MILK TRAINS

Classic shot of Rutland Ten Wheeler #70 gingerly escorting Train #7, the Westbound "Milk", over the Lake Champlain Trestle approaching Rouses Point NY, on July 29, 1950.

Rutland Ten Wheeler #72 gets the second section of train #88, the southbound "Milk", underway from Burlington, VT on a cold February 18, 1947. This equipment originated in Ogdensburg NY.

- Photo by H. N. Proctor - Collection of James R. Dufour

Rutland Ten Wheeler #77 is seen arriving at Norwood NY with train #7 the westbound 'Milk. This scene has it all; classic Rutland steam; a milk platform with milk cans; a pickup truck; and a country station. If you ever wished to step into a scene this would be it. The date is September 2, 1949 and things will soon change forever here and all along the Rutland.

- Collection of Wayne D. Hills

Northbound #87 is shown arriving at Burlington VT, with class K-1 Pacific #80 leading empty milk cars for the dairy plants of northern Vermont and New York. The photo is dated September 2, 1949, which means that this essentially the same train as in the above photography, but earlier in the day. The locomotive will be changed at Alburg.

- Collection of Wayne D. Hills

PASSENGER TRAINS

Rutland Pacific #85 is seen in charge of train #51, the northbound overnight 'Mount Royal" at Middlebury, Vermont in the early morning hours of July 29, 1950.

- Photo by Preston S. Johnson. Original negative in the collection of Wayne D. Hills

Another dramatic photo by Preston S. Johnson finds Boston & Maine 3704, a class P-3-a Pacific, leading train #64, the southbound "Green Mountain" for Troy NY, out of Rutland on September 22, 1951. B&M and Rutland pooled between the two cities.

- Original negative in the collection of Wayne D. Hills

FREIGHT TRAINS

On October 17, 1950, Rutland G-34-c #25 is ready to take a short extra up to Rutland. By the following April, #25 was history.

- Photo by Preston Johnson, Collection of Wayne D. Hills

On July 13, 1947, H.N. Proctor hiked down the side of East Creek in Rutland to capture this dramatic image of Train No. 20 crossing the temporary trestle erected after the floodwaters washed away the bridge. Mikado 37 is in charge and stock 1901 is on the head pin, followed by thirty more cars. Refer to page 233 of Shaughness's the Rutland Road for Phillip R. Hastings photo of the same train from a different angle.

- Image: Dave Barlow Collection

EXCHANGE CLUB SPECIALS

Eash autumn from 1948 through 1951, the Rutland Railroad would revive passenger service for one day on the "Corkscrew Division" by hosting an excursion for the Exchange Club of Greater Chatham, NY. The trips would feature Rutland steam power and a virtual museum of wooden passenger cars and cabooses. With the exception of the first trip in 1948, all the trips ran from Chatham to Rutland, VT, and return. The 1948 trip only ventured as far as Manchester VT. That year's trip featured a stop at North Bennington, VT to allow viewing and photographing the classic station there which had been recently feature in a Norman Rockwell cover of The Saturday Evening Post. Two views of the photo stop at North Bennington are shown here below. The trips drew crowds, both riders and spectators.

Those who would like to know more about the Exchange specials are directed to the Spring 1997 issue of the Rutland Newsliner which features excellent first hand accounts of these trips, one by Paul W. Hackett and the other by Reverend Walter F. Smith. Both articles make for enjoyable reading about an era that is remembered fondly.

Top: The 1948 Exchange Club Special at North Bennington VT.

- Photographer Unknown. Collection of James R. Dufour

Bottom: The 1948 Exchange Club Special at North Bennington VT. Engine #77 and combine #255 are shown.

- Photographer Unknown. Collection of James R. Dufour