St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain

[Fr.Al]

I remember something about discussing this line a few years back. A nearby library has a Beebe/Clegg classic, "Hear the Train Blow." There are two shots of the St. J & LC. One shows a steam locomotive, probably a 2-8-0, heading a single RPO/Combine; probably the mixed that hadn't picked up any cars yet.

       Shot number two shows a 70 Tonner emerging from a covered bridge, probably also heading the mixed. It is listed as an Alco unit, but I think that's an error, although maybe Alco was working jointly with GE, as I think they were, at the time?

       That's a slice of Vermont Railroading I never experienced, and now can only experience through videos. Maybe someone has yet to discover movies of this line and my beloved Rutland hidden away in Grandpa's attic. One can hope.

[Flintlock76]

Beebe gives quite a bit of coverage to the St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain in what many consider to be his magnus opus, "Mixed Train Daily."

If your local library doesn't have a copy they may be able to get you one if they do book sharing with other librarys in the area.

I was lucky, I found a Howell-North edition of "MTD" at an antique show a few years ago.  As new, and I don't think the book dealer knew what he had.

I sure did!

Hey, guess what?  I found a YouTube video of the St.J&LC, and here it is...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFdMZdqhFi8

I only watched just a few minutes, have other things to do, but I'll be watching it later!  Looks good!

[Flintlock76]

Beebe gives quite a bit of coverage to the St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain in what many consider to be his magnum opus, "Mixed Train Daily."

If your local library doesn't have a copy they may be able to get you one if they do book sharing with other librarys in the area.

I was lucky, I found a Howell-North edition of "MTD" at an antique show a few years ago.  As new, and I don't think the book dealer knew what he had.

I sure did!

[Fr.Al]

Thanks, I already have that video. I actually found a used bookstore which may still have two volumes of a Beebe classic. I would have picked it up last time, but my hands were full. I used to own Mixed Trains Daily. It got lost during the course of one of my many moves.

[Flintlock76]

Hi Father!  I found some Rutland RR film for you!  This is a Blackhawk film from 1951-1952.  I think you'll enjoy it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkWxJUgzMYo

Everyone else might enjoy it too!  Have fun!

[Fr.Al]

Thanks. I actually have 6 videos from the same Vermont outfit that produced the St. J & LC video. They cover the whole Rutland, those parts still active, and those long vanished into history.

     That opening scene of the new RS-3 leading the beautiful 4-8-2 is a favorite of mine. One can almost smell the coal smoke and diesel exhaust.

     Ironically, the 4-8-2's were put tp pasture in 1952. I'm pretty sure Rutland's last steam locomotive was an elderly 4-6-0, the Bennington Switcher, according to Nimke's book. It was retired in 1953, I think on the same day that the last run on the Chatham "Corkscrew" division took place.