White River Railroad (Vermont)
Encyclopedia
The White River Railroad was an intrastate railroad in southeastern Vermont
. It ran from Bethel, Vermont
to Rochester, Vermont
, a distance of approximately 19 miles.
. The name was changed to White River Valley Railroad and finally White River Railroad before construction began in 1899. The first train arrived in Rochester in December 1900. Because the railroad followed the course of the White River closely, it was frequently damaged by floods. Like most railroads in Vermont, it was heavily damaged by the great Flood of November, 1927. Though the railroad was fully rebuilt the following year, the Great Depression
reduced traffic to fatal levels, and the railroad was abandoned in 1933.
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. It ran from Bethel, Vermont
Bethel, Vermont
Bethel is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,968 at the 2000 census. The town includes the locations of Bethel-Gilead, East Bethel, Lilliesville, Lympus , and West Bethel...
to Rochester, Vermont
Rochester, Vermont
Rochester is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,171 at the 2000 census. Rochester is home to the Quarry Hill Creative Center...
, a distance of approximately 19 miles.
History
Planning for the White River Valley Electric Railroad began in 1896, and the line was charted along the course of the White RiverWhite 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...
. The name was changed to White River Valley Railroad and finally White River Railroad before construction began in 1899. The first train arrived in Rochester in December 1900. Because the railroad followed the course of the White River closely, it was frequently damaged by floods. Like most railroads in Vermont, it was heavily damaged by the great Flood of November, 1927. Though the railroad was fully rebuilt the following year, the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
reduced traffic to fatal levels, and the railroad was abandoned in 1933.
Stations
The railroad stopped at the following locations from east to west:- Bethel, VermontBethel, VermontBethel is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,968 at the 2000 census. The town includes the locations of Bethel-Gilead, East Bethel, Lilliesville, Lympus , and West Bethel...
(interchange with the Central Vermont RailwayCentral Vermont RailwayThe 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....
and the Bethel Granite Railway) - Lillieville, Vermont (informal flagstop)
- Gaysville, Vermont (station)
- Riverside (informal flagstop)
- Stockbridge, VermontStockbridge, VermontStockbridge is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 674 at the 2000 census.Stockbridge was one of thirteen Vermont towns isolated by flooding caused by Hurricane Irene in 2011.-Geography:...
(station) - Tupper's, Vermont (informal flagstop)
- Emerson, Vermont (informal flagstop)
- Talcville, Vermont (informal flagstop)
- Rochester, VermontRochester, VermontRochester is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,171 at the 2000 census. Rochester is home to the Quarry Hill Creative Center...
(station)