Amtrak train service is now available to and from Northampton.

The Vermonter connects Washington, D.C. in the South to St. Albans, VT in the North, passing through Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York on its route North. Bus service is available through to Montreal.

The Vermonter was once known as the "Montrealer" and was famous for its connections to ski resorts in Vermont and farther North. In those days the train passed through Amherst rather than Northampton due to deterioration of the tracks in that area.

Tickets for the Bellows Falls/Northampton route are $20.00 one way and seniors and students can travel for $17.00.

I, John Riley, and Henry Walz picked up the South bound train at 12:05 in Bellows Falls, Vermont and traveled to Northampton, arriving at 1:37.

Recent Derailment

The Vermonter derailed after "hitting a rockslide near Route 12A and Bull Run Road in Northfield Oct. 5.", ShelburneNews.com reports. "Five cars left the track, including the engine and a coach car that landed in a brook along with the train’s diesel fuel. Ninety-eight passengers and four crew members were on board at the time of the derailment. Several were injured, no one was killed."

For train buffs

"A typical Vermonter currently consists of four Amfleet passenger cars and an Amfleet cafe car. Between New Haven and Washington the train is pulled by either an Siemens ACS-64 or EMD AEM-7 electric locomotive. North of New Haven diesel GE P42DCs handles the train. Prior to the 2014 reroute the Vermonter operated with an Ex-Budd Metroliner cab-car, three Amfleet coaches, a Business Class/Cafe, and usually a P42 on the rear south of Springfield. (North of Springfield this consist was reversed.) During winter periods the Cab-car would be swapped for an Amfleet coach, and a P42 would be on either end regardless of their position north of New Haven." ^(Wikipedia)

Photo: "Northbound Amtrak" by Reivax Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.