15 February, 2006: A very early trip going north|18 February, 2005: The trip back, CSX makes us very late

My relatives and I come to the Windsor, VT station at 11:15, were the only car their, I dump my luggage on the platform, and photograph all there is at this tiny station. At 11:20, I can hear the wissel of a train, echoing off the Cornish Hills, my godmother says the train is in the Cornish Hills. It comes in at 11:22 slow enough that I get a ton of photographs, its again using the two locomotive set-up. But the front P42-has a piece of cardboard across the train number, guess something happened to it. The conductor has his one door open for me and I get on. My godmother saying next time she comes to New York she wants to take the train, just like when she a child and sent up alone in a Pullman car.

The consist of Vermonter Train #57

• Genesis P42 #107(Locomotive had a piece of plywood across front number), a few dents and the glass on its center front headlight broken. The train was sent through the mill on its northbound trip last night in a gale. Was only a little over an hour late, amazing--Removed in New Haven
• Amfleet Coach #44958-closed until New York-Penn, I presume, it was sold out south of their judging from the number of people trying to get on at Penn Station
• Blue Amfleet Coach #82525-closed until Springfield
• Red Amfleet Coach #44023
• Very New Blue Amfleet Coach #82564-my car-with two electrical outlets at every window seat
• Blue Amfleet Club/Dinette (half café/half business class) # ????? (Some how missed it's number)
• Genesis P42 #11 (also had plywood across front number)-Replaced by electric HHP-8 in New Haven
• Electric HHP-8 #659

Dp. Windsor, VT-11:23

• 11:26-We go across the Connecticut River into New Hampshire, with the Windsor covered bridge in view
• 11:34-Clairmont Jct., NH-We actually stop at this stop, for 4 people getting on. The old station house is now a bike shop
• 11:37-Running through the hiss of New Hampshire with some snow we pass a freight
• 11:46-We go through the fairly large town of Charleston, NH
• 11:48-We run along wide fields with the river in view
• 11:51-We continue to run along the Connecticut River in New Hampshire, the dusting of snow that came last night blowing alongside the train.
• 11:55-We slow down and slowly cross the Connecticut River
• 11:56-Bellows Falls, VT Station. I photograph some freight trains sitting in the yard.
• 11:58-Running slowly along the river, we pass town of Rockingham store. The river is in view and there is a long freight running along it.
• 12:01-Pass another freight.
• 12:15-I decide to check the crowds, and find that only the last two coaches of train open, mine, just behind the café car is open, as well as one farther back, that and old red coach with no electric outlets. The train mainly seems to have young people with some children, I see a number are getting off in Brattleboro and Amhurst. I think some are students at UVM in Burlington coming home for vacation or a long weekend. I walk into the café car to buy a cup of coffee, from a surly attendant who just grunted and was so obese he barley fit behind the counter.
• 12:30-We continue along the river but quite high up.
• 12:33-Brattleboro, VT
• 12:42-The train continues up high following the river, with some tress between us, its not right up against it like the Hudson Line. I listening to the gossiping country girls in front of me, who are providing a bit of entertainment, visiting someone in Amhurst, among with what seems like a good chunk of young people
• 12:57-We cross the Connecticut River again, and run through the forest of rural, northern Mass.
• 1:09-We go high above a river and through a small town
• 1:17-We continue through the woods and farms of northern Massachusetts.
• 1:30-The many people getting off in Amhurst begin to get their luggage down.
• 1:31-Were in Amhurst, MA-A good 15 people in my car are getting off including the gossiping girls in front of me. I move up to the other end of the car. Not in the mood to be backwards
• 1:40-Annoument about switching directions in Palmer, many others fallow my suit, going backwards for now isn't so bad, I just don't feel like it for the entire rest of the trip. This time I move all my bags, since the train with 3 additional cars will be completely full.
• 1:52-We go by a junkyard, we seem to be getting to a town, there is even less of a dusting of snow down here
• 1:56-Pass a freight going the other way, yet again kudos, for NECR, for always pulling over and letting us go first, we are coming to a town, and going over a very rapid river.
• 2:01-We run slowly on the bank of a hillside, before leaving that town, for it to reappear again. Were in Palmer I regonize a large factory.
• 2:07-We run slowly before stopping, were near the Palmer switchback, with the CSX line in view, but we sit, their's something in the switchback. A CSX freight train comes slowly out with 6 engines it stops too. Guess I won't have another 40 minutes in Springfield. It reverses the other way back into the switchback.
• 2:18-The same CSX Locomotives come back out before stopping, and reverses. Announcement that we will be moving in 10-15 minutes, CSX is putting a freight train together that's on the tracks we need. What else can be expected? We were fine on the Shortline NECR railway, but the Long Haul CSX is making us late. If only this was a station stop Why can't CSX be ready for us and wait to build up a train
• 2:22-The CSX train now with 8 engines begins coming out, it leaves very slowly, a good 12 cars come out before it stops again, if only I could be off my train and able to watch this. (2:30) It begins backing up again, 4 cars back up before it begins to move forward again, a little and stops. It backs up, the train being made. A young girl runs up and down the aisle.
• 2:30-The CSX begins moving forward again, before stopping, the young girl is now having a temper tantrum.
• 2:40-CSX is moving forward, I hope now for good, but it stops again a good ten cars later, before moving back, judging from the number of locomotives this is a very long train.
• 2:45-It moves back even more, the locomotives become visible. And it completely leaves the view. Why can't they install a crossover right here.
• 2:52-Annoument, were still waiting for the freight to clear out. Maybe I will file a complaint with CSX. I decide to go for another walk, and walk the 3 open cars. The other coach is more crowded than mine. The café car is empty, I see the attendant asleep in the front of business class. I will have to wait until Springfield, I'm hungry. The conductors are nowhere in site.
• 3:05-The Westbound Lakeshore Limited Boston Connection comes screaming by with a P42, a baggage car and 3 Amfleet coaches. Were still sitting their. The car is boiling. The freight train nowhere to be scene. I wonder what will happen when the eastbound Vermonter comes.
• 3:17-Conductor comes on and says we will be moving soon, he has been making phone calls, and that their will be some upper management meetings on why we were delayed so long, finally the CSX freight begins to move out. (3:18)
• 3:22-The very long freight train with 82 cars and 7 engines pulls out. The man behind me says.
• 3:24Moving again into the switchback. Going by Steaming Tenders. And into the switchback where we stop again. And move forward immediately. Passing Steaming Tenders. We can't run full speed since that CSX freight is ahead of us, but were moving. We were stopped for an hour and 20 minutes, with the café car closed. I'm starving, I think the entire train will be in the café car once we leave.
• 3:30-We are running slowly through the woods here with some industry, I call Julie, to see what she has to say: "Significantly delayed, I'm still waiting for an updated report." We seem to be speeding up a little. It may be full speed.
• 3:37-We pass a cement plant, I yet again feel like the only New Yorker on the train.
• 3:30-Running full speed through the northern suburbs of Springfield. The are is fairly rural.
• 3:45-pass the Springfield municipal operation center. Announcement is made that We are running slowly into Springfield following I-91, passing industry along the tracks. No sign of the Vermonter the other way.
• 3:51-We pass an area deep with industry

