Vermont Rail System in Burlington / Rutland area, Vermont

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Burlington / Rutland area, Vermont · Updated October 19, 2026 · 10 min read

Rail preservation groupTrain ridesWorking freight railroad; public passenger trips run seasonally

Vermont Rail System is a family of seven shortline railroads that grew out of the Vermont Railway, the nation's first privately owned railroad on a publicly owned right of way, and it still runs trains over much of the former Rutland Railroad.

  • Seven affiliated shortlines
  • Vermont Railway acquired in 1963
  • Carries on the Rutland Railroad's lines
  • About 90 percent of carloads touch Vermont

Vermont Rail System at a glance

Hours
No museum hours; passenger services phones staffed on weekdays
Admission
Fares are set per passenger trip
Train rides
Seasonal passenger excursions and charters booked through Vermont Rail System Passenger Services
Best for
Rail fans and families who want to ride Vermont's working railroad

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Vermont Rail System? 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 Burlington / Rutland area.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

How a state-owned right of way kept the Rutland's rails alive

The system began with the Vermont Railway, acquired on August 6, 1963 after the Rutland Railway went bankrupt and stopped running. It was the first privately owned railroad in the country to operate on a publicly owned right of way, and it brought freight back to Vermont's western corridor with daily trains between Burlington and Rutland and service three days a week on to North Bennington.

Growth came line by line. The Clarendon and Pittsford was bought from the Vermont Marble Company in 1972 and in 1983 added the 24-mile former Delaware and Hudson line from Rutland to Whitehall, New York. The purchase of the Green Mountain Railroad in May 1997 created Vermont Rail System itself, followed by the Washington County Railroad between Montpelier and Graniteville in 1999 and the New York and Ogdensburg, 31.2 miles of former Rutland track, in 2002. With that last piece, the surviving Rutland Railroad rails came together under one owner.

Seeing a working railroad as a visitor

There is no Vermont Rail System museum building. The public way in is its passenger department, Vermont Rail System Passenger Services in Burlington, which books seasonal excursions and charters. Rail fans also watch the system's freight trains along the Burlington to Rutland corridor, always from public places and well clear of the tracks.

Don’t miss

  1. Passenger excursionsVermont Rail System Passenger Services books the system's public trips, the simplest way for families to ride these historic routes.
  2. The Burlington to Rutland corridorDaily freight trains on this stretch revived service on the old Rutland line in the 1960s.
  3. Rutland Railroad Historical Society resourcesThe society keeps information on VRS operations, rosters and lines for members interested in the Rutland's legacy.

For kids, it is all about the ride

Young train fans will get the most from Vermont Rail System by riding one of its scheduled passenger trips rather than looking for exhibits. Ask Vermont Rail System Passenger Services which departures welcome children, since some trips have age limits.

Plan your visit: tips for Vermont Rail System

  • Call passenger services at (800) 707-3530 for ride questions, not the freight offices.
  • Watch freight trains only from public places, away from the tracks.
  • The Rutland Railroad Historical Society shares VRS roster information with members.

Railroaders, not volunteers

Vermont Rail System is a commercial freight railroad run by its own employees, with offices in Burlington, Rutland and Bellows Falls. The way to support it as a visitor is to ride its passenger trains. For the history behind the lines, the Rutland Railroad Historical Society follows VRS operations as part of its work preserving the memory of the Rutland.

Where to ride and learn near Burlington

The Champlain Valley Dinner Train runs on this system out of Burlington, and the Shelburne Museum railroad station is about 7 miles south. Farther down the corridor, the Rutland Railway Museum sits by the tracks in Center Rutland, about 61 miles away. Find more in our guide to Vermont train museums and rides.

Every train museum in Vermont

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a conductor in a blue suit shaking Rally's paw on the train
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

I like knowing that the rails in Vermont are still worked by real railroaders every day. In our book, it is Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform who holds out a hand to Rally at the door, and that small kindness is the part my mom cared about most when she dreamed up the story. If your kids want to meet a conductor of their own, a passenger trip on these lines is the way to do it.

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
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

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

Work or volunteer at Vermont Rail System?

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.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Vermont Rail System: 20 questions about its history and trains

What is the Vermont Rail System?

Vermont Rail System is an affiliation of seven shortline railroads: the Vermont Railway, Green Mountain Railroad, Clarendon and Pittsford, Washington County Railroad, New York and Ogdensburg, New England Southern and New Hampshire Central. Each provides freight service, and common ownership lets them share crews and equipment.

Is there a Vermont Rail System museum?

No. Vermont Rail System is a working freight railroad and does not run a museum. Visitors experience it by riding passenger trips booked through Vermont Rail System Passenger Services, or by learning about its lines through groups such as the Rutland Railroad Historical Society.

Can the public ride Vermont Rail System trains?

Yes. Vermont Rail System Passenger Services offers seasonal passenger excursions and charters. Call (800) 707-3530 or email passenger@vrs.us.com to ask about current trips, fares and departure points. The passenger desk is staffed on weekdays, so plan questions ahead of a weekend trip.

