You are at:

Menu

I am still reconstructing this page. To see the original, click the link below:


http://nekrailroad.com/NEKOLD/Central_Vermont.html


BMCP

Central Vermont Railway

My layout features a small portion of the Central Vermont's 27 mile Richford Branch, which ran northeast from St. Albans to the town of Richford, VT. The branch crossed the Lamoille Valley at Sheldon Jct. and met the Canadian Pacific in Richford.

Protoype Central Vermont Richford Branch 1980

The CV operated daily locals between St. Albans and Richford. Trains 537/538 worked out and back each day, usually utilizing a pair of SW1200s. At other times, the roads GP9s and RS11s would also handle this train. In addition to the CV trains, the LVRC started operating directly into St. Albans via Sheldon Jct. in lieu of interchanging with the CV at Swanton.
Stacks Image 2333
The CV in Northern Vermont, shown in Green on the map here, shows the mainline Montpelier north past St. Albans. The Richford branch leaves St. Albans and proceeds east to Richford, crossing the Lamoille Valley at Sheldon Jct.

(Click on map for larger image)
Stacks Image 2339
Stacks Image 2342

Central Vermont on my layout

I have staged CV trains to interchange with the LVRC at Sheldon Jct. This is a slight departure from the actual operations, but I think it will be more interesting on the layout.

A 2 track staging yard below and behind St. J on the peninsula will represent the line west to St. Albans. The CV track will enter view at Sheldon Jct. Here an interchange with the LVRC will be conducted as well as some local switching. The CV will cross the diamond and then exit to a single staging track below the LVRC representing the line north to Richford.

The Lamoille Valley altered operations to run directly to St. Albans instead of an online interchange with the CV at Swanton. I model this operation as well and have the LVRC run from and to St. Albans staging.
During an operating session, CV train 538 from Richford will pass through Sheldon Jct. picking up any cars dropped off by the Lamoille Valley. Later in the session, CV train 537 will leave St. Albans staging to drop cars off for the LVRC and perform some local switching before continuing on to Richford staging. (My Op sessions at this point do not include these trains).

Locomotives include a trio of Alco RS11s, all Proto models. At one point I'd like to build an SW1200. I also plan to model the CVs Bicentennial GP9, 1776, now that Microscale has produced decal set MC-4378 for this locomotive. The torpedo tube GP9s are also cool. This would be more locomotives than I need but its always fun to have locomotives to build and run!

Additional Information and Research:

•"The Trunk", B & M, CV and CP Pt. 1 - January 1982 Trains, p. 35-43
•"Northeast Kingdom", B & M, CV and CP Pt. 2 - February 1982 Trains, p. 22-32
•The Central vermont - March 1979 Railfan, p. 45-56
•CV's Rocket - February 1983 Trains
•CV's White River Junction Switcher - November 1985 Prototype Modeler, p. 19
•Central vermont, A Survivor - February 1991 Trains, p. 30-42
•Dazzling Uncertainty - October 1993 Trains, p. 38-39
•CV in the 1950s - February 2000 Model Railroader, p. 108
•CV's ex-GTW GP38AC locomotives in HO scale - May 1993 Model Railroader, p. 148
•Book: Green Mountain Rails, Robert W. Jones, 1994
•Book: New England Rails 1948-1968, Morning Sun Books, 1989
•Book: New England's Colorful Railroads Vol. 1, Four Ways West, 2000
•Book: Northern new England Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment, Morning Sun Books, 1994
•Book: Central Vermont In Colorful, Morning Sun Books
•Book: Central Vermont Vol. VI 1960-1981, Robert C. Jones
•Book: Central Vermont Vol. VII 1981-1995, Robert C. Jones, 1995
•Modeling CV SW1200 1509 in HO, The Ambassador, Vol. 13 Number 4 (2004)
 You are at: