New England Central Railroad
Encyclopedia
The New England Central Railroad is a subsidiary of RailAmerica
that began operations in 1995. It runs from New London, Connecticut
, to Alburgh, Vermont, a distance of 366 miles (589 km).
, which was sold by the CN
to the RailTex
Corp. in 1995, at which point it was renamed the New England Central.
The new railroad was marked by improved service compared to the old Central Vermont, as well as more flexible crew arrangements, both of which led to a resurgence of the line. Within a year of NECR's takeover of the line declining traffic flow was reversed, with the railroad handling more than 30,000 carloads annually within two years of commencing operations, in contrast to the old CV, which had suffered through years of declining traffic and the loss of profitability.
NECR's motive power initially consisted of former Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
EMD GP38
DCs, although by the late 1990s, leased locomotives, largely former Conrail EMD SD40
s, entered service.
In 2000, Railtex was acquired by RailAmerica, which was subsequently bought in 2007 by Fortress Investments. Neither change in ownership affected the NECR to any great extent.
In 2010, the railroad operated freight trains at night in order not to conflict with the Amtrak schedule. This led to sounding horns at unprotected crossings when nearby residents were sleeping. Some residents in Winooski
complained.
On 9 November 2010, the railroad began construction on a project to raise speeds on trackage within Vermont to 59 miles per hour (95 km/h), with speeds on the route south of White River Junction
being increased to 79 miles per hour (127.1 km/h) for passenger service. The upgrades were part of a project to decrease running times for Amtrak
's Vermonter
, which operates over the route. Construction was funded by a $70 million grant from the federal government, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
At the end of August 2011, the NECR was severely impacted by flood waters from Hurricane Irene
. Though downgraded by this time to a tropical storm, Irene inflicted major damage between Montpelier
and White River Junction, completely washing away about 2000 feet (609.6 m) of roadbed and leaving welded rail and ties suspended in mid-air. Two bridges over the White River
were also heavily damaged, but the line from White River Junction to New London was not affected as severely. At first it was estimated that repairs would take 4 to 6 weeks. However, with repair crews working around the clock to replace the washed-out ballast and shore up the bridges, the railroad was reopened for traffic by mid-September.
. The NECR hauled around 37,000 carloads in 2008.
, along with the main office for the Connecticut Southern Railroad (CSOR), with which NECR shares many management functions. St. Albans is also the location of the main shop and dispatch office. Vermont's largest rail yard is the St. Albans yard, which handles upwards of 40,000 cars each year. Other significant operations are at White River Junction
and Brattleboro
, both of which are the location of offices and smaller yards. Palmer, Massachusetts
serves as the main yard and office for operations south of the Vermont line.
operates its daily Vermonter
service between Washington, D.C.
and St. Albans, Vermont
, using the NECR north of Palmer, Massachusetts
. The largest cause of delays on this line has been track and signal problems along the NECR. Since 2007, many mainline track and surfacing improvements have brought Amtrak's on time performance back to above 80% on-time levels.
The Central Corridor Rail Line
is a proposed service that would run passenger cars from New London to Brattleboro
over NECR trackage.
for 1995 by industry trade journal Railway Age
.
RailAmerica
RailAmerica, Inc., based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a holding company of a number of short-line railroads and regional railroads in the United States and Canada....
that began operations in 1995. It runs from New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, to Alburgh, Vermont, a distance of 366 miles (589 km).
History
The New England Central Railroad is the successor to the Central Vermont RailwayCentral Vermont Railway
The Central Vermont Railway was a railroad that operated in the New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, as well as the Canadian province of Quebec....
, which was sold by the CN
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
to the RailTex
RailTex
RailTex was a transportation holding company that specialized in owning and operating short line railroads across North America.Based in San Antonio, Texas, the public company was a leader in making unprofitable lines shed by Class I railroads into viable transportation routes.The company was sold...
Corp. in 1995, at which point it was renamed the New England Central.
The new railroad was marked by improved service compared to the old Central Vermont, as well as more flexible crew arrangements, both of which led to a resurgence of the line. Within a year of NECR's takeover of the line declining traffic flow was reversed, with the railroad handling more than 30,000 carloads annually within two years of commencing operations, in contrast to the old CV, which had suffered through years of declining traffic and the loss of profitability.
