Railfan weekend
Join Trains Magazine staff members Kevin Gilliam (video producer), Carl Swanson (editor), and Nastassia Putz (production editor), for a railfan weekend photo charter event in Rutland, Vt., on Sept. 28 and 29. We are celebrating Vermont Rail System’s 60th anniversary of the Green Mountain Railroad (Bellows Falls Line).
We will be exploring the Vermont countryside with a relaxing ride on our exclusive chartered train. Motive power is tentatively scheduled to be Vermont Rail System Alco RS1 No. 405 pulling an all-green, three-car passenger train. The diesel locomotive will be lettered Green Mountain for that day! A bonus surprise is planned for attendees at the end of the event.
Tickets are available here, via Eventbrite.
We will cover the following lines on this two-day charter:
- Rutland-Bellows Falls round trip on September 28th. This is the original Green Mountain Railroad route.
- Rutland-Burlington round trip on September 29th.
Included:
- Round-trip rail fare.
- Photo stops at selected scenic locations.
- A box lunch served on board both days.
Not included:
- Transportation to and from Rutland, Vt., overnight lodging, and meals, other than the box lunches.
Tickets are $375 per person, limited to 125 people. Can’t wait to see you all there!
Thanks, Scott, for that info. When I stated “lighting voltage”, that implied ALL the low voltage functions such as 32/64 volt lighting, alternator, starter motor, etc. Your reply suggests to me that the 405 was in fact upgraded to 64 volts, but the pricey 32 lamp was padded with a drop resistor until it burns out some day, in which case the existing 32 volt lamp and drop resistor will simply be replaced by a 64 volt lamp.
From my own past experience with an old Ford 600 tractor, the 6 volt starter was kept in service with a 12 volt alternator upgrade and worked just fine, so I wonder if possibly the same 32 volt starter was capable of tolerating 64 volts. And the same might apply to the 32 volt generator with a simple 64 volt alternator &/or regulator replacement???
After having taken a Title 5 buyout from Conrail (E-L Rwy telecom) in early 1982, I spent the remainder of that year working for Delaware-Otsego (NYS&W signal) where they had a few RS Alcos in 32 volts back then. What was convenient for them at that time was that one of their 30+ volt, 300/400 amp Lincoln arc welder generators could easily be used to jump start any of the RS 32 volt Alcos with a dead battery(s).
For the three car train what type of equipment will be used for that?
Only three cars are left of the old (ex-CNJ) tourist fleet. I’m assuming those are what will be used as the stainless fleet is in dinner train service. Combine 280, diner 1301, and observation 1323. The rest of the fleet is now in New Jersey going on to a new life.
It should be noted that (amazingly!) FOUR of the six Rutland Railroad RS-1’s still exist. 405 is the only one regularly operating and had never been out of service since built (except for long naps between usage). The 400 is on the Arkansas & Missouri, 401 and 402 are stored by museums but haven’t run for a long while, and then there is the 405. It would be great to reunite them!!
PS: It will be corrected soon, but the 405 will be lettered for RUTLAND for the trips… Green Mountain was a typo.
The 405, built as Rutland 405 and never any other road number, was one of SIX, not nine (the Rutland did have nine RS-3s).
Curiously, the 401, I mentioned in my other comment, has also been the same number all along as well.
Nice! I often wonder if these vintage RS diesels have been upgraded from 32 volts to 64 volts ‘lighting’ power? The same question could apply to restored steam engines. I can’t imagine Big Boy and others still being 32 volts.
The 405 has NOT been converted to 64V lights, YET. The ditch lights are 70V lamps, but the headlight resistors are still playing nice so no need to change them. Eventually the whole railroad industry will get rid of the 32V lamps, which by the way are leftovers from the steam era!!
Restored steam locos is quite a different matter. Their turbogenerators are designed to put out 32V only. I’m certain that they can be re-wound to put out 72V, but I don’t know who has done so. With 4014, it certainly is possible, as that is what they need for all the controls nowadays. Will have to pose that question.