Champlain Flyer
Encyclopedia
The Champlain Flyer was a commuter train that operated between Burlington, Vermont
south to the towns of Shelburne, Vermont
and Charlotte, Vermont
from 2000-2003.
The service was started up as a way for motorists to avoid traveling on US 7 during construction, and to take advantage of public funds earmarked for public transportation.
The train began its operation on December 4, 2000. The train's rolling stock consisted of a rebuilt Vermont Railway
GP38-2, 10 ex-Virginia Railway Express
de-motored RDC
coaches, and, when needed, a baggage car with an HEP
unit. The trains, though, never ran above three or four cars. The train never attracted the ridership it had hoped for and in 2002 was threatened to be cut from the state budget. The newly elected Gov. Jim Douglas
(who succeeded Gov. Howard Dean
of Shelburne, Vermont
) decided that the train was not viable, and the last train ran on February 28, 2003.
was touted, there were some voices calling for the public funding to instead be used to extend existing Burlington City bus routes to outlying low income areas within a fifteen-mile radius where several mobile home communities are located. The theory was that public transportation to those locations would have a much stronger impact on the local economy by granting unemployed residents access to the City of Burlington, Vermont, and its employment market, elevating them out of the poverty level, adding to State tax rolls, and reducing state welfare expenditures. It was reasoned that ridership would be substantial. It would, it was argued, also have created a larger, more permanent, public transportation network at a time of rising energy costs.
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
south to the towns of Shelburne, Vermont
Shelburne, Vermont
Shelburne is a town in southwestern Chittenden County, Vermont, United States, along the shores of Lake Champlain. The population was 7,144 at the 2010 census.-History:...
and Charlotte, Vermont
Charlotte, Vermont
Charlotte is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for Sofia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, youngest daughter of Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.The population was 3,569 at the 2000 census....
from 2000-2003.
The service was started up as a way for motorists to avoid traveling on US 7 during construction, and to take advantage of public funds earmarked for public transportation.
The train began its operation on December 4, 2000. The train's rolling stock consisted of a rebuilt Vermont Railway
Vermont Railway
The Vermont Railway is a shortline railroad in Vermont and eastern New York, operating much of the former Rutland Railway. It is the main part of the Vermont Rail System, which also owns the Green Mountain Railroad, the Rutland's branch to Bellows Falls...
GP38-2, 10 ex-Virginia Railway Express
Virginia Railway Express
The Virginia Railway Express is a regional/ commuter rail service that connects the Northern Virginia suburbs to Union Station in Washington, D.C., via two lines: the Fredericksburg Line from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the Manassas Line from Broad Run/Airport station in Bristow,...
de-motored RDC
Budd Rail Diesel Car
The Budd Rail Diesel Car, RDC or Buddliner is a self-propelled diesel multiple unit railcar. In the period 1949–62, 398 RDCs were built by the Budd Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States...
coaches, and, when needed, a baggage car with an HEP
Head end power
Head end power or electric train supply is a rail transport term for the electrical power distribution system on a passenger train. The power source, usually a locomotive at the front or “head” of a train or a generator car, generates all the electricity used for lighting, electrical and other...
unit. The trains, though, never ran above three or four cars. The train never attracted the ridership it had hoped for and in 2002 was threatened to be cut from the state budget. The newly elected Gov. Jim Douglas
Jim Douglas
James H. Douglas is an American politician from the U.S. state of Vermont. A Republican, he was elected the 80th Governor of Vermont in 2002 and was reelected three times with a majority of the vote...
(who succeeded Gov. Howard Dean
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
of Shelburne, Vermont
Shelburne, Vermont
Shelburne is a town in southwestern Chittenden County, Vermont, United States, along the shores of Lake Champlain. The population was 7,144 at the 2010 census.-History:...
) decided that the train was not viable, and the last train ran on February 28, 2003.
Funding controversy
At the time that a commuter rail servicing two of the most affluent towns in Chittenden County, VermontChittenden County, Vermont
Chittenden County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 156,545. Its shire town is Burlington. Chittenden is the most populous county in the state, with more than twice as many residents as Vermont's second-most populous county, Rutland.Chittenden County...
was touted, there were some voices calling for the public funding to instead be used to extend existing Burlington City bus routes to outlying low income areas within a fifteen-mile radius where several mobile home communities are located. The theory was that public transportation to those locations would have a much stronger impact on the local economy by granting unemployed residents access to the City of Burlington, Vermont, and its employment market, elevating them out of the poverty level, adding to State tax rolls, and reducing state welfare expenditures. It was reasoned that ridership would be substantial. It would, it was argued, also have created a larger, more permanent, public transportation network at a time of rising energy costs.
External links
- Champlain Flyer (Rutland-Vermont Railroading)
- Champlain Valley Flyer - a tourist railroad operated by the Green Mountain Railroad along the same route.