I'm visiting Burlington this week and wonder if anyone has suggestions on hobby shops, etc. that cater to S Gauge in the area as well as any RR museums or anything that might be of general interest. I'll be coming up from the Albany NY area. Thanks!
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TCA had a convention there a few years ago. Go into the RR station at Shelburne and see if you can get a better picture of the steam coach photo on the ceiling. There are a couple of covered bridges east of there that served RR's, as well as many other covered bridges and water mills around the state, and the longest in the US across the Conn. River down in SE. There are granite quarries to explore, that used RR's. There is also the auto ferry across the lake at Burlington. Showing up when the birches are yellow in the fall, but when it is mobbed by "leaf-peepers", is recommended. The Walmart, if you need it, is oddly out in the boonies south of Burlington.
Not an S Gauger but if you take the trail along the lake, it follows the Vermont Railway tracks and offers a reasonably good view of the yard, roundhouse, and engine terminal. Not sure how "railfan friendly" they are but I was there on a holiday weekend so nothing was going on.
They do run excursions occasionally into and out of Burlington and the entire Green Mountain "silver feet" consist was easily visible along with several locomotives.
I was not aware of the CV locomotive at the Shelburne Museum. I will have to check that out on my next visit up that way.
Enjoy your trip, I love that area. Great hiking, food and people. Have seriously considered relocating up that way.....
Sadly not much in VT. Green Mountain RR does excursions and dinner trains but mostly for fall foliage. Everything in VT is a least a forty min drive, sometimes longer. White River Junction has a annual train fest in Sept.
If you have time I would suggest you visit Cabot Cheese factory for the tour and Ben and Jerry's ice cream.
We were up at Smugglers Notch several years ago. Did a day trip to Burlington. Its a cool town, lots of shops to explore and some good restaurants too. We did an excursion tour on one of the boats up there. It was a nice way to spend a summer afternoon. I thought Ben and Jerry's was a bit boring. They do a Disney type tour of the factory now. I heard that they used to bring the tours through the actual factory but the lawyers made them stop. Can't beat the ice cream though
Just returned from a week in Bolton Landing on Lake George. Great area too.
Bob
About 30 miles north is the Swanton Historical Museum. You can either drive up I89 or for a more scenic drive get on US 7. US 7 will take you by the Amtrak station in St Albans and nearby yard usually with some interesting activity.
Pete
I visited Ben & Jerry's and was underwhelmed, as l have always been with their flavors. Much prefer Baskin and Robbins, Kilwin's all over lower Michigan (and across from the old Tommy Gilbert trainshop in Gettysburg on your next trip to York), and Lappert's in Hawaii and S.F. l think l know ice cream.
go to the lake or burton snowboards or just have a great time chillin
Depending on how much time you have and your willingness, you could take a ride to Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. About 2.5 hours one way, certainly do-able in a day.
Something I have on my things to do in Vermont bucket list, is a visit to Robert Todd Lincoln's summer home, Hildene, in Manchester, VT. He was the chairman of the Pullman Company and there is a 1903 Pullman car on the property which can be visited. I've never been there so maybe somebody else has input on whether it is worth a stop or not. Here is the website for Hildene.
SJC posted:Depending on how much time you have and your willingness, you could take a ride to Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. About 2.5 hours one way, certainly do-able in a day.
Good suggestion. North Conway scenic RR is a must also. If you have the time.