Montpelier & Wells River Railroad in Montpelier to Wells River, Vermont
Historic rail siteNo museum building; traces of the line can be seen along the Cross Vermont Trail and in Montpelier
For 83 years, from 1873 to 1956, the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad stopped at every village between Montpelier and Wells River with passengers, mail, milk, lumber and freight, and pieces of it can still be found in central Vermont today.
- Trains ran 1873 to 1956
- Nicknamed the Milk Run
- Turntable survives in Montpelier
- Cross Vermont Trail follows the route
Montpelier & Wells River Railroad at a glance
- Hours
- No set hours; outdoor sites and trail
- Admission
- No admission; there is no museum building
- Best for
- History walkers, cyclists and rail fans
- Best ages
- School-age kids
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
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Taking the kids to Montpelier & Wells River Railroad? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Montpelier to Wells River.
Rally Takes the Train
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The Milk Run that stopped at every village
The Montpelier & Wells River Railroad ran trains for 83 years, from 1873 to 1956, across central Vermont between the state capital and Wells River. It was a working country railroad: it stopped in every village along the way to carry passengers and mail, pick up milk and lumber, and haul whatever freight the towns needed. That steady rhythm earned it the nickname the Milk Run.
In Montpelier, the railroad shared a yard with the Central Vermont. A 1929 photograph taken from the top of the E. W. Bailey grain elevator shows the yards of both railroads, and a photo from about 1934 shows a boy looking out of a Montpelier & Wells River locomotive cab on the turntable. Today the yard has been reduced to a single track and the area is known as Stone Cutters Way, but the turntable is still there.
Where to find the railroad today
There is no Montpelier & Wells River museum or exhibit hall. To see what remains, visit the surviving turntable on Stone Cutters Way in Montpelier, and follow the Cross Vermont Trail, which tracks the same general route between Montpelier and Wells River. Historic photos of the line are collected in Digital Vermont, the Vermont Historical Society's online archive.
Don’t miss
- The Stone Cutters Way turntableThe turntable shown in a 1934 photo of a Montpelier & Wells River locomotive still exists in Montpelier.
- The Cross Vermont TrailFrom Montpelier to Wells River, the trail follows the same general path as the old railroad.
- Digital Vermont photographsThe Vermont Historical Society's online archive holds images of the railroad's Montpelier yard and locomotives.
A history walk for older kids
This is a place for imagination rather than climbing on equipment. Older kids who like history can look for the turntable in Montpelier, compare it with the 1934 photo of the boy in the locomotive cab, and walk part of the Cross Vermont Trail where the Milk Run once ran.
Plan your visit: tips for Montpelier & Wells River Railroad
- Look for the turntable on Stone Cutters Way in Montpelier.
- Check the Cross Vermont Trail Association for trail conditions before you set out.
- Browse Digital Vermont for historic photos of the line before you go.
- The Vermont History Museum in Montpelier is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm.
Who keeps the memory alive
No single group runs a Montpelier & Wells River museum. The Cross Vermont Trail Association tells the railroad's story along its route, and the Vermont Historical Society preserves photographs of the line through Digital Vermont. Supporting either group, by walking the trail, joining, or visiting the Vermont History Museum, helps keep this chapter of central Vermont rail history visible.
Rail stops within an hour of Montpelier
The Shelburne Museum's 1890 railroad station is about 35 miles away, and the Champlain Valley Dinner Train leaves from Burlington, about 37 miles west. In New Hampshire, Clark's Bears and the White Mountain Central Railroad in Lincoln is about 45 miles away. Browse every train museum in Vermont.
- Vermont Railway Museum / Shelburne Museum railroad collectionShelburne, VT · about 35 mi
- Vermont Rail System historic operationsBurlington / Rutland area, VT · about 37 mi
- Champlain Valley Dinner TrainBurlington / Vergennes, VT · about 37 mi
- Clark's Bears / White Mountain Central RailroadLincoln, NH · about 45 mi
- Winnipesaukee Scenic RailroadMeredith, NH · about 46 mi
- Hobo RailroadLincoln, NH · about 46 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
There is a photo from about 1934 of a boy looking out of a Montpelier and Wells River locomotive cab, and I can only imagine how he got up there. Locomotive steps are steep. In our book, Rally's short legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. I suspect somebody gave that boy a boost too. Our coloring pages have a stairs scene kids can color.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
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- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Montpelier & Wells River Railroad?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Montpelier & Wells River Railroad: 20 questions answered
What was the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad?
The Montpelier & Wells River Railroad was a central Vermont line that ran from Montpelier to Wells River. Its trains stopped at every village along the way, carrying passengers and mail, picking up milk and lumber, and hauling all kinds of freight. It operated for 83 years before closing.
When did the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad operate?
Trains ran on the Montpelier & Wells River for 83 years, from 1873 to 1956. Over that time it served the villages between Vermont's capital and Wells River with passenger, mail and freight service until the line shut down in the mid 1950s.
