Why Rail

ECONOMIC BENEFITS

Railroads’ Contribution to the Vermont Economy

• Freight rail links to urban and industrial centers provide cost-effective access for Vermont businesses to suppliers and markets.
• Shipping by rail instead of truck reduces carbon emissions by 75%, noise by one half, and uses only 29% of the fuel. 
• Tourism supports over 30,000 Vermont jobs. Passenger rail travel preserves more of our state’s natural beauty and brings visitors to our historic downtowns.
• Rail supports industrial development – and jobs. Some companies won’t locate without rail access. For others it enables expansion. Ninety nine Vermont communities are served by active rail lines – a potential economic development lifeline, especially for rural towns.
• Railroad upgrades cost a fraction of highway expansion projects. Rail investments also attract private capital to match public investments. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, every $1 investment in our freight railroads — tracks, equipment, locomotives, bridges — yields $3 in economic output (a 300% rate of return!). A Texas study found that every $1 in public investment at passenger rail stations attracts $7 in private investment. 
• Average wages & benefits for 173 railroad employees in Vermont is $79,264.  In Vermont, that’s a good job!  Each railroad job supports 4.5 other jobs (based on national averages).  

Quick Facts:

• Rail transports natural resource products and commodities to and from Vermont at lower rates than by trucks, allowing many Vermont businesses to remain competitive regionally and nationally.
• Train travel is 50 times safer than driving, while reducing vehicle traffic.
• Amtrak’s Vermonter and Ethan Allen Express trains provide a comfortable, cost-effective travel option for tourists, business travelers, students, and family members to reach Vermont destinations.
• Shipping heavy goods by rail significantly reduces wear and tear from heavy truck traffic on our state and national highways.
• Seasonal rail excursion trains, some with dining service and music on board, offer visitors an authentic, scenic experience of the real Vermont.