With an extra engine in the lead, Amtrak’s Vermonter rolls through late and long

February 21, 2025 | By Lisa Scagliotti 

Amtrak’s Vermonter, towed by another train, arrives at the Waterbury Train Station at 11:16 p.m. Thursday. Video by Lisa Scagliotti

On its trip north on Thursday, Amtrak’s Vermonter encountered mechanical problems with its engine that caused a lengthy delay, but some extraordinary moves got the train to its home base in St. Albans for the night and its passengers delivered to their destinations.

The issue cropped up at approximately at 5:09 p.m. when the train was in Greenfield, Massachusetts, according to Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams. After a delay of 2 hours and 21 min., it departed at 7:30 p.m. — with another train attached and pulling it down the tracks.

“The equipment from Train 478 was connected to Train 56 to take it the rest of the way,” Abrams said. “So, it was the equivalent of two trains.”

The Vermonter departs at 11:21 p.m. Video by Lisa Scagliotti

The Vermonter, which usually passes through Waterbury around 8 p.m., rolled up to the Waterbury Train Station at 11:16 p.m. consisting of two engines and seven passenger cars. It stopped briefly for passengers to disembark and was on its way north at 11:21 p.m.

Friday’s morning departure was delayed from St. Albans by 53 minutes, leaving at 10:08 a.m. and passing through Waterbury 11:09-11 a.m., according to Amtrak’s website.