Amtrak service for Chester and Ludlow? One man has the vision Town Planner Preston Bristow asks you to weigh in on Vermont Rail Plan
The Chester Telegraph | Oct 30, 2024 | Comments 15
By Cynthia Prairie
©2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC
Chester Planner Preston Bristow rides an Amtrak train several weeks ago. He has a vision for passenger train travel for local communities. Photo provided.
“Many believe we are entering a ‘New Era of Rail.’ The Vermont Tourism Department offers ‘Travel by Train’ long weekend itineraries, and wouldn’t it be great if Chester and Okemo could be included?” he told The Chester Telegraph last week, adding that there are other rail possibilities, including regular passenger service on the highly used north-south routes.
As an example, Bristow says Amtrak is already planning on extending its two Valley Flyers to Brattleboro and later to White River Junction, so why not add a “Rutland Flyer” that would head northwest from Bellows Falls with stops in Chester, Ludlow and Rutland? “It would take years for such a train to become a reality, but everything involving rail takes years, and as I quote myself saying, ‘we have to start somewhere,’ ” he says.
Air your views now in Vermont Rail Plan survey
That “somewhere” is with the 2025 Vermont Rail Plan, which is currently being updated. The plan sets goals for both intercity passenger rail through Amtrak as well as the freight rail system. And Bristow would like the public to weigh in on its ideas for passenger service that would include Chester.“Ideally, comments for the Rail Plan update should be received by Friday, Nov. 8 in time for the fall meeting of the Vermont Rail Advisory Council on Nov. 12,” says Bristow.
The ‘Rutland Flyer’ plan. Click the image to enlarge.
To access the Vermont Rail Plan Comment Form, click here. You can ignore the option to “Drop a pin on the map to reference a location in your comment (optional).”
Bristow is hoping that Chester residents will support his efforts by taking part in the survey. He suggests that commenters say something along the lines of “In addition to extending Amtrak’s Valley Flyer trains to White River Junction, I support routing a Valley Flyer along the state-owned rail line from Bellows Falls through Chester and Ludlow to Rutland.” Be sure to check “Service” under the question “What theme does your comment relate to?”
Chester is no stranger to rail service, which helped grow the town when it arrived in 1849, seeing the establishment of a thriving passenger and freight service. According to Buildings of New England, by the 1890s, the growth of industrial and commercial businesses around the Chester Depot made it “one of the busiest stations on the Rutland RR. The State purchased the line in 1963, leasing it in part to the Green Mountain RR.”
While passenger rail died out in the area, for almost 20 years Chester was a crucial stop for the Steamtown excursions, which ran from Walpole, N.H., Bellows Falls and Chester using a collection 35 steam locomotives and 25 pieces of rolling stock. By the early 1980s, Steamtown moved its equipment to a permanent collection in Pennsylvania.
Bristow sees a revival of rail for Chester and Ludlow. As Town Planner, he says, “I try to promote opportunities that help Chester prosper and improve the quality of life for Chester residents. Amtrak service to Chester would do that at a fraction of the environmental impact of cars or planes. I believe the demand for passenger rail in this country will grow and I want us to be ready. Being recognized as an initiative in the Vermont Rail Plan is a way to start getting resources to study the viability of such a train. Chester itself may not be a big passenger draw but Okemo could be. The tracks pass between the resort and Jackson Gore.”
The Chester Depot. Telegraph photo by Shawn Cunningham.
He adds, “There is great cachet in being an Amtrak-served community. Amtrak connects small town America to the national economy,” and is more energy efficient and comfortable than cars or planes. “Having Amtrak service would make Chester a more attractive place to live, to vacation and to have a business.”
“Rail stations themselves often become the focus of community redevelopment activity,” he says, sounding very much like the Town Planner he is. “Chester has a historic depot with lots of potential. Ludlow is without a functioning depot, but there is the potential for a new intermodal station at the Blue Lot on Witalec Road.”
But his vision doesn’t stop in Ludlow — or even in Rutland. “By the time an Amtrak train arrives in Chester, there would hopefully be connections to Montreal and Boston as well as New York City.”
Nor does his vision for a local Amtrak stop end with his planned retirement in June of 2025. “Bringing Amtrak to Chester is a project I would like to continue with”
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A new Amtrak Route from Boston to Montreal would replicate what used to exist. Chester and Ludlow would be potential stops. But what some commenters dream of would be better accomplished with a local, frequent jitney service between Rutland and Bellows Falls with stops in Ludlow and Chester.
Many years ago, there were multiple passenger train routes between Boston and Montreal. One of the routes did go via Chester and Ludlow. I believe the Coolidges traveled on that train to Boston on business. Londonderry and Perkinsville are problematic. No tracks or rights of way. Maybe a connecting bus, as exists to move passengers between Manchester and Albany.
This is a great idea! Especially if the routes eventually extend to Boston, New York, and Montreal, but starting with the local area would be an excellent start.
I would love to see a train station this close to Perkinsville, would love to be able to go on weekend excursions to Burlington or Montreal. What fun! Hope it works out!
This is a wonderful idea with so many possible benefits! Great forward thinking! Preston makes completing the comment form incredibly simple with the suggested wording. Don’t forget to “click here” in the article and complete the form!
Yes! I have been wanting this for years, I believe that tourists taking scenic rides, and the ski traffic alone might just sustain the local service. Folks getting off the Amtrak Vermonter, from points as far south as far south as the Washington DC are, and NYC, in Bellows Falls, could have rail service to Okemo and Jackson Gore, and even Killington and Pico, with a short shuttle bus. The route would also serve Rutland regional airport. Think of all those city folks who don’t own a car, who would love to vacation in Vermont!
The route 103 corridor is currently very poorly served by public transportation, in fact there really is no way to go from Bellows Falls to Rutland via public transportation.Also as many of you know, we will never meet our climate change goals without passenger rail, trains are far more efficient than busses.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to just hop on the train in Chester Depot to go grocery shopping in Ludlow, or the many shopping options in Rutland. Just having a no car option to get to the airport would be amazing. Imagine what a game changer it would be if there was rail service for folks who could get to their job and back, without having to drive a few towns away to get there?
Thank you so much Preston, and thanks to the Telegraph for helping to raise awareness of this laudable project.
Amtrak service to Chester, Ludlow and on to Rutland. I think it would be an absolutely marvelous idea. It should be coupled with a roll-on/roll-off car service on the train from the NYC area so that families, and skiers in particular, could have a method of getting around town once they arrive.
Passenger trains! Love this idea! They move a lot faster than freight trains so my only concern would be that the crossings have lights. I’ve met quite a few vehicles on Wymans Falls Road that didn’t “Stop Look & Listen.”
Great idea! It is important to start developing alternate travel options now.
This would be so great!!!! Yes!!! What a way to provide transportation for work, college students, extended activities for high schoolers, visitors, exploring???! I would be in favor of this-
I would support rail service through Chester to points north and south. I live in South Londonderry so Chester is one of our closest neighboring towns. I drive a lot but am not getting any younger. Perhaps by the time this rail service becomes a reality, I’ll be needing it. I’d also like to see rail service return to Manchester, VT.
While rail service to small towns like ours may never be profitable, it offers other benefits. I feel it’s worthwhile and would love to see it happen.
This is a fabulous idea! Let’s include a stop at the Proctorsville Depot – it would support students and families who attend GM and events there, as well as working folks who work in Ludlow and need more ways to get back and forth.
Brilliant. A concept in discussion with many a pal, for years. Make it so.
Great idea! This is a plan that everyone could support.