NECR's motive power initially consisted of former Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio was a Class I railroad in the central United States whose primary routes extended from Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana, to St...
EMD GP38
EMD GP38
An EMD GP38 is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1966 and December 1971. Power was provided by an EMD 645 16-cylinder engine which generated ....
DCs, although by the late 1990s, leased locomotives, largely former Conrail EMD SD40
EMD SD40
The EMD SD40 is a 6-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1966 and August 1972.-Design:Like its predecessor in EMD's catalog, the SD35, the SD40 is a high-horsepower, six-motor freight locomotive....
s, entered service.
In 2000, Railtex was acquired by RailAmerica, which was subsequently bought in 2007 by Fortress Investments. Neither change in ownership affected the NECR to any great extent.
In 2010, the railroad operated freight trains at night in order not to conflict with the Amtrak schedule. This led to sounding horns at unprotected crossings when nearby residents were sleeping. Some residents in Winooski
Winooski, Vermont
Winooski is a city in Chittenden County, Vermont, in the United States. Located at the mouth of the Winooski River, as of the 2010 census the city population was 7,267...
complained.
White River Junction, Vermont
White River Junction is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in the town of Hartford in Windsor County, Vermont, United States...
being increased to 79 miles per hour (127.1 km/h) for passenger service. The upgrades were part of a project to decrease running times for Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Vermonter
Vermonter
Amtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day....
, which operates over the route. Construction was funded by a $70 million grant from the federal government, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
At the end of August 2011, the NECR was severely impacted by flood waters from Hurricane Irene
Hurricane Irene (2011)
Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in 2011...
. Though downgraded by this time to a tropical storm, Irene inflicted major damage between Montpelier
Montpelier, Vermont
Montpelier is a city in the U.S. state of Vermont that serves as the state capital and the shire town of Washington County. As the capital of Vermont, Montpelier is the site of the Vermont State House, seat of the legislative branch of Vermont government. The population was 7,855 at the 2010...
and White River Junction, completely washing away about 2000 feet (609.6 m) of roadbed and leaving welded rail and ties suspended in mid-air. Two bridges over the White River
White River (Vermont)
The White River is a river in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is a tributary of the Connecticut River.The White River rises at Skylight Pond south of Bread Loaf Mountain near the crest of the Green Mountains. The river flows east to the town of Granville, where it receives the outflow from the...
were also heavily damaged, but the line from White River Junction to New London was not affected as severely. At first it was estimated that repairs would take 4 to 6 weeks. However, with repair crews working around the clock to replace the washed-out ballast and shore up the bridges, the railroad was reopened for traffic by mid-September.
Traffic
The railroad's traffic consists largely of general freight, including lumber products, metals, chemicals and stone products, although COFC (container on flat car) and TOFC (trailer on flat car) business is also operated from the Canadian border to Boston, in partnership with the Providence and Worcester RailroadProvidence and Worcester Railroad
The Providence and Worcester Railroad is a Class II railroad in the United States. The railroad connects from Gardner in central Massachusetts, south through its namesake cities of Worcester and Providence, Rhode Island, and west from Rhode Island through Connecticut and into New York City...
. The NECR hauled around 37,000 carloads in 2008.
Locations
NECR maintains significant operations at several locations along their line. Its main office is located in St. Albans, VermontSt. Albans (city), Vermont
St. Albans is a city in and the shire town of Franklin County, Vermont, in the United States. At the 2000 census, the city population was 7,650. St Albans City is completely surrounded by St. Albans town, which is incorporated separately from the city of St. Albans...
, along with the main office for the Connecticut Southern Railroad (CSOR), with which NECR shares many management functions. St. Albans is also the location of the main shop and dispatch office. Vermont's largest rail yard is the St. Albans yard, which handles upwards of 40,000 cars each year. Other significant operations are at White River Junction
White River Junction, Vermont
White River Junction is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in the town of Hartford in Windsor County, Vermont, United States...
and Brattleboro
Brattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro, originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States, located in the southeast corner of the state, along the state line with New Hampshire. The population was 12,046 at the 2010 census...
