D&D Travel's New England Series... The Green Mountain Railroad - An historic train excursion between Bellows Falls and Rutland, Vermont, arranged by the Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts, Inc. (Mass Bay RRE), June 22, 2013... [HOME] | |||||
The Mass Bay RRE is a non-profit organization of train buffs...They operate a number of unique rail excursions throughout New England each year, often re-creating historic runs along the tracks. This June, they chartered the Green Mountain Railroad, with Engine Number 405, to pull several cars on a 52 mile run from Bellows Falls, VT to Rutland and back on a warm summer day... |
|||||
Diesel Engine Number 405, at the Amtrak Station in Bellows Falls, VT, is ready to depart for the 52-mile run northwest to Rutland... |
|||||
Our car - #1306 - and the others are completely filled with travelers... |
|||||
|
|||||
Above two images: Traveling the causeway, past marshy areas along the Connecticut River, as we depart the Bellows Falls station... |
|||||
In many places alongside the rails, where it's shady and moist, enormous tracts of lush green ferns line the tracks! |
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
Above 3 images: Gorgeous summer wildflowers along the right-of-way in Okemo! |
|||||
Above and immediately below: Ghost telegraph/signal poles, long ago abandoned, line the rails. Look closely below and you'll even see a lone, forgotten aqua-colored glass electrical insulator on the cross-piece! These insulated the signal wires that ran parallel to the tracks on most all railroads many years ago... |
|||||
|
|||||
Above: The Williams River at Brockways Mills... |
|||||
The Village of Ludlow and scenic VT Route 100, seen from a trestle high above |
|||||
|
|||||
Above two images: More beauty along the tracks, heading north |
|||||
A local country store not far from Okemo...evidenced by "Think Snow!" |
|||||
|
|||||
Above two images: Downtown Rutland, just across from the Amtrak Station and along Merchants Row... |
|||||
Kelvans - a small, great restaurant on Merchants Row and a block from the station...Fabulous place to eat, with a bar and a lovely little patio out back |
|||||
Above and next 3 images below: The Saturday Farmers Market, between Merchants Row and the train station...Very colorful and offering much more then just fresh farm produce! |
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
Above and below: The photo "run-by" at the Okemo Ridge Road crossing. The train passes directly through the ski area!
|