Bellows Falls group launches Pride Whistlestop Tour along Amtrak’s Sunday run
June 9, 2023 | By Lisa Scagliotti 
Amtrak's Vermonter stops in Waterbury twice daily. Photo by Gordon Miller
Correction: This post was updated to correct a typo in the evening arrival time of the Vermonter into Waterbury. That’s scheduled for 7:50 p.m. daily.
As Amtrak’s Vermonter makes its way south from St. Albans to Brattleboro on Sunday, a group from Bellows Falls is hoping actual Vermonters will flock to their train stations to celebrate Pride.
“Show up for Pride on Sunday, June 11, for the first-ever Pride Whistlestop Tour,” the volunteers say in their announcement. “Demonstrate unity and community to those traveling through Vermont as an LGBTQIA+ individual, organization or ally by gathering at your local train station.”
The idea to create mini-celebrations along the train route came from a handful of activist volunteers in Bellows Falls who got to brainstorming events for that community’s first-ever Pride celebration, explained group member Susan MacNeil. Bellows Falls Pride consists of a series of events throughout the month of June.
“We are not a formal organization but just a group of people who couldn’t stop brainstorming,” she said in an email to Waterbury Roundabout.
They spread the word to community organizations up and down the Amtrak Vermonter line with the hope that it would inspire people to join in. “We are hoping that crowds will be decent at each stop along the way,” she said.
The group offers suggestions for the whistlestop events such as waving LGBTQ flags, decorating stations, wearing Pride celebratory clothing, dressing in drag, blowing bubbles, bringing music, or even just singing the Vermont state song.
Most important is to check the train schedule to be sure of its arrival at each stop. The Vermonter is train #55 on the Amtrak.com site. They also emphasize safety to stay away from tracks and to not block entrances/exits and wheelchair-access areas near stations. “Some train stations are also working establishments. If so, please ask permission to decorate, explain it would only be for a few minutes and be courteous,” the event announcement notes, adding a suggestion that people hop on to head to Bellows Falls. “If you want to visit Bellows Falls for the afternoon, be sure to purchase your ticket ahead of time!”
The Waterbury Train Station is owned by the nonprofit Revitalizing Waterbury organization which shared the event announcement this week.
And while the invitation sounds like a whimsical call to plan multiple quick parties, McNeil’s announcement makes a serious point: “Amtrak’s Vermonter train service sees over 75,000 visitors a year. The LGBTQIA+ community knows how important it is to foster safety and equality.” Being able to travel and explore in an environment of non-discrimination and equality should be a value every community can embrace, the group says.
The Vermonter on Sunday is scheduled to depart St. Albans at 9:15 a.m. and its scheduled arrival in Waterbury is 10:10 a.m. Arrival in Bellows Falls is 12:30 p.m. The northbound train returning on Sunday is scheduled to arrive in Waterbury at 7:50 p.m.