Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6ailroads were once the arterial network of switches and feeder lines that served as conduits for the life blood of a growing nation. These roads of steel and stone stretched across rivers, through vast forests, and even through the very mountains themselves redefining what was possible. Most importantly they brought communities, businesses and people together. The birth of the Interstate Highway System saw the rise of personalized transportation and the decline of America’s rail system. Over time, this symbol of modernity and engineering triumph was relegated to the background of our consciousness. Still, we ride the rails as nostalgic passengers secretly yearning for the sense of wonder and interconnectedness that only a rail line can bring. Over the past 140 years, the Lamoille Valley Railroad sought to make its living on one of the rarest occurrences in Vermont; an “East to West Passage.” History: It all began as an attempt to capitalize on the commercial development that neighboring railways were bringing into the area. In 1864 a charter was obtained from the State of Vermont to construct a railroad from St. Johnsbury to New Hampshire. An additional charter for a line from St. Johnsbury to Montpelier was obtained two years later. While this gained little traction, in 1867 the Fairbanks family purchased a sizable interest in the venture and began to drum up support. As more towns joined in and pledged credit to the proposed rail line, the route began to evolve into the path that we know today. Local traffic was never thought to be able to sustain the rail line, so the ultimate goal was to join with larger rail companies and connect Portland, Maine on the coast to Ogdensburg, New York on Lake Ontario. The plan was successful and the line was incorporated to the Portland welcome to the LAMOILLE VALLEY RAIL TRAIL By Shane Prisby VAST Trails Manager LVRT Project Manager Building engineers take measurements of the Needle’s Eye bridge in Morristown. R