[DauntlessDan]

I understand that this is just talk now and in the tentative planning stages. Still, what do you think. Is a passenger rail link like this up through to Rutland a good idea? Do you think it will get beyond the talk stage? At 138 million it IS a bit pricey.

New passenger rail discussed Proposed option could connect North Bennington to Albany - Bennington Banner

[CatwomanofV]

I think rail is great! For the past 20 years or so, rail service has diminished across the country. Now, people are finally realizing the benefits of rail service. As for the price tag? Well, improvements to our infrastructure is always a good thing. For one thing it means jobs.


Cat

[68vette]

It could be a good thing or it may be the opposite. In this country we don't use rail enough so that it is able to maintain itself. I think if amtrak is able to maintain itself without subsidies, then it could be a good idea. It still needs 1 billion per year from the fed to operate. As much as many people complain about fuel prices, we are still an automobile country. I think we love our cars more than we love our guns.

[OhBeeHave]

Shouldn't there be jobs for people to commute back and forth to? How many new decent paying jobs are opening up in Rutland, Manchester, Bennington, that would warrant this rail service?

[harry chickpea]

IIRC, that section of rail was called the corkscrew branch or something like that. I'll have to check, but if so it was a loser from the get-go. The Vtrans site link describing the plan was a dead link.

[Andy]

The feds better not fund this. Build it in growing areas where people actually live, not in feudal Vermont where the growth it would take to make this line anywhere near sustainable is impossible.

[68vette]

I agree with Andy. Even if rail was able to fund itself, put the money to use in a metro area that will benefit. Why waste (I consider it waste in a no growth region) tax payer money in a region with little users.

[Logs and Dogs]

Agree that this is a relatively "dumb" idea. Seems like the definition of insanity and asnwering a question no one has asked.

The way mass transportation usually succeeds is when there is pent up demand to the point where mass tranport is a welcome solution to a significant problem of traffic etc. Does that situation exist along this proposed line? Are there so many good jobs and so many people overwhelming the current transportation system so the success of the line isn't even a question? Me thinks that is a "no".

But wth do I know........ :-)

[delmioquartiere]

It seems like another "shovel ready job"

[lookingforgreatweather]

Nothing will change in this town! There is nothing in this town and the town does not want to expand or try new things. They won't even bring in new jobs.