3:55-Ar. Springfield-1 hour, 15 minutes late, I run out to get a quick breath of air with the smokers as we are stopped.

• 3:59-Dp. Springfield-1 hour, 4 minutes late-As we leave I notice the northbound Vermonter entering also running a bit late. I almost immediately walk to the café car to buy my lunch of a pizza, its crowded, and the attendant is the same obese man that was their in Vermont.
• 4:15-Go over the Connecticut River one last time
• 4:18-W go along the actual locks at Windsor Locks, CT. no sign of the Windsor Locks, CT station
• 4:22-Speed by, bypassing Windsor, CT station
• 4:26-We enter Harford slowly going under I-84
• Ar. 4:29-Hartford, CT Stop-1 hour, 6 minutes late-That large station house
• Dp. 4:32-Harford and run full speed through the Connecticut suburbs. The heat's now on low so the car's not boiling any more
• 4:42- Berlin, CT-1 hour, 7 minutes late-one passenger-conductors saying 7:30 into New York
• 4:47-The river is visible with a nice sunset down below
• 4:51-Meridan, CT-1 hour, 8 minutes late-We slowly leave the town
• 4:57-We pass a large junkyard moving full speed
• 5:00-Bypass Wallingford, CT
• 5:07-With the sunset we briefly fallow the very wide Quinnipiac River Estuary
• 5:11-We reach the NEC, and turn onto it
• 5:12-Pass the New Haven-State Street Station, it has gates at the staircases locked-up for the weekend

We arrive New Haven, CT 5:15-54 minutes late, I walk out of the train and quickly write down the full consist, (missing the Café Car Number). I am amazed to see plywood covering the front car numbers on both P42 diesel locomotives. That storm on its way north yesterday afternoon (it was only an hour late) did a number on the Vermonter, but it suffered through. I quickly walk outside but its too cold (stupidly only put on my sweatshirt). All that's there is a 2-car Springfield Shuttle train boarding and waiting to leave (photos of its cab-car and engine). Also too my delight my trains 2 diesel locomotives are replaced by a HHP-8, Acela look-a-like locomotives. I get some photos with my zoom, much better then a boring AEM7.
5:26-The power comes back on, an 11 minute switch amazing (diesel to electric always takes less time since the train doesn't need to be enabled for push-pull operation)
5:29-Lv. New Haven-48 minutes late-We make it all of 15 feet, before the lights shut off. We continue stop and go some more, before speeding up to full speed and switched onto the southbound express track

• 5:42-We slow down just after Milford, were need to get into Bridgeport, and it's side platforms. We slowly switch to the local track.
• 5:45-Over the Housatonic River Full Speed
• 5:47-Stratford
• 5:51-Bridgeport-50 minutes late
• 6:05-The lights turn off as we go across the Norwalk River into Norwalk
• 6:13-Stamford-45 minutes late-platform is empty-Dp. 6:15-Just after leaving conductor comes through to remove all New York City Seat checks.
• 6:22-Port Chester, Westchester County, New York
• 6:25-Harrison-The Lights go on and off
• 6:30-New Rochelle-We are switched off the New Haven Line with no power
• 6:34-Co-op City in the background as we go along the Hutchinson River, in The Bronx!
• 6:38-Go under 6 at Whitlock Avenue, at its Bronx River Bridge
• 6:41-Pass some CSX freight waiting to use the line as we go up and onto the Hellgate with a great view of the skyline at night
• 6:47-Were off the Hellgate in Queens, we curve through it with the lights off, and the view of the Manhattan skyline on, as we fallow the very high right of way
• 6:49-We enter the East River Tubes, I pack-up

6:52-Arrive Penn Station-on track 16, an Acela is across the platform. I walk up to the big board to meet my father, waiting a good 5 minutes, at 6:55 the boarding call is made there is a Swarm at Gate 16 East, now they need every seat on that train. I get on the A train too home. The Continuation of the Vermonter leaves New York 12 minutes late (It has a 30 minute stop), arriving Washington, DC that late as well I check that night.

15 February, 2006: A very early trip going north|18 February, 2005: The trip back, CSX makes us very late

Home<TripLogs

Last Updated: 4 February, 2006
This Website is maintained and copywrite 2006 by Jeremiah Cox. This website is not affiliated with any transit provider. Contact the Webmaster