BUFFIES and FOAMERS – words that should grab your attention, did mine as I heard co-travellers use the terms, and now I have two new phrases, and in time will explain. Believe this adventure began with something I saw on Facebook — a train trek on the “Whitehall Flyer” – a train excursion sponsored by the Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts, Inc. last happening thirty years ago in 1993. Only took me a couple hours after reading to book my trip.

All day on a train? Not all week, but will do. Leaving from the classic Bellows Falls, Vermont, Amtrak station, to Rutland, Vermont, and then picking up tracks across Vermont, crossing the New York border to Whitehall, and then return. Fully booked, the train arrived from the North Walpole yards a few minutes late – hey, who is in a rush in our wonderful world here.

Train arriving at the Bellows Falls station (being purchased by the Town of Rockingham to be restored), and loading – note fog hiding some of Fall Mountain.

and my coach seat

away we go — bye Bellows Falls, back soon

what a treat to travel along the railroad causeway in the Connecticut River – something that could never be built today. And then through the old rail yards that became home to Steamtown USA, and then back as rail yards. Heading north going under Route 5 as it turns and continues along the river, the tracks go under I-91.

there are some sections of track cut into hillsides where you best talk to your neighbor instead of looking at the view that drops way off.

and the old station in Chester, Vermont. In October 2018 I rode with the Green Mountain Railroad from here to Summit in Mount Holly and back – please, please look at that post for great details of this part of the route.

BUFFIES and FOAMERS did we say? Well, here you go, and there they are in the image below. BUFFIES – rail buffs — FOAMERS – pure fanatics. Below some BUFFIES in Chester. From this point on at most all grade crossings and alongside roadways with straight unobstructed views these folks were there with tripods and cameras. Several pickup trucks with folks filming from the bed, often a dozen or more folks. No sooner would our train pass they would jump in their vehicles and speed off to the next location to capture the train on film — so fanatical, at one point I saw a car jump a stop sign and cut off a car. No accident, he/she was at the next filming spot. Hey, “different strokes for different folks,” do they still say that?

my next two images are while crossing trestles, first in Ludlow and then the Cuttingsville Trestle in East Wallingford crossing the Mill River and Route 103 — impressive, and even more so from the road.

and, arriving in Rutland – the right image my newly painted coach with a baggage section.

reboarding in Rutland, here are some views of the cars as follows: 1- baggage space in my coach 2- spacious car with tables 3- car was open observation deck 4 – lamp in my car with wording JERSEY CENTRAL LINES

I am looking forward to following the tracks across New York State to Whitehall by little car. Below crossing the Champlain Canal at Whitehall.

A tradition on many rail excursions like this are a “Photo Runby” (RUN-buy) — ends up we only had time for one, at our end point in Whitehall. From the groups literature, the concept is simple. The train stops at a photogenic spot, and the passengers de-train and take up photo positions a safe distance from the track. Once passengers are off the train, train backs up some distance. Once the train is out of sight and the way is clear, the conductor signals the train to come forward, the photographers catching their images. Once the train is past it then backs up and everyone gets back onboard. So, images below: de-training – backing up – getting ready, AND my video of he Runby.

And, time to get back on board

back in Rutland there was a switching around of the three engines that were used with the four cars

and, glad I waited with this post because I found a video posted on the New Hampshire Railfan YouTube channel made by BUFFIES — here it is

and, the details from their posting — The Mass Bay RRE and Amherst Railway Society joined forces to charter the ‘Whitehall Flyer’ excursion over the Vermont Rail System between Bellows Falls, Vermont and Whitehall, New York. The trip started out in Bellows Falls with the first scene of the consist crossing the stone arch bridge over the Connecticut River on its way to pick up passengers. The train headed north over the Green Mountain Route on VTR’s Bellows Falls Subdivision. At Rutland VTR 201 was added to the rear of the consist and the train headed east over the Clarendon & Pittsford Mainline Subdivision to Whitehall. At Whitehall the crew swapped ends to head back to Rutland. Note that the excursion did not enter the CPKC trackage. Unfortunately I did not end up filming any of the trip between Rutland and Whitehall. Arriving back in Rutland the 201 was taken off and the 405 and 209 were wyed so that 405 could lead back south to Bellows Falls. The last scene shows the excursion crossing the diamond over the New England Central Railroad and the Vermont Rail System. Unfortunately for us the searchlight signals never lit. The consist used in this excursions consisted of passenger cars from the railroads ‘green fleet’ as well as business car 4 the Macintyre. Locomotives used was ALCO RS-1 GMRC 405, VTR 201, and VTR 209. This was the first excursion hosted by the Mass Bay RRE over the line since 2004 and the first excursion over VTR trackage since 2019.

Well – I have my Route Guide for this day, and the bigger booklet from 1993 to study, and plan backroad Shunpiking trips in BB2 or BB1 (still sleeping since last year).

SEE PS JUST BELOW – ADDED 28 SEPTEMBER — A TRUE LIFE FOAMER RELATES

So many plans, and when accomplished you will read about them here. Stay safe and well, and thank you for “shunpiking with me” even when “on the rails.” — luv, RAY

PS – one of my faithful readers sent me a note, and I asked if I could share this “first hand” account – she said, “of course.”

Hahaha!!  Really enjoyed this one, Ray. My husband is a Foamer by your description. We call them rail fans. He is one of those crazies you described who chases trains. He’s been taking photos of engines and trading the slides with other photographers since he was a kid. And yes, I used to go with him on his adventures throughout New England, strictly riding shotgun, but it’s a little bit unnerving (and admittedly exhilarating), so now I only participate in the anarchy when I happen to be in the truck with him when the scanner goes off and we’re in the vicinity of a particular engine that he’s looking for. 

It’s all or nothing. They often wait hours for a train, but as soon as it passes, they race to the next clearing and start waiting again in order to get those perfect shots. He’s often climbed trees and hung off bridges and fences to frame a shot. Paul carries a ladder with him so he can put it up in the bed of the truck to climb up and get better views.  Glad you got to see the rail fan crazies in action. They’re an interesting bunch! 

and, when she gave me the okay to share, she added …

Absolutely can add the PS!  I happily married a rail fan and model railroader 36 years ago! He rarely lets anyone know what his hobby is — typically they don’t understand. What most don’t know is that there’s also people whose photography hobby is to take and collect photos of covered bridges, or busses, or churches, or trolley cars, or tractors, or any number of things. Paul’s photos have been on the covers and in the interiors of national rail fan magazines. 

Glad you’ve seen the show at the Big E. I loved watching the model railroads run. The artistry in their to-scale layouts is something to appreciate. However, my husband goes there to sit and look through volumes and volumes of slides of engines for sale in huge 3-ring binders for hours and hours. Each railroad has a roster of their engines and the hobbyist’s goal is to have at least one perfect shot of each one. 

He only trades slides, which is a dying technology since the manufacturers of slides has nearly died out. The true hobbyist doesn’t do digital photography because that can be manipulated after the fact. It’s the accomplishment of being in the right place, at the right time (so much research!), on the right side of the track, with an interesting backdrop, no obstructions, correct camera settings, and perfect lighting that warms their hearts. 

They used to be able to walk around in the train yards, but for security since 9/11, they’re not allowed to do that — makes the challenge of getting those shots even greater!