Champlain Rail-Trail

A proposed Rail-trail

Railroad Mileage from Fonda
Dark Face indicates Train Order & Telephone Office
italics indicate points beyond current proposal

From Central Vermont Railway Employee Timetable 13, effective September 24, 1939. 

From Rutland Railroad Employee TimeTable No. 97 effective September 26, 1937

 * Railroad miles from Alburgh
~ estimated from topographic map
Dark face indicates telegraph station in 1937
[Brackets indicate other points] 

From Rutland Railroad Employee TimeTable No. 97 effective September 26, 1937

Burlington Bikeways

• Winooski River Bike Ferry Schedule for the 2001 Season

• Public Hearing January 2, 2001 at 7:30 in South Hero - The South Hero Recreation Path Committee is holding the 1st in a series of public meetings Tuesday,  at the Folsom School on South Street.  The committee is seeking input for the design and use of the railbed from Martin Road to "the cut", and to points north and south. A second ferry connecting South Hero and Colchester is among the possibilities to be discussed Tuesday. 

• Vermont's Holy Grail of Rail Trails [Wed 10/4/00 5:18 PM]

• BIG Burlington Bikeways Update - July 10, 2000

• A Rail Trail from Burlington to ... South Hero?

• 1998 Rail Trail Ferry Demonstration

• Colchester/South Hero Bike Ferry Grant Application
  This grant application dated January 6, 2000 will study the feasibility and plan the implementation of a bicycle and pedestrian ferry across “the cut” in the historic marble railroad causeway between Colchester and South Hero.

• Champlain International Bike Route
  The vision statement attached to the preceding grant application briefly outlines the vision of a bike route across the Lake Champlain islands to the Canadian Border where it will connect with a Canadian bikeway system.

South Hero Recreation Path Committee

• Help Design our Future Trail (Winter 2000-2001)

• Vision Statement

Previous efforts to create a Rail-trail across the islands:

• A Champlain Pathway
  A special report to Governor Philip H. Hoff on the recreation development potential of the former Rutland Railroad right of way in Grand Isle County, published in 1965!

• The String of Pearls Controversy
  A paper written by Professor F. O. Sargent of UVM sometime after 1980 that describes the public controversy and the subsequent disposition of the Rutland Railroad Right-of-way. 

Existing components of the rail-trail:

• Alburgh Recreational Rail Trail
  An existing rail-trail running 3.5 miles east from Alburgh to East Alburgh that will be incorporated into this proposed trail.
• Lake Champlain Bikeways
  An existing 350 mile on-road bike route around Lake Champlain whose route currently parallels this proposal. Note that the bikeway uses rail-trails and other off-road bike trails whenever possible, and thus the existing bike route would certainly be changed upon completion to utilize this proposed trail.
•  Causeway Park Trail
  An existing unpaved rail-trail using the southern portion of the Causeway in Colchester that will be incorporated into this proposed trail.
•  Burlington Waterfront Bikeway
  An existing paved rail-trail that begins at the south abutment of the Winooski River and runs into downtown Burlington that will be incorporated into this proposed trail.

Important bicycle side-trails

• The booklet Bicycling the Lake Champlain Islands produced by Burlington Bikeways and obtainable without charge from the Publications Clearinghouse of the Lake Champlain Bikeways describes five short Theme Loops, that circle portions of the islands to reach numerous points of interest. Three of the five Loops cross and re-cross the proposed rail-trail, the fourth uses the Alburgh Rail-trail, and and the fifth Loop is easily connected via a lightly used town road.
• The booklet Cycle the City produced by Burlington Bikeways and obtainable without charge from the Publications Clearinghouse of the Lake Champlain Bikeways describes a 10 mile Theme Loop that begins and ends on the Burlington Waterfront Bikeway. 

Newspaper Articles & TV Shows about the Rail-trail

• After 20 years, couple win bike-path case (May. 27, 2001 - Rutland Herald)
  BURLINGTON — A Burlington couple who have spent 20 years contesting the Burlington bike path will receive $234,000 plus interest from the federal government for having the path built across their lakefront property.
• Bus service to add routes in February (12/08/99 - St. Albans Messenger)

The Champlain Islands Chamber of Commerce Web Site offers visitor information for the Island Communities.

Railroad history

• "The Island Line" Burlington to Alburgh
  A nostalgic history of the railroad line across the islands with old pictures by Tim Lavigne. 
• Remembering the Rutland
  a web site dedicated to preserving the memory of the late, lamented Rutland Railroad.  You will find equipment rosters, maps, capsule histories, photographs and more.  You will learn of ongoing efforts to preserve Rutland facilities and equipment.  Then you will see how model railroaders keep the memory of the Rutland alive with their modeling efforts. 
• The Rutland Road is the title of a book by Jim Shaughnessy that was published in paperback and hardcover editions in 1997 and available from Amazon.Com and presumably available at bookstores in the area once served by this historic railroad company.

Railroad Abandonment Summary

Go to:

• www.new-england-rail-trails.org

• Rail Trails of Vermont

• Alburgh Rail Trail (West from Alburgh - currently open)

• Causeway Park Trail (Part of this proposed trail that is currently open)

• Burlington Waterfront Bikeway (Part of this proposed trail that is currently open)

• Lake Champlain Bikeways (Official Site - will use this proposed trail)

• Lake Champlain Bikeway Supplemental Information

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