Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-03-25
THE RAILROAD TANGLE
Possibilities Of Competing Lines
Into BrattIeboro
Situation Concerning Boston and Maine
and Grand Trunk Discussed by Spring.
field Republican.

Situation Concerning Boston and Maine
and Grand Trunk Discussed by Spring
field Republican
Under the caption THE Upriver Rair
road Tangle," the Springfield Republican
published in it's editorial columns Sunday
the following interesting statement of the
railroad situation in the Connecticut val
ley, particularly from Brattleboro north
ward. Those who have not given the
situation much thought probably have
failed to realize the full extent Of the
knot" as the Republican characterizes
it, which involves the various railroads
up and down the river. The editorial is
as follows:
THE Brattleboro papers tell of the APP
pearance in that vicinity of civil engi-
neers under orders from the Boston and
Maine Railroad company to survey the
territory on the east side of the Connecti
cut river between South Vernon and
Brattleboro, and determine the feasibility
Of constructing a railroad on that side
Of the river between the two Vermont
towns mentioned. 1t is further stated
that the engineers are then to make
similar survey of the situation between
Windsor, VT, and White River Junction.
This is presumed to have some relation
10 the attempt of the Grand Trunk rail-
road of Canada to secure an entrance
into Providence through an extension of
Palmer in this state
1T is an exceedingly hard railroad knot
which exists up the river, and If an
effort at last is to be made to unite it
a keen public interest all up and down
the valley will attend the progress of the
enterprise. The present situation is as
follows: The Grand Trunk owns a large
majority of the stock of the Central Yer
mont, whose line comes down from the
Vermont hills to White River Junction
and continues from there to Windsor
along the Connecticut river. The Central
Vermont leases the New London North
ern, which runs from Brattleboro to New
London, Conn. The Boston and Maine
through lease controls the river line
from this city to South Vernon, VT. Its
trains thence run about ten miles to
Brattleboro over the New London North
ern tracks. They then pass on to the
Vermont Valley railroad whose stock is
nearly all owned by the Connecticut
River company, leased to the Boston and
Maine, and go to Bellows Falls on the
west side Of the river. They then pass
on to the Sullivan County railroad on the
New Hampshire side, which is owned by
the Vermont Valley company and so
reach Windsor, ana from that point to
White River Junction they go over the
Central Vermont tracks. From the
Junction northward along the river the
~oad again becomes Boston and Maine
"h lease of the Boston and Lowell
Eases the Connecticut and Pas
+AYard to the Canada line.
Brattf1n- than this probably
temporary neee in the whole
ment, sickness -ansportation
SSndred uanNely easy matter
for the Boston and Maine, or for the
New Haven company, which now controls
il, to loosen itself from the tangle and
have an Independent line of its own from
this city or from South Vernon north
ward. 1t already has a bridge over the
Connecticut river at South Vernon for
the Ashuelot branch, and presumably can
build at some expense a line up on the
east side of the river 10 miles crossing the
river again to reach Brattleboro and get
on to the Vermont Valley tracks. There
would then remain to be built line from
Windsor to White River junction, a dis
lance of about 10 miles and at that point
the hills no longer reach closely out to the
western river bank, and room would
exist for the construction of a road along
side the Central Vermont
The problem of an independent con-
tinuous line down the river for the Cen
trail Vermont or Grand Trunk is more
difficult. 1t would have to build 50 miles
Of new road, from Windsor to Brattle-
oorO. From Windsor to Bellows Falls,
&c miles, by following the west bank of
the river, the construction would present
few difficulties, for the country is fiat
and open back for some distance. But
not so from Bellows Falls to Brattleboro.
There, on the west side, the hills rise
preclpitously from the river over mucn
Of the distance. and the Vermont Valley
road occupies all the room there is and
often has to cut into the lodges to get
what 1t has. The situation on the east
side of the river, partly occupied by the
Cheshire road. a part of the Boston and
Maine system, is equally precipitOus and
apparently impossible Of occupation by