Central Vermont Railway West River Branch Train Railroad Real Photo Postcard
The Central Vermont Railway, a prominent regional carrier active from the mid-19th century, served Vermont, Quebec, and other New England states. Its West River Branch, initially a narrow-gauge line, began construction in the 1870s, tracing the West River from Brattleboro north through southeastern Vermont. This branch provided essential transportation for the isolated communities of the West River Valley, moving passengers, agricultural products, lumber, and mail.
Such branch lines were instrumental in economic development during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, connecting rural populations to wider markets and services. However, the West River Branch contended with difficult terrain and severe weather, and like many similar lines, ultimately succumbed to increasing competition from improved road networks and motor vehicles, leading to its abandonment largely between the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Such branch lines were instrumental in economic development during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, connecting rural populations to wider markets and services. However, the West River Branch contended with difficult terrain and severe weather, and like many similar lines, ultimately succumbed to increasing competition from improved road networks and motor vehicles, leading to its abandonment largely between the late 1920s and early 1930s.
