Vermont Train Chase Part 2: Green Mountain Train 264 - Fall 2013

Through the beginnings of fall foliage, across jointed rail and trestles, past covered bridges and freight depots, and over dirt roads with mechanical bells at every crossing—these are a few things that spell railfanning in the Green Mountains of Vermont.

On September 27, 2013: After chasing the train east to Bellows Falls, GMRC 264 returns in the afternoon with a much longer train of 47 cars, now pulled by the GMTX GP38-2 2663, which has been on lease to the Vermont Rail System for a couple years. With the weather clearing up and the sun starting to break the clouds, I opted for a full chase to Rutland, hitting locations I did not shoot on my way east.

Listed below are the events and their corresponding start times.

0:00 -- Shortly after leaving Bellows Falls, GMRC 264 passes the Bartonsville Covered Bridge, which was rebuilt in 2012 after the original covered bridge built in 1870 was destroyed by flooding during Hurricane Irene in August 2011.

2:35 -- Slowly making its way across the jointed rail, GMRC 264 approaches a series of private dirt crossings along a stretch of farms. The close proximity of a camera to the jointed rail picks up the extreme amount of vibrations the train creates on these rail conditions.

5:00 -- With the sun finally breaking through the clouds, the train passes another middle-of-no-where crossing near Cavendish. Notice the snowmobile crossing sign.

7:10 -- The train passes the Ludlow Depot, now climbing hard toward the summit a few miles away.

8:25 -- Still climbing hard and only a short distance away from the summit, GMRC 264 passes Healdville as a last-minute cloud conceals the sun.

9:45 -- The train rolls downhill at the Summit Road crossing, basking in the late afternoon sun.

11:40 -- Flying fast down the hill toward Rutland, GMRC 264 crosses Vermont Route 103 and the Appalachian Trail in East Clarendon. With a huge bank of clouds approaching, the late afternoon sun illuminates the train just long enough before darkness settles in. I left the entire train pass the camera here, because of the melody of the train rocking across the jointed rail at speed.

13:45 -- Entering the RD Yard limits, the train has returned to Rutland right at the turn of 6 PM, as it crosses US Route 7, Vermont's second busiest state highway.

Thanks for Watching!!!