21-09-09 PHOTOS: Connecticut River Line

In Part Two of my 2021 Northbound Vermonter trip to White River Junction, I continue on from where Part 1 left off at the Springfield Union Station in Springfield, MA. In my previous travels on the Vermonter to the station in Amherst, MA, the train would continue east on the former Conrail Boston Line to the town of Palmer, then reverse direction up the New England Central's unsignaled main line. This required the Vermonter to be equipped either with a cab car or a second engine to reverse direction. When the more direct Connecticut River route was reopened, this detour and direction reversal was eliminated. Both the new and old routings converge at Brattleboro and this part will continue on to cover the route up to White River Jct and the station complex there. Once again the full gallery of photos can be found here ( mirror ).

Currently the schedule has both the Northbound and Southbound Vermonters meet at Springfield and today was no exception as Amtrak P42DC #121 pulls Train 55 out from the adjacent high level platform track #6.

The only other train in the station was a three car Amtrak Springfield Shuttle trainset with P42DC #124 and Metroliner Cab Car #9633. Note the US&S N-2 dwarf signal, likely the only surviving signal from before Amtrak's mid-2000's replacement project.

The Union in Springfield Union Station comes from the meeting of the New York, New Haven and Hartford, Boston and Albany (NY Central) and Boston and Maine. A recent renovation project reopened the Union Station train hall and concourse, however it came at the cost of the period freight house and interlocking tower to make way for a bus depot. Some of the station platform infrastructure and canopies are still under renovation, especially Boston Line tracks 1 and 2 which see the daily passage of the Lake Shore Limited Boston section.

Amtrak P42DC #113 at the front of my Vermonter Train 56 and the new high level Platform C.

Before the re-route, the Vermonter would exit out the east end of the station tracks and enter the Boston Line at CP-97. To reach the Connecticut River Main Line, the Vermonter and Valley Flyer trains still need to perform a short reverse move back through SPRING and SWEENEY interlockings to cross the Boston Line diamonds and enter former Boston and Maine territory.

The Vermonter has been diverted to the alternate route through Palmer and Amherst in stages starting in 1989 as the Guilford Rail System allowed the Connecticut River Line to deteriorate to Class 1 speeds (15mph). In 2012 ARRA funding allowed the state of Massachusetts to rebuild the line between Springfield and the junction with the New Englande Central near the Vermont border allowing for both the return of the Vermonter to its original alignment and a daily Valley Flyer round trip between Greenville and Springfield, MA. Although a backup move is still required, about 30 minutes was eliminated from the running time due to a more direct route. The project included 3 new stations including this one at Holyoke, MA, located just a short distance from the original.

The Northampton station serves the greater Amherst Higher Education complex including such schools as Amherst, U Mass Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, Hampshire and Smith. This replaces the slightly more convenient downtown Amherst station, although it is connected to the college area via transit and a rail trail. Note all the high level platform stations have bypass tracks for wide freight loads.

The rebuild included new signaling such as this bracket mast south of Greenfield.

The CT River Line intersects the former Guilford Rail System's Main to New York Freight Main Line at the location of the Greenfield, MA passenger station. The train of autobrakes parked on the Guilford Main is part of the Pan Am Southern joint venture that sold a 50% stake in the route between Ayer and Mechanicsville, MY to Norfolk Southern to complete their route into the New Englande market via Harrisburg, Scranton, Binghampton and Albany using their purchase of the former Delaware and Hudson route. This is the northern terminus of the Valley Flyer service.

EAST NORTHFIELD is where the CT River Line meets the former Central Vermont route to New London and the "temporary" route of the Vermonter via Palmer. Today a lashup of G&W liveried NECR locomotives led by SD40M-2 #3476 were waiting for our train to clear.

The history of this part of the Vermonter route is somewhat complicated. Originally built by the Central Vermont, the Boston and Maine gained control of the line between Brattleboro and Windsor, VT with the CV running under trackage rights. Over time the B&M and its successor Guilford Rail System, would abandon its separate line between EAST NORTHFIELD and Brattleboro and take another chunk of the former CV route. This is reflected in that small part of the line operating under Track Warrant Control until this very day. in 1987 Amtrak had to suspend Montraler service due to the poor state of the line under Guilford and, in a case that went to the Supreme Court, seized ownership from GRS and transferred it to New Englande Central after Federal funds were used to repair the track. Here we see the Brattleboro station and the resumption of CTC signaled territory where Boston and Main control once resumed.

Just south of the Bellows Falls station is the famous Bellows Falls tunnel, the location of many railfan photos.

Bellows Falls is the former southern terminus of the Rutland Railroad, now owned by the State of Vermont as the Vermont Rail System.

The station of Claremont is actually in the state of New Hampshire as the former CT River route runs along the eastern side of the Connecticut River between Bellows Falls and Windsor, VT.

Windsor was the northern terminus of B&M/Guilford operation and for many years was where the CTC signaling ended, but sometime over the last decade the signaling was extended to White River Jct, which increased speeds from 59mph to 79mph .

Finally arriving at White River Jct, my Vermonter train was met by NECR GP40-2 #437 hanging out on a siding. While I was waiting for my ride, #437 picked up its crew and began to do some work for the evening.

The station is built in the Georgian style due to the proximity of Dartmouth College, which continues to generate a lot of passenger traffic on the route. The station also serves as an NECR/G&W crew base and office.

The station is staffed by volunteer attendants, and the one on duty that day was nice enough to give me a tour of the ticket office.

White River Jct also serves as a base for the Vermont Rail System owned Washington County Railroad with GP's38-2 #209 and #2617 on site awaiting their next call to service. The WACR serves the old CV route up the CT River whereas the NECR, and Vermonter, cut across the state to serve Montpelier and St. Albans.

Boston and Maine 4-4-0 steam locomotive #949 is also on display at the station along with a caboose.

Well that completes my northbound trip on the Vermonter. Next week I'll hit up the East Conway Scenic Railroad as well as some locations near Ayer and Lowell, MA.