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Showing posts with the label Vermont

Border With Canada

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 In July the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau appointed a new minister of border security and organized crime reduction.       Changes are coming to the Canadian border.     "Managed in a way that promotes legitimate travel and trade while keeping Canadians safe and treating everyone fairly and in accordance with our laws." said Bill Blair the new minister.       While treating everyone fairly the question becomes what this could actually mean in places like Derby Line, Norton and West Stewartstown, New Hampshire? The border with Canada is either open or it's closed.     It goes both ways.  🛃🛃🛃

Danville Rail Trail.

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 As a railfan I've riden mountain bikes on near many abandoned and active railroad lines. The Danville rail trail is one of the best in the country.     Rails to trails is still relatively new. Abandoned railroad tracks are being removed becoming an almost instant rail trail. The problem arises when the prior surface materials from decades of railroad operations like gravel, cinders and crossties are left plus New England seasonal storm debris that is often not cleaned up. The trails in New Hampshire and parts of Maine are like this.   This Isn't A Rail Trail. It's A Regular Trail. There Is A Difference.   This isn't the case in Danville. The trail is well graded, maintained and very level for a rail trail. It's distance isn't lengthy but it's very scenic. Unlike most rail trails there is also one way access at both ends of the mountainous route as RCT allows mountain bikes on their busses servicing the entire trail. I'd reccomend starting at ...

Amtrak Reform In Northeast Needed.

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 Vermont could have one of the best passenger rail systems in the country.     It isn't to be and the reason is politics and chaos on both sides of the river.      During the last 30 years I've watched Vermont taxpayers throw millions of dollars in financial subsidy at Amtrak in exchange for empty seats and an unclear direction for the future. Nothing has ever changed.     The Amtrak Vermonter train which truncates at St. Albans is politically supported by Senator Patrick Leahy and more recently, New Hampshire's Senator Maggie Hassan.There is an expensive proposal to bring this train back to it's original namesake, Montreal. Nothing is ever said about ridership numbers for this idea. "They are so critical for our state's and businesses." Sen. Hassan said in support of Amtrak. She hasn't said which New Hampshire businesses and how Amtrak running up and down the Connecticut River Valley could be considered "critical." Amtrak In Northeast Ne...

🛲 Amtrak Vermont Politics.

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 Vermont could have one of the best passenger rail systems in the country.     It isn't to be and the reason is politics and chaos and it's on both sides of the river.      During the last 30 years I've watched Vermont taxpayers throw millions of dollars in financial subsidy at Amtrak in exchange for empty seats and an unclear direction for the future. Nothing has ever changed.    The Amtrak Vermonter train which truncates at St. Albans is politically supported by Senator Patrick Leahy and more recently, New Hampshire's Senator Maggie Hassan.There is an expensive proposal to bring this train back to it's original namesake, Montreal. Nothing is ever said about ridership numbers for this idea. "They are so critical for our state's and businesses." Sen. Hassan said in support of Amtrak. She hasn't said which New Hampshire businesses and how Amtrak running up and down the Connecticut River Valley could be considered "critical." Is ...