When was the Vermont Railway founded?

The Vermont Railway was acquired on August 6, 1963, and rail histories describe it as established in 1964 after the Rutland Railway went bankrupt and stopped running. It became the backbone of what is now Vermont Rail System, restoring freight service on Vermont's western corridor.

What was special about the Vermont Railway?

The Vermont Railway was the first privately owned railroad in the United States to operate on a publicly owned right of way. That arrangement let freight trains return to the former Rutland line between Burlington, Rutland and Bennington after the Rutland Railway shut down.

How is Vermont Rail System connected to the Rutland Railroad?

Much of the system runs on former Rutland Railroad track. The Vermont Railway took over the Rutland's western corridor in the 1960s, and when the New York and Ogdensburg joined in 2002, the surviving Rutland rails were brought together under one company. The Rutland Railroad Historical Society describes the system as carrying on the Rutland's legacy.

Where does the Vermont Railway run?

The Vermont Railway runs from Burlington to Bennington, Vermont, and to Hoosick Junction, New York. As of its posted service pattern, freight trains run daily between Burlington and Rutland and three days a week between Rutland and North Bennington.

When did Vermont Rail System form?

Vermont Rail System was formed when the Vermont Railway bought the Green Mountain Railroad in May 1997 from its president and major stockholder, Jerome Hebda. At the time the Green Mountain was debt free with a solid freight base, and the combined company could share maintenance crews and equipment.

What is the Clarendon and Pittsford Railroad?

The Clarendon and Pittsford was bought from the Vermont Marble Company in November 1972. It serves a large limestone processing plant above Florence, Vermont, whose operator OMYA became the system's biggest shipper. In 1983 it bought the 24-mile former Delaware and Hudson line from Rutland to Whitehall, New York.

What does the Washington County Railroad do?

The Washington County Railroad's Montpelier and Barre Division, between Montpelier and Graniteville, joined Vermont Rail System in September 1999. The line had been struggling after losing customers under its earlier operator, and VRS made track improvements and now serves customers on a regular basis.

What is the New York and Ogdensburg Railway?

The New York and Ogdensburg is 31.2 miles of track between Norfolk and Ogdensburg, New York, once part of the Rutland Railroad. It joined Vermont Rail System in April 2002, fulfilling a long-held goal of the company's leader, Jay Wulfson, to reunite the surviving Rutland rails.

What does Vermont Rail System haul?

Vermont Rail System hauls a wide range of freight, and about 90 percent of its carloads start or end in Vermont. Some moves, such as agricultural lime, begin and end inside the state. The system also links railroads in Canada and northern New England with those in southern New England and the eastern United States.

Where is Vermont Rail System headquartered?

Vermont Rail System's headquarters is in Burlington, Vermont, with customer service offices in Rutland and Bellows Falls and a reload center at Riverside. The general office number is (802) 658-2550 and the toll-free line is (800) 639-3088. For ride questions, call passenger services at (800) 707-3530 instead.

Who do I call about a train problem on Vermont Rail System tracks?

For an emergency on or near the tracks, call Vermont Rail System's emergency dispatch at (877) 565-8133. For non-emergency railroad issues, the number is (888) 265-2735. Passenger ride questions go to (800) 707-3530, and general freight inquiries to the Burlington office.

Can kids ride a Vermont Rail System train?

Many passenger trips welcome families, but some special trips have minimum ages. Ask Vermont Rail System Passenger Services at (800) 707-3530 which current departures suit children, and check age limits on the booking page before you buy tickets.

Can I photograph Vermont Rail System trains?

Rail fans do photograph the system's freight trains, but always from public property and never on or near the tracks, which are private and active. For charter or commercial photography on the railroad, contact passenger services, which handles photo and film requests.

Where can I find a Vermont Rail System locomotive roster?

The Rutland Railroad Historical Society keeps a section on Vermont Rail System operations, rosters and line information for its members. Joining the society is the best route to detailed equipment lists and line information about the Rutland's successors, including the Vermont Railway and Green Mountain Railroad.

Does Vermont Rail System run holiday trains?

Any holiday or special event trains are announced and sold by Vermont Rail System Passenger Services. Check the passenger booking site in the fall, or call (800) 707-3530 on a weekday, to see what is planned for the season.

Is Vermont Rail System on Facebook?

Yes. Vermont Rail System posts on its Facebook page, which is a good place to follow news about the railroad. For trip bookings and schedules, use the passenger services contact rather than social media messages, since the passenger desk handles reservations directly.

What train attractions are near Vermont Rail System's Burlington base?

The Champlain Valley Dinner Train departs from Burlington, and the Shelburne Museum's 1890 railroad station is about 7 miles south. The Rutland Railway Museum in Center Rutland, about 61 miles away, opens its depot and model layouts on Saturdays and overlooks the line.

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