Vermont Secures $60.3M to Replace 60 Miles of Rail
Federal funding will upgrade the Western rail corridor between Rutland and North Bennington with continuously welded track.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Transportation
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The Vermont Agency of Transportation has acquired $60.3 million in federal dollars from the U.S. Department of Transportation to replace 60 miles of rail between Rutland and North Bennington. The upgrade will swap traditional jointed track for heavier, continuously welded rail, and it is also expected to support future passenger service from Rutland through Bennington County to New York.
Why it matters
The replacement track is designed to improve the safety and efficiency of freight movement across Vermont's southwestern region. Because the rail connection already exists, the work is expected to be minimally disruptive while preparing the corridor for potential passenger service.
The $60.3 million federal allocation will fund replacement of 60 miles of rail between Rutland and North Bennington. The project's construction timeline and the start date of any future passenger service have not been specified.
The players
Vermont Agency of Transportation
The state agency overseeing the acquisition of federal funds and the rail replacement project across Vermont's Western corridor.
U.S. Department of Transportation
The federal department that provided the $60.3 million in funding for the Vermont rail replacement.
Bernie Sanders
The U.S. Senator from Vermont who supported the federal funding for the rail project.
Peter Welch
The U.S. Senator from Vermont who supported the federal funding for the rail project.
Becca Balint
The U.S. Representative from Vermont who supported the federal funding for the rail project.
The details
Vermont's Western rail corridor is being upgraded by replacing jointed track, which relies on bolts to connect steel rail, with heavier continuously welded rail that has no joints. The federal funding was supported by U.S. Rep. Becca Balint and U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch.
Timeline
- 1953: Rutland Railroad passenger rail service ceased.
- 1996: Amtrak's Ethan Allen Express launched passenger service, with Rutland as its last stop.
- 2022: The Western rail corridor extension to Burlington was completed.
Roadmap
The project follows a decades-long pattern in which Rutland's passenger rail service ended in 1953 and later returned through Amtrak's Ethan Allen Express in 1996. The Burlington extension completed in 2022 suggests the Western corridor is being built out in stages toward broader rail connectivity.
Freight shipments moving through southwestern Vermont should benefit from safer, more efficient rail as the replacement track is installed. Residents in Rutland and Bennington counties may eventually see passenger rail options if the state pursues service to New York.
The takeaway
Replacing jointed track with continuously welded rail is a foundational step that could make Vermont's Western corridor ready for both freight growth and any future passenger service. Residents and businesses in the region should watch for announced construction schedules and service plans.
Further reading
For broader context on how rail infrastructure is shaping the state, explore Transportation coverage across Vermont.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Mountain Times.
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