Central Vermont Railway

Central Vermont Railway
Company type	Railroad company
Industry	Rail transport
Predecessor	Vermont Central Railroad, Vermont and Canada Railroad
Founded	1899; 127 years ago
Defunct	1995
Fate	Sold to RailTex; rebranded as New England Central Railroad
Headquarters	United States
Area served	Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Quebec
Products	Freight rail services
Parent	Grand Trunk Railway (1896–1923), Canadian National Railway (1923–1995)

The Central Vermont Railway operated throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, and Quebec. Its route connected Montreal, Quebec, to New London, Connecticut, tracing a path alongside Lake Champlain, crossing the Green Mountains, and following the Connecticut River valley. Additionally, it provided a connection from Montreal to Boston via an interchange with the Boston and Maine Railroad at White River Junction, Vermont.

History

Incorporated on October 31, 1843, the Vermont Central Railroad set out to construct a rail line spanning Vermont from Burlington eastward to Montpelier and extending southward to Windsor on the Connecticut River. Construction commenced in 1845, with segments gradually opening between 1848 and 1849, culminating in completion of the line to Burlington by December 31, 1849.

The Vermont and Canada Railroad, chartered in 1845 as a northern extension toward Rouses Point, New York, was leased by Vermont Central in 1849 and finished by 1851. Following financial troubles, the lease was temporarily lost but subsequently restored. The Montreal and Vermont Junction Railway, established in 1860, expanded this line into Quebec and operated as part of the Vermont and Canada.

Expansion toward the south occurred through leases and alliances: the Sullivan County Railroad linked Windsor with Bellows Falls (connecting to Boston-bound routes), while the Vermont Valley Railroad connected Bellows Falls to Brattleboro. In 1867, Vermont Central leased the Stanstead, Shefford and Chambly Railroad in Quebec, which was later extended by the Waterloo and Magog Railway.

Key leases included the Ogdensburg and Lake Champlain Railroad (1870), extending westward from Rouses Point; the Rutland Railroad system (1871), which added routes from Burlington to Bellows Falls and Chatham; as well as the New London Northern Railroad (1871). The company adopted the name Central Vermont Railroad in 1872.

Further growth involved acquiring control over regional lines such as the Missisquoi Railroad (leased in 1873), which was later reorganized as the Missisquoi Valley Railway, along with leasing the Montpelier and White River Railroad in 1876 to improve local connectivity.

To resolve legal complications, the Consolidated Railway was created in 1884 by merging Central Vermont and Vermont and Canada companies; operations were then managed by the newly formed Central Vermont Railroad. In 1889, it leased the Burlington and Lamoille Valley Railroad, adding a branch running from Essex Junction to Cambridge Junction.

The Montreal and Province Line Railway was reorganized under Central Vermont’s control in 1896, operating routes southeast of Montreal within Quebec’s regional rail system.

Financial difficulties led to receivership in 1896; on March 20 of that year, Grand Trunk Railway acquired Central Vermont. After foreclosure proceedings in 1899, it was reorganized as Central Vermont Railway on May 1. During this reorganization, ownership of the Missisquoi Valley Railroad was fully acquired.

Due to persistent financial issues, Grand Trunk’s network came under federal administration through a "Board of Management" in 1920. Following legal disputes regarding nationalization, it was ultimately incorporated into Canadian National Railway on January 20, 1923.

CN and NECR: 1923-present

Following the Great Vermont Flood on December 12, 1927, the Central Vermont Railway entered receivership and was subsequently reorganized on January 31, 1930. While maintaining its corporate identity, it operated as a distinct unit within the Canadian National (CN) system. After recovering from the Great Depression, it became a reliable component of CN's network, handling a variety of freight such as general goods, furniture, dairy products, and agricultural commodities.

The introduction of CN diesel locomotives in the 1950s led to the complete replacement of steam engines by 1957. The 1960s posed difficulties due to decreasing traffic and revenue losses. During ownership transitions from Grand Trunk to CN, numerous unprofitable branch lines were discontinued. Approaching CN’s privatization in 1995, less essential routes including the Central Vermont mainline were sold off.

On February 3, 1995, CN divested the Central Vermont mainline stretching from New London, Connecticut to East Alburg, Vermont to RailTex. This company rebranded the line as the New England Central Railroad (NECR). RailTex was absorbed by RailAmerica in 2000, which itself was acquired by Genesee & Wyoming in 2012. NECR continues to operate under this current ownership.

Richford Branch

Initially incorporated as the Missisquoi Railroad, later renamed the Missisquoi Valley Railroad and subsequently referred to as a Division, this branch ran its entire 27.48-mile route until a derailment in 1984 damaged a bridge spanning the Missisquoi River near Sheldon, Vermont. One span of the bridge was removed; operations continued on the eastern portion while the Lamoille Valley Railroad sporadically served the isolated western segment leading to Richford after 1989. By 1990, tracks between St. Albans and the damaged bridge were dismantled.

Principal stations along this branch included:

Saint Albans, Vermont (connection with Central Vermont Railway)
Green's Corners
Sheldon Springs
Sheldon (connection with Missisquoi Pulp and Paper Company)
North Sheldon
Sheldon Junction (connection with Saint Johnsbury and Lake Champlain Railroad)
East Franklin
Enosburg Falls
North Enosburg
East Berkshire
Richford (connection with Canadian Pacific Railway)

External links