, both of which are the location of offices and smaller yards. Palmer, Massachusetts
Palmer, Massachusetts
The Town of Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,140 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
serves as the main yard and office for operations south of the Vermont line.
Fleet
As of September 2010, the NECR fleet consisted of the following:| Number | Type | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMD SD9 An EMD SD9 is a 6-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1954 and June 1959. Power was provided by an EMD 567C 16-cylinder engine which generated . This model is, externally, similar to its predecessor, the SD7. The principal spotting feature are the... |
|
||
| EMD GP38 An EMD GP38 is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1966 and December 1971. Power was provided by an EMD 645 16-cylinder engine which generated .... |
EMD - Music :* E.M.D., a Swedish band* The Explorations in Music and Dance / EMD Network, represents diverse higher education institutions of dance and music in Greenland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with additional institutional partners in the European... |
|
|
| EMD GP40 The EMD GP40 is a 4-axle diesel-electric road switcher locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between November 1965 and December 1971... |
EMD - Music :* E.M.D., a Swedish band* The Explorations in Music and Dance / EMD Network, represents diverse higher education institutions of dance and music in Greenland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with additional institutional partners in the European... |
|
|
3398, 3715, 3771, |
EMD SD40 The EMD SD40 is a 6-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between January 1966 and August 1972.-Design:Like its predecessor in EMD's catalog, the SD35, the SD40 is a high-horsepower, six-motor freight locomotive.... |
EMD - Music :* E.M.D., a Swedish band* The Explorations in Music and Dance / EMD Network, represents diverse higher education institutions of dance and music in Greenland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with additional institutional partners in the European... |
|
| EMD SW1500 The EMD SW1500 was a diesel locomotive intended for switching service and built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division between June 1966 and January 1974. 808 examples were constructed. It was closely related to the less powerful EMD SW1000 model, forming a line of switchers powered by the new... |
EMD - Music :* E.M.D., a Swedish band* The Explorations in Music and Dance / EMD Network, represents diverse higher education institutions of dance and music in Greenland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania with additional institutional partners in the European... |
|
|
| GE Dash 8-39B A GE Dash 8-39B is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by GE Transportation Systems.... |
General Electric General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States... |
|
Passenger services
AmtrakAmtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
operates its daily Vermonter
Vermonter
Amtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day....
service between Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and St. Albans, Vermont
St. Albans (city), Vermont
St. Albans is a city in and the shire town of Franklin County, Vermont, in the United States. At the 2000 census, the city population was 7,650. St Albans City is completely surrounded by St. Albans town, which is incorporated separately from the city of St. Albans...
, using the NECR north of Palmer, Massachusetts
Palmer, Massachusetts
The Town of Palmer is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,140 as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The largest cause of delays on this line has been track and signal problems along the NECR. Since 2007, many mainline track and surfacing improvements have brought Amtrak's on time performance back to above 80% on-time levels.
The Central Corridor Rail Line
Central Corridor Rail Line
The Central Corridor Rail Line is a proposed passenger service route between New London, Connecticut, and Brattleboro, Vermont. A primary purpose of the proposed service is to provide a rail link between 13 colleges and universities as part of the Knowledge Corridor...
is a proposed service that would run passenger cars from New London to Brattleboro
Brattleboro (Amtrak station)
Brattleboro is a train station in Brattleboro, Vermont served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. It is the first station along the Vermonter line within the state of Vermont.-Notable Places Nearby:...
over NECR trackage.
Awards
NECR was named Short Line Railroad of the YearShort Line Railroad of the Year
The Short Line Railroad of the Year is an annual award presented to North American short line railroads by rail transport industry publication Railway Age.Past recipients of this award are:* 1992 - RailTex...
for 1995 by industry trade journal Railway Age
Railway Age
Railway Age is an American trade journal for the rail transport industry. It was founded in 1856 in Chicago and is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation. The magazine's original title was the Western Railroad Gazette, and was renamed the Railroad Gazette in 1870...
.