ST.
JOHNSBURY, Vermont – On Saturday, Sept. 15, two locomotives and six historic
coaches will depart from the historic downtown St. Johnsbury train depot
and head south on one of the most beautiful train rides in New England.
The
train rides, part of the daylong Colors of the Kingdom Autumn Festival
being held in downtown St. Johnsbury, will start at 9:30 a.m. and be
repeated at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. from the St. Johnsbury
Welcome Center. The train follows the tracks of the Connecticut and
Passumpsic Railroad, established in 1850, and clings to the banks of the
Connecticut and Passumpsic rivers, cutting through massive rock ledges
and crossing many bridges.
The
train travels all the way to East Ryegate, where the train will be
reversed for the trip back to St. Johnsbury. The ticket fare is the same
price as the last two years: $13 for adults, $7 for children 12 and
under, with “lap kids” free. Food and snacks are available at the vendor
fair being held throughout the day at the St. Johnsbury Welcome Center.
“We
really try to make the train rides as affordable as we can,” said
Darcie McCann, executive director of the Northeast Kingdom Chamber,
which organizes the event. She credits festival sponsors for their
assistance in keeping ticket prices lower. Train passengers are
encouraged to bring binoculars and cameras on the train excursions, as
bald eagles and other wildlife are often seen along the route.
The
train rides are just one part of the autumn festival, with events held
all over downtown St. Johnsbury on Sept. 15. Festival activities include
an arts & crafts fair, farmers’ market, parade, bluegrass festival,
pancake breakfast, pie sale, book sale, craft events, music and free
admission to Fairbanks Museum and more.
Sponsors
of the daylong event include TD Bank, Price Chopper, Northeast Kingdom
Human Services/Northern Counties Health Care, Maple Grove Farms of
Vermont, Fairbanks Scales, Murphy Realty, Passumpsic Savings Bank,
Community National Bank, St. Johnsbury Auto, Union Bank Weidmann
Electrical Technology, Town of St. Johnsbury, Caledonian-Record, Vermont
Broadcast Associates, Northeast Kingdom Learning Services, Fred’s
Energy and Begin Realty.
For
more details or to reserve a train ticket, please contact the NEK
Chamber at 800-639-6379, 802-748-3678 or nekinfo@nekchamber.com. Tickets
may be purchased online at catamountarts.org or at the NEK Chamber and
at the St. Johnsbury Welcome Center after Aug. 31 and at the welcome
center on the day of the event. A full schedule of the day’s activities
can be found on the calendar at www.nekchamber.com.
