Railroads in the Green Mountains

The first train to run in Vermont traveled from White River to Bethel, in June 1848, of the central railroad. The chief promoter of the Vermont central railroad was Charles Pain, from Northfild, governor of Vermont at one time. The logical route from White river to Burlington lay up either the first or second branches of White river through Barre, Montpelier.

Paine decided to run the line up the third branch through Northfield . Paine had a farm there which he sold to the railroad as a site for the station.

The railroad was a grateful help to Barre because it helped with the granite industry. On December 18, 1849 the first train arrived in Burlington. The Rutland line extended north to Canada earlier in 1850 threw 1853. The Rutland lines had been taken south to Albany.

In 1951 the Rutland railroad took a new come of the Rutland railway corp.

J. Gregory Smith, Frederick Billings and Thomas Hawley were largely responsible for building the Northern Pacific railway. Billings and smith were president of the company.

Today Vermont's rail roads offer a less convenient schedule for passenger travel. The main lines which link the state to N.Y., Boston, and Montreal are important to the economy for passenger and freight hauling . Without the railroads most of Vermont industry could not have developed. The railroad also brought people to other places in Vermont.

by Travis Bingham and Tim Essex

Sources:
History of the Green Mountains by Edmund Fuller