Vergennes – Vergennes port railway line

Vergennes VT – Vergennes VT port

Society:

last RUT

Route length:

2.5 km


		from Burlington
	0	to Bellows Falls

		Otter Creek
	2½	Vergennes VT port

The Vergennes – Vergennes Hafen railway was a railway line in Vermont ( United States ). It was about 2.5 kilometers long and was in the urban area of Vergennes . The line is closed and dismantled.

history

In early 1850, the Rutland and Burlington Railroad began construction work on the public railway line, which opened that same year. It was called the Vergennes Branch . Originally a route was planned along Otter Creek south around the city without a bridge over the river. However, this railway would not have connected the largest industrial company in the city, the Vergennes Iron Works , which were located on the south side of the river. A small passenger station was built next to the freight station, which was used by ship passengers to transfer to the train. Shipping from here across Lake Champlain included not only passengers but also goods that were being reloaded at the station.

Soon after the civil war , however, the number of journeys on the route decreased so rapidly that the route was shut down around 1870. Previously, the Rutland Railroad had taken over the management in 1867 .

Route description

The line branches off the Rutland main line north of Vergennes station. Trains could not enter the line from the station, there was only one track connection in the direction of Burlington. The railway line is still clearly visible in this area today. It heads south alongside Potash Brook. Comfort Hill Street was crossed by an underpass. Shortly thereafter, there was a level crossing over MacDonough Drive and the bridge over Otter Creek. The terminus was reached immediately on the other bank.

literature

Robert C. Jones: Railroads of Vermont, Volume II. New England Press Inc., Shelburne, VT 1993. ISBN 978-1881535027 . Page 286.