Amtrak Vermonter Service returns to The Knowledge Corridor at the end of December

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor

Amtrak's Vermonter service to the Knowledge Corridor will return on December 29, 2014, with stops in Greenfield and Northampton, Mass.

 

The Vermonter will also add a stop in Holyoke, Mass., later in 2015 when station work is complete. The added stops due to the reroute will replace service provided to the Amherst station, which will end on December 28.

The restoration of train service to the Knowledge Corridor has been a goal of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s administration, who have been leading the effort to improve the Pan Am Southern tracks and shorten trip times within the commonwealth. Funding for the project was provided through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

In preparation for the new service, Amtrak has been working with local authorities to raise rail safety awareness by meeting with community groups and schools. A variety of rail safety education tools are available from Operation Lifesaver.

The Vermonter operates daily between Washington and St. Albans, Vt., with service to Philadelphia, New York, Hartford, Conn., Springfield, Mass. and Essex Junction, Vt., and other intermediate stops. In Fiscal Year 2014, ridership on this route increased 6.6 percent, providing service to more than 89,000 passengers.

 

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