by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Amtrak returned to Vermont today with a splash. The literal splash was provided by ongoing rain that stopped just in time for passengers to board in Essex Junction. The festive atmosphere was a backdrop to what Amtrak officials say is the biggest ridership day in Vermont since the Vermonter (previously the Montrealer) began operating in 1995.
Over 600 passengers were scheduled to ride the rails on Monday after the pandemic shut down the service in March 2020. The Vermont service is among the last Amtrak runs in the US to restart.
The Vermonter began its southward route from St Albans. Passengers could buy a regular ticket or get a $1 ticket to go one stop. Amtrak said 59 people were disembarking in Essex Junction, which is the first stop. Passengers were required to wear masks.
Village of Essex Junction celebrates return of Amtrak service
Activities, presentations and walking tours have been planned to commemorate the return of the Vermonter Share Updated: 7:27 PM EDT Jul 18, 2021 Wikimedia Commons
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Activities, presentations and walking tours have been planned to commemorate the return of the Vermonter Share Updated: 7:27 PM EDT Jul 18, 2021 The Village of Essex Junction has planned a celebration for the arrival of the Amtrak Vermonter on Monday morning to commemorate the return of Amtrak service to the state. The Essex Junction station is one of the busiest Amtrak stations in Vermont. The public has been invited to participate in activities, presentations from local representatives and a walking tour to display upcoming infrastructure changes taking place downtown at 5 Corners. Activities start at 9 a.m. at the Brownell Library.
GALLERY: After more than a year of suspended service, Amtrak Vermonter greeted warmly at Essex Junction station essexreporter.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from essexreporter.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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by C.B. Hall, Vermont Business Magazine Amtrak trains will begin serving Vermont again on Monday, July 19, nearly 16 months after the COVID virus led to a collapse in ridership on public transportation, with Amtrak s patronage plummeting by about 95%. The national passenger rail provider canceled scores of regularly scheduled trains, including both the Vermonter and the Ethan Allen Express, the state-supported services that ply the tracks in the Green Mountain State.
Toni Hamburg Clithero, Amtrak grants program manager at the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), told VBM that the return of the silver, blue and red trains to the state s 11 stations will be greeted by celebrations at all of those stations - and even at the Claremont Junction, N.H., station, where the Vermonter s route hooks briefly into the Granite State.
ESSEX JUNCTION â âI feel itâs a great honor,â said Bernard (Bernie) Fleury, of the Essex Junction Wastewater Treatment Facility.
Fleury was recently awarded the 2021 Vermont Operator Excellence - Wastewater Award by the Green Mountain Water Environment Association (GMWEA) for his service in 2020. He has worked as a water quality professional in Essex Junction for over 42 years.
âI donât know how many operators there are in the state of Vermont, but I got it and the vote was unanimous, so that makes me feel pretty good,â Fleury said.
Fleury was nominated by Lisa Schaeffler of the Public Works Department. His nomination cited his ââin-depth knowledge of wastewater, especially at the Essex Junction facility as being crucial for emergency troubleshooting and quick problem solving,â as well as a strong attention to detail.