Why was the Montpelier & Wells River called the Milk Run?
The railroad earned the nickname the Milk Run because its trains stopped in every village along the route, picking up milk from local farms along with lumber, mail and passengers. It was a slow, steady local service rather than an express line, which is what the name captures.
Is there a Montpelier & Wells River Railroad museum?
No. There is no dedicated museum or exhibit hall for the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad. The best ways to experience its history are to see the surviving turntable on Stone Cutters Way in Montpelier, follow the Cross Vermont Trail along its route, and browse historic photos in Digital Vermont.
Where is the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad turntable?
The turntable still exists on Stone Cutters Way in Montpelier, in the area that was once the shared railroad yard of the Montpelier & Wells River and the Central Vermont. A photo from about 1934 shows one of the railroad's locomotives on that turntable with a boy looking out of the cab.
Can you walk the old Montpelier & Wells River Railroad route?
Yes, in a general sense. The Cross Vermont Trail follows the same general route as the historic railroad between Montpelier and Wells River. Check with the Cross Vermont Trail Association for current trail sections, surfaces and conditions before planning a walk or bike ride.
What is the Cross Vermont Trail's connection to the railroad?
From Montpelier to Wells River, the Cross Vermont Trail runs along the same general route as the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad. The Cross Vermont Trail Association shares the railroad's history, including the Milk Run nickname and its 83 years of service, as part of telling the story of the trail.
What was Stone Cutters Way in Montpelier?
Stone Cutters Way is the name now used for the area that once held the railroad yards of the Montpelier & Wells River and Central Vermont railroads. A 1929 photo from the top of the E. W. Bailey grain elevator shows many tracks there; today they have been reduced to one.
Where can I see photos of the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad?
Digital Vermont, an online project of the Vermont Historical Society, has historic images tagged with the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad. They include a 1929 view of the Montpelier yards from the E. W. Bailey grain elevator and a photo from about 1934 of a locomotive on the turntable.
Did the Montpelier & Wells River connect with the Central Vermont?
Yes, in Montpelier the two railroads had neighboring yards. A 1929 photograph in the Vermont Historical Society's collection shows the railroad yards of both the Montpelier & Wells River and the Central Vermont, as seen from the top of the E. W. Bailey grain elevator.
What did the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad carry?
It carried passengers and mail and picked up milk and lumber in the villages along its route, along with all manner of other freight. In practice, that meant the Milk Run was the link between small farm villages and the wider world for 83 years.
Is the Vermont History Museum a good place to learn about Vermont railroads?
The Vermont History Museum, run by the Vermont Historical Society in the Pavilion Building at 109 State Street in Montpelier, presents the history of the state through the society's collections. Exhibits change, so ask staff whether railroad material is on view. As of October 2026 it is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm.
Can you ride a train on the Montpelier & Wells River route?
No. The railroad stopped running in 1956, and the route is now followed by the Cross Vermont Trail rather than by trains. For a train ride in Vermont, the Champlain Valley Dinner Train leaves from Burlington, about 37 miles away; check its schedule and age limits.
Is the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad history good for kids?
It suits school-age kids who enjoy history and walking. There is no equipment to climb, but finding the old turntable on Stone Cutters Way and comparing it to the photo of a boy in a locomotive cab around 1934 can make the railroad feel real. A short trail walk adds to the outing.
Are there any locomotives from the Montpelier & Wells River preserved?
No locomotive from the line is identified as preserved on public display in central Vermont. Historic photos in Digital Vermont show the railroad's engines in Montpelier. Ask the Vermont Historical Society if you are researching specific equipment.
How long was the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad?
The railroad ran from Montpelier to Wells River, passing through every village between them. An exact mileage is not given in the trail association's summary. The Cross Vermont Trail Association, which follows the route, is the best group to ask about distances along the old line.
Where is Wells River?
Wells River is the far end of the old Montpelier & Wells River Railroad line, the terminus opposite Vermont's capital. The Cross Vermont Trail follows the general railroad route from Montpelier to Wells River, so the trail association's maps are a handy guide to the towns in between.
Who preserves the history of the Montpelier & Wells River Railroad?
The Vermont Historical Society keeps photographs of the line in its Digital Vermont collection, and the Cross Vermont Trail Association shares the railroad's story along the route it follows. Supporting those groups, by joining or visiting, helps keep the Milk Run's history alive.
Is there a fee to see the Montpelier & Wells River turntable?
No admission is listed for seeing the turntable, which sits outdoors on Stone Cutters Way in Montpelier. Respect any private property and stay off active track, since a single line still runs through the former yard area.
What train museums are near Montpelier, Vermont?
The Shelburne Museum's 1890 railroad station is about 35 miles from central Vermont, and the Champlain Valley Dinner Train leaves from Burlington, about 37 miles away. In New Hampshire, Clark's Bears and the White Mountain Central Railroad in Lincoln and the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad are each roughly 45 miles away.
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