Based out of Rutland, Vermont, the Rutland Railroad’s beginnings date back to the Champlain and Connecticut River Railroad in 1843. The humble 400-mile long line serviced Vermont and northern New York State up until the early 1960’s, succumbing to a long list of woes from labor issues, economic downturn and the loss of industry in the northeastern US. Most all of the Rutland Railroad trackage in Vermont was acquired by the State in 1963 and subsequently leased to the Vermont Railway (1964) and Green Mountain Railroad (1965) start-up companies. Both railroads continue in operation today as part of the Vermont Rail System.