Day 1 – Tuesday

Two things – AMTRAK and HOT!

 Bikes refused on the train since there is no longer a baggage car. Called the Governor’s office before the train arrived. Also talked to the guy in charge of rail at VTrans. Absolutely no help and standard answers on why bikes can’t travel on a train even when AMTRAK’s own website gushes with how bikes are a big part of transit and trains. VT funds a fair amount of the Vermonter train but the state seems ineffective in getting a baggage car for this route. Probably because Douglas wants the Circ and new roads and not a workable and useable train and mass transit system. Very Sad.

Anyway, John and Deb (John’s wife)  drove the bikes to Brattleboro and we took the train. After boarding the train, we found that the last 3 cars were closed to passengers and were EMPTY. Gee, safety risk to put 4 bikes in an empty car – the two conductors seem to thing so as policy is NO bikes. Utter stupidity. Total passanger count was 44 by the time we stopped in Brattleboro. Each car holds 64 people – you do the math.

HOT – 95+ F leaving to touch the MA border at 1 pm. Covered 31 miles in 4 hours that included a lunch stop. Ended up at the Putney Inn at 5pm.

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