Some puzzling figures in that news report. I've never heard of a 90-10 match for trail construction. ISTEA and TEA-21 were both 80-20, and neither program is available at the moment. Is there some other source of funding? Also, I question the million dollars to repair a half-mile of track, especially when they pushed a string of boxcars in there just a year or so ago, which angered townspeople. Sounds like this Paran Pathway group may be embellishing their own figures for PR benefit.

VRS is a tough place for workers to make a decent living, but they are aggressive in going after new business, serving customers, maintaining equipment and going after federal dollars to improve the track. They recently brought back rail service to northeastern Vermont, on a state-owned line that CPR had let go dormant for several years, and are hauling a reasonable amount of freight on it as well as offering summer passenger service. Overall, their contribution to Vermont has been quite positive.

Bennington would do well to entice VRS to extend its summer passenger excursions from North Bennington into Bennington, which would help boost their flagging downtown businesses. Barring that, the track might also be saved by a motorcar group sub-leasing it from VRS, to offer short excursions on their vehicles. Insurance might be a problem for public operation right now, but a sub-lease would help tie the hands of the trail group. VRS's owner, who has tangled with these anti-rail people before, might be sympathetic with such a group.

Rail service could still be an enticement to attract clean industry to Bennington, such as a plastics molding business, etc.. The cost of trucking such bulk materials from a railhead can discourage companies from locating there.

Unfortunately, Vermont is now under a Republican administration, which is much more highway oriented that the previous one under pro-rail Howard Dean, but elections are coming and the competition (Progressive candidate Peter Clavelle, presently mayor of Burlington) is definitely in favor of balanced transportation.

I think the key to saving the Bennington Branch (which, if developed over time, could turn into a neat little Strasburg-type operation) is to find local enthusiasts willing to start planning a motorcar operation and lay down roadblocks to the Paran Pathway plans. Although I live within driving distance of Bennington, my job does not allow time to go over there, so writing editorials is as far as I can get involved now.

Dormant Vermont rail lines aren't doing to good. First the Lamoille Valley now this! Whats next I ask? I don't think they realize what railroads can do for their economy, all they care about is ski areas and dairy products. They don't think about what benefits reopening a rail can have. Seems to me that the only thing that matters in Vermont is outdoor recreation and nothing else. Give them a few years and the only thing left will be the Connecticut River Line.