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HomeOnTheMountain_ t1_j6jlbgc wrote

That Rutland to WRJ line would be one of the biggest developments for the state and (likely) would be a massive boon to both those cities and surrounding areas. That would be one of the few rail lines bridging either sides of the Hudson based lines (and their respective giant communities on either side of the river.)

Otherwise you have to pick your train line down in the city because they diverge from there with only bus service connecting across the Hudson. That tiny piece of track would effectively create a loop with NYC, open E<>W train travel mid way through the state + give the ability to go further into New England or Canada

I'd be ok diverting some of that Fed grant money that Burlington sops up to the Rutland area.

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DrToadley OP t1_j6jljqn wrote

Totally agree. That is one place where new track would need to be laid down. It would certainly be an engineering challenge, but considering that investments in rail are some of the very best investments society can make in terms of ROI, I think it would be well worth it.

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HomeOnTheMountain_ t1_j6jozzx wrote

Oh I agree, but it would be a huge project. When was the last time we made a mountain rail line?

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HillRatch t1_j6k4qyx wrote

Knowing absolutely nothing about engineering this sort of thing, I also wonder if a tunnel/series of tunnels might be the better solution.

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cbospam1 t1_j6kbtk6 wrote

Tunnels are expensive. A quick search indicated $250 to $500 million per mile in Europe and more in the US. We are a rural state, transit tunnels make zero sense.

There is an rail tunnel in Burlington between winooski and the waterfront but it is 350 feet long and was built by hand in the 19th century.

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mervmonster t1_j6kc1rp wrote

The cost of tunneling is dropping drastically with each decade too. I was wondering if we would get a railway/interstate from Rutland to white river after tunneling gets sufficiently cheap and the traffic gets bad enough. I-92 was supposed to go that route but was never built. It’s one reason there is an interstate like route near Bennington.

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mervmonster t1_j6kb6br wrote

It was planned with routes laid out at one point. Parts of the white river to Woodstock railroad right of way and grade are still visible. They tried to continue to Rutland but it wasn’t viable at the time.

As someone that seems to be a fellow rail enthusiast, do you happen to know what All Earth Rail’s planned route is?

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MatthewGeer t1_j6kcgmj wrote

There used to be a rail line on that corridor. The bridge that caries US 4 over the Queechee Gorge, just west of WRJ, was built as a railroad bridge in 1911, and was converted to a highway bridge in 1933. I don’t think much infrastructure or right-of-way remains, at least not much that hasn’t been repurposed.

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cjrecordvt t1_j6jz1bf wrote

I just have no idea where you'd physically put it in Sherburne Pass. What's not already road is either steep or wet. Or both.

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cbospam1 t1_j6kcbpz wrote

Beyond that, how do you get the right-of-way for a commercial line? You’d have to shell out a ton before you laid any track.

I wish rail travel was more feasible here but I often see these proposed rail maps that do t take into account much beyond “it would be nice if there was a train from here to there”

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cjrecordvt t1_j6kdj2b wrote

Yep. I would honestly consider murder for faster transit out of Rutland, especially ones where I don't have to drive. But we have a rather gorgeous logistical nightmare in the middle of the state.

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SmashesIt t1_j6mpvwj wrote

That line would be pretty hard to do from Killington to Woodstock. Barely enough room for route 4

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