Passenger Rail Service In Vermont

Comment on Proposed DMU Upgrades

Vermont Transit (VTrans) has proposed to replace standard AMTRAK passenger cars with modern self propelled "Diesel Multiple Units", or DMU units. (See proposal). It is hoped an equipment change, along with a possible 2^nd train run, will improve passenger loads on AMTRAK'S Vermonter service (see schedule). The train currently runs from Washington DC to St. Albans in Vermont (see map).

A  problem arises because  the healthy passenger loads south of New Haven require up to 6 passenger cars. But north of New Haven, this loads drop off sharply and almost empty trains are pulled some 314 miles by a large expensive locomotive.

My understanding of the proposals has led me to develop concerns about two critical points that current plans do not seem to adequately address.

And aside from these two concerns, the proposed scheduling of the new equipment  fails to take advantage  of the tremendous potential of these low cost flexible  trains. The small relative size of the DMU can allow trial service to quickly begin to new destinations and over new routes.

As I outlined in my letter, Vermonter service needs strong "overhead" service for support, and a Montreal to Boston trip is the best hope to generate this. Using the current given constraints (5 cars: 3 power and 2 more trailer only), and travel times from current AMTRAK schedules, train schedules might look something like this:

• Plan A: Southbound Service
• Plan A: Northbound Service
• Plan A: White River Schedule

Even these changes fail to take full advantage of 5 DMU units. Because there is simply no initial need for trailer cars, you can really get creative with 5 fully independent cars. With a little extra effort, you exceed current requirements, plus a few on future wish lists, and even some not written down yet.

The Montreal to Boston pattern pattern is a giant figure X, with Rutland and Montreal on the top corners. The bottom corners are Boston and New Haven. The White River pattern is an upside down Y , again with Boston and New Haven on the bottom corners.

Using an aggressive  plan that employs 5 power cars, you would:

• Introduce 4 new destinations: Boston, Montreal, Burlington and Rutland (from Burlington)!
• Totally replace Vermonter service to New Haven with new equipment.
• Offer two daily round trips to New Haven, Hartford, and Boston .
• Begin initial service on the top portion of the ABRB (Albany-Bennington-Rutland-Burlington) route.
• Replace legacy service on two AMTRAK Connecticut shuttle runs.
• Offer the possibility of passenger connections at Logan, Bradley, Lebanon and Burlington airports. 

• Plan B: Southbound Service

• Plan B: Northbound Service

• Plan B: White River South Schedule

• Plan B: Springfield-New Haven Corridor.

While this "Plan B" represents a maximum  effort, it would initiate low cost rail service all over the North East. Admittedly to sustain it over a long period, you would need car #6 for backup and even a #7 for comfort. The real world has equipment failures, along with rain, snow, fog and blocked tracks. With a good marketing plan, you can fill a lot of sets with this schedule

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AMTRAK reaps several significant benefits from this set up:

• They add a major new city-pair to their service list.
• They can re-deploy significant legacy equipment in the New Haven to Springfield corridor.
• They add two additional round trip runs on the Springfield to Boston corridor.
• They add new morning service from WRJ to Boston , matched by return service at night.
• They will be set up for service to Bradley Airport from both Hartford and Springfield if access to Bradley Airport was made available (and this could start immediately with something as simple as a reliable (7 mile expressway) bus or van connection at the Windsor Locks station).
• And probably most important, they get a chance to try DMU equipment on long thin runs. 

Because of all these benefits, could AMTRAK, Massachusetts or Connecticut be persuaded to contribute to the project?

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Vermont also gets a significant portion of their passenger rail wish list fulfilled! 

• Overhead traffic from the Boston to Montreal run. 
• Daily round trip service from Rutland to Burlington and Montpelier.
• Morning commuter service into Burlington with evening return.
• From White River south, two daily round trip services to Boston Springfield and New Haven.

Down the line, by adding just one more  power unit  you can cover Ethan Allen service, extended from Albany  to Montreal.  (i.e. Albany to Burlington solo, Burlington to Montreal attached to the Boston service).

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There is a strong case to be made to postpone trailer car usage and go with an all power car operation.

A credible schedule was detailed above. 

To  retaining customers, both current and future, you need a strong service plan. 

To build passenger loads, you also need to identify every strong passenger source and develop marketing plan to target these opportunities.    

Finally, with only indirect access to information (via The Internet), many questions  remain, including a possible way to use Palmer to our advantage. This list will continue will grow. Any point could require a change of plans, but hopefully there are no showstoppers.

The good news is that in the future there will be still  more service expansions and improvement opportunities to investigate. Rail travel in the US is slowly but steadily increasing, with both Connecticut and New Hampshire making big investments. Using DMU equipment on both short and long haul service, Vermont can lead the way.

Updated 04/28/2007 17:30