A New Train

Clarendon & Pittsford engine.

Train tracks run through the middle of Barton Village and a train or two goes through every single day. When I'm downtown, I seldom see the train, but when I do, it's usually Green Mountain Railroad or Washington County Railroad. This is a new train for me.

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Engine 202

Engine 202 of the Washington County Railroad

For years, I have been trying to photograph the train when it comes through town. It has a pretty regular schedule, but I don't. And if I am at the tracks when it passes by, I usually don't have a camera. But on this day I did! I was going shopping with my sister, so was on my way out of town when the train came. These are lousy shots because I had the long lens on. These photos were taken at the intersection of Rt 5 and 16 in Barton Village on June 24. Yes, I am still way, way behind on blogging!

The Washington County Railroad (WACR)  "is a shortline railroad operating in Vermont, forming part of the Vermont Rail System. The WACR began operating in 1980 over the old Montpelier and Barre Railroad in Washington County, which the state acquired to ensure the continuance of rail service, and ceased operations in early 1999. Later that year, after interim service by other companies, operations were transferred to a new WACR subsidiary of the Vermont Rail System. In 2003, operations were greatly expanded through acquisition by the state and operation by the WACR of a former Boston and Maine Corporation and Canadian Pacific Railway line between Newport and White River Junction, which had most recently been operated by subsidiaries of the bankrupt Bangor and Aroostook Railroad." source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_County_Railroad_(1980)

Train passes E. M. Brown's big, blue store

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Andrew & Dan Board the Vermonter

The Vermonter pulls into the station.

The day after our wedding, Andrew and Dan had to return to Washington, DC. They took the Vermonter from White River Junction in Vermont. It's a 12 hour ride. I drove them down Sunday morning. We had breakfast at P&H Truck Stop at Exit 17 of I-91.. It's the best place for breakfast (read articles about it here and here). I made sure the boys had lunch so that they wouldn't need to buy Amtrak food, and we finished the ride to White River. We arrived 10 minutes before the train. Now I could get my Amtrak photos! I took the portrait of the boys below, and it was time to board. (Note the hazy sky — we had not heard of the Quebec forest fires at this point, and I remember wondering why the usually sparkling Vermont air was dirty as if we were in Connecticut.)

Dan & Andrew just before boarding.

I took advantage of the time between when they boarded and when the train left the station to take too many photographs. Here are a few with a couple of links to more:

The boys board the train.

The Vermont leaves White River

The White River train station.

Note the cupola and copper locomotive weather vane on the train station in the photo above. I have a full size photograph of the weather vane on meeyauw's Photo a Day that is worth a look.

Engine 148 was at the end of the Vermonter.

A sad moment: the Vermonter was on its way to Washington

Link: my large photograph of the Vermonter Engine 111

    Andrew & Dan Return to Washington Set

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B&M Engine 494

Plaque on Engine 494

On the day before our wedding, one of my jobs was to pick Andrew and Dan up at the railroad station in White River Junction (the closest train station to us, one and a half hours away to the south). Of course I had my camera with me. I have always wanted some Amtrak photos. I had some Amtrak photos on our 2006 train ride to Washington, DC. But I left the camera on the train and lost the photos! So May 28 was my day to take more photos, with a better camera, of Amtrak trains.

Engine 494

While waiting for Andrew's train to get in, I took these photos of old Engine 494. I have copied the text of the information below. When I was done, the train from Washington came in. And my camera battery died. So much for the Amtrak photos!

Engine shelter, coal tender and caboose

B&M Engine 494 Restoration Project

Boston & Maine Railroad No. 494 was built by the Manchester Locomotive Works in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1892 and served B&M hauling passenger cars and light freight. The engine was renumbered No. 905 in 1911. Near the end of its service, the 905 hauled coal for the Mount Washington Cog Railway and was retired in 1938. In 1939, the 905 was restored to No. 494 for display at the 1939 World's Fair. Donated to the Town of Hartford (VT) and dedicated on July 27, 1957. This equipment was placed in the National Register of Historic Places on November 13, 1995.

