important for citizens and businesses alike. “I’m really hopeful Read more…
On a brisk fall day in Barre, former Vermont legislator Chuck Bohi of Hartford took a ride on the Budd RDC train cars, and recalled his past experiences riding in Canada. Traffic congestion across the nation is much worse since Bohi last rode these RDCs in the 1960s, and he is adamant on the relevance of trains for today’s needs. “These Budd cars are perfect for short-haul routes,” he said. While the RDC slowly floated along Read more…
INSERT VIDEO Vermont’s US Senator Patrick Leahy has a passion for rail. For a state that that is hungry for improved public transportation, this is very good news. On Sept. 12, Leahy’s Field Office Representative, Chris Saunders, visited the Budd cars in Barre to ride them first-hand. Like everyone who’s seen the Budd cars in person, Saunders was impressed. In fact, he said he’s confident that Senator Leahy will support AllEarth’s Budd car project. “I’m Read more…
Maybe it was the Kansas City air, the smell of oil or the sounds of trains coupling up, but it was sometime in early childhood when Charlie Moore of St. Albans caught the train ‘bug.’ And It hasn’t left him since. It began when Moore’s uncle took him for a ride on a small track inspection motorcar. “He took me for a ride when I was visiting. I was so impressed by the experience, seeing the rails Read more…
Lift off! The Budd Cars are running and ready to serve VT for good. The RDCs were just tested on the railroad lines between Barre and Montpelier where they ran perfectly. This was the first time they’ve run outside of the rail yard. Vermont Rail Systems worked with AllEarth Rail to create this opportunity, lending assistance and sharing train personnel. With this success, we’re just another step closer to having a reliable and renewable solution to transportation. The Budd cars Read more…
Vermont’s mayors are getting serious about rail and it’s easy to see why. Dave Allaire, mayor of Rutland, and Tim Smith, mayor of St. Albans, took a short ride on the newly refurbished Budd RDC cars on August 27, in Barre. They experienced the sights and smells of the Budd cars before they begin their new life transporting Vermonters and visitors. Allaire and Smith are both enthusiastic about improving passenger rail services that run through Rutland Read more…
For two motivated students cutting their teeth as diesel mechanics, working on equipment 40 years older than they are has provided a remarkable learning experience. Ricky Kulawitz and Cody Bryan are students at Vermont Technical College (VTC). They interned with AllEarth Rail this summer to rehab 12 sturdy Budd rail cars that will be used by passengers for years to come. The trains are being worked on at the old Bombardier rail facility in Barre, VT. They’re studying Read more…
When was the last time you took a trip by train? If you can’t remember, maybe it’s time to reconsider your travel options. Yes, trains take longer than some other options. Your time is valuable and you’d like to get from here to there as quickly as possible. But when we think about our choices in long-haul transportation, there are many other considerations besides speed—especially if you’re concerned about the environment and the future of Read more…