Vermont Valley Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1848 |
| Founder | Hugh H. Henry |
| Fate | Ownership transferred to Connecticut River Railroad; later ownership changes |
| Headquarters | Brattleboro , United States |
Area served | Vermont, New Hampshire |
Key people | Hugh H. Henry (president, 1848–1869) |
The Vermont Valley Railroad operated as a rail line traversing Vermont and New Hampshire, connecting Brattleboro to the Vermont-New Hampshire border at Windsor. This route is currently incorporated into the Connecticut River Line. Among its original founders was Hugh H. Henry (1814–1869) from Chester, Vermont, who served as the railroad’s inaugural president from 1848 until his passing. In New Hampshire, this railroad was known as the Sullivan County Railroad. Ultimately, ownership transferred to the Connecticut River Railroad, which subsequently leased operations to the Boston and Maine.
In 1988, the Interstate Commerce Commission mandated that Boston and Maine divest the line to Amtrak, while maintaining rights to operate on the tracks. Amtrak was permitted to transfer ownership to the Central Vermont Railway, a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway, which completed acquisition on September 9. This transaction addressed deteriorating track conditions that had compelled Amtrak to suspend its Montrealer service in April 1987. Following infrastructure improvements funded by Amtrak, service recommenced in July 1989.
Conflicts regarding permanent trackage rights prompted the ICC in 1990 to establish conditions permitting Boston and Maine to continue serving all "existing shippers and shippers' facilities" that were active during the year preceding the sale to Central Vermont. In 1994, the line was purchased by the New England Central Railroad from Central Vermont, with trackage rights later transferred to the Springfield Terminal Railway.