The current restoration project was officially launched on September 13, 1997. The three major prioities of this restoration are:

1. Stabilization
2. Construction of a Shelter
3. Cosmetic Restoration

Major funding for the restoration project is made possible by a ISTEA Federal Grant, White River Junction Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society and volunteers contributing their time, energy and expertise.

Engine 494, its Tender and Caboose are owned by the Town of Hartford Parks & Recreation Department. The structures are routinely maintained by dedicated members of the Engine 494 Restoration Committee.

For more information call the Hartford Parks & Recreation Department, (802) 295-5036. Inquiries & donations can be sent to Engine 494 Restoration, 17 Bridge St, White River Jct., Vermont 05001.

Coal tender

Caboose

Train weather vane on White River Junction station

     B&M Engine 494 Set

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Barton Trail Derailment Slideshow

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Train Derailment in Barton

On the afternoon of Thursday, May 21, 2009, the Green Mountain Railroad train that goes through Barton daily, derailed. The train ended up blocking the intersection of Rt. 5 and Rt 16. I have put some of my favorite photos from this here. The wheel on the third car that derailed exploded dozens of ties as it rolled over them. The asphalt of Rt. 16 (the road on which I live) was also destroyed.

Above: the wheel that jumped the track.

Two engineers discuss what to do about the mess.

The damage to Rt. 16.

The wheel.

The exploded railroad ties.
More photos here.

Green Mountain Railroad Derailment Set

Technorati Tags: Green Mountain Railroad, derailment, Barton, Vermont
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Twinkling Fractal Theory

I found this article at smashits.com. There are many other references to this that you should browse Google. It's a fascinating and new topic.

My photo is of old glass insulators that I photographed this past summer on a train ride in St. Johnsbury. Now that glass is fractal, I can use the photo here!

Friday Fractal

Technorati Tags: twinkling fractal theory
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St. Johnsbury Excursion Train

While Amelia worked, Matt and I enjoyed the St. Johnsbury-Lyndonville excursion train as part of St. Johnsbury Summerfest. Above, Matt hangs out a window near the Passumpsic River.

There were two engines — one in front and one in back. This is looking at the back of the back engine (which became the front engine when we returned from Lyndonville) as seen through the door of the car we were riding in.

The car we rode in (it was empty except for us) as we traveled to Lyndonville.

Downtown Lyndonville — showing my favorite book store, Green Mountain Books.

Choo Choo the Clown entertained the kids. This family had moved into "our car" on the return ride. Apparantly their youngster did not like the train ride and cried all the way back. Which was why Matt and I had chosen to ride in the empty car. The other cars were full of noisy kids. The kids' noise and the diesel fumes gave me quite the headache that afternoon. (Yes, I love kids. I am a teacher. But hearing crying for an hour is distressing for anybody.) The little guy finally relaxed at the end of the trip and we all had a good time.

Technorati Tags: St. Johnsbury, Summerfest, Vermont Railroad, Lyndonville, Vermont, Green Mountain Books, Passumpsic River
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Wingnut Chases the Train

For five years, Wingnut and I have been trying to take good photos of the daily train in Barton. We came close on Monday, July 14. We were in Orleans ordering a pie when the train came down from Barton. We stopped here to catch a photo and then went into the Ethan Allen parking lot for more.

The train hauls a lot of frieght for Ethan Allen and was disconnecting and reconnecting cars for over an hour here.

Hi!

A view of the Ethan Allen factory from the west.

We thought the train would be coming out on the east end of the factory, but it didn't. Here, Wingnut is walking towards the train to see what's going on.

Still no train!

Wingnut and Ethan Allen

Silos at Ethan Allen

The Village of Orleans

The quest for good train photos will continue!

Technorati Tags: Orleans, Vermont, Ethan Allen Furniture
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