Editing Ethan Allen Express (section)

=== Early service changes ===
[[File:Ethan Allen Express at Rutland station, May 2001.jpg|thumb|left|The ''Ethan Allen Express'' at Rutland in 2001|alt=A passenger train approaching a small brick station]]
The ''Ethan Allen Express'' was intended to support tourism in the Rutland areas, particularly winter travel to [[Killington Ski Resort]] and [[Pico Mountain]].<ref name="rollsin" /> The train's schedule has been adjusted a number of times, particularly in the early years of its operation, in an attempt to serve both tourists to Vermont and Vermonters traveling to New York City.<ref name="50years" /> The initial schedule had a running time slightly over five hours, with afternoon departures from both terminals on weekdays. Saturday southbound trains departed Rutland at 7:05am to allow for weekend trips to New York City, while Sunday trains in both directions departed in the later afternoon to accommodate weekend trips.<ref name="50years" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=July 10, 1997 |title=Amtrak Northeast Timetable |url=http://www.timetables.org/browse/?group=19970710ne&item=0026 |publisher=Amtrak |page=26 |via=Museum of Railway Timetables}}</ref>

In October 1997, the southbound Saturday departure moved to the same afternoon time as weekdays, while the Friday and Sunday northbound departures moved to the late-afternoon time.<ref name="50years" /><ref name="oct1997timetable" /> An [[infill station]] at [[Fair Haven station|Fair Haven]] was added on November 12, 1997.<ref name="oct1997timetable">{{Cite web |date=October 26, 1997 |title=Amtrak Northeast Timetable: Fall/Winter 1997–98 |url=http://www.timetables.org/browse/?group=19971026ne&item=0026 |publisher=Amtrak |via=Museum of Railway Timetables}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Edwards |first=Bruce |date=November 8, 1997 |title=Ethan Allen Express Soon Starting to Stop in Fair Haven |page=8 |work=Rutland Daily Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104353707/rutland-daily-herald/ |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> On February 15, 1998, Amtrak added a morning northbound train from Albany to Rutland, providing a connection from the northbound ''Maple Leaf''; this gave a second northbound trip to Rutland, though still only one southbound trip. The change reduced the state subsidy by eliminating the need for overnight crew accommodations: the morning northbound trip turned around to become the afternoon southbound trip, while the afternoon northbound trip [[Dead mileage|deadheaded]] from Rutland to Albany in the late evening for servicing.<ref name="50years" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bever |first=Frederick |date=January 17, 1998 |title=Rutland Gets Second Train |page=1 |work=Rutland Daily Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104670799/rutland-daily-herald/ |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 5, 1998 |title=Amtrak Northeast Timetable |url=http://www.timetables.org/browse/?group=19980405ne&item=0022 |publisher=Amtrak |page=22 |via=Museum of Railway Timetables}}</ref>

In October 1998, the Sunday southbound departure was shifted two hours later to allow more time for skiers, while the Saturday southbound departure was moved up to match weekdays.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 25, 1998 |title=Amtrak Northeast Timetable: Fall/Winter 1998–99 |url=http://www.timetables.org/browse/?group=19981025ne&item=0028 |publisher=Amtrak |page=28 |via=Museum of Railway Timetables}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 14, 1998 |title=Amtrak promotes Vermont ski tours |page=3B |work=The Burlington Free Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105096275/the-burlington-free-press/ |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> From August 16 to October 31, 1999, the Vermont Railway operated the ''Ethan Allen Connection'' between Rutland and Burlington with an intermediate stop at [[Middlebury, Vermont|Middlebury]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 3, 1999 |title=Ethan Allen Connection [Advertisement] |page=41 |work=Rutland Daily Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105043084/rutland-daily-herald/ |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> It was discontinued due to low ridership; most passengers only rode between Rutland and Burlington, with just 20–25% connecting to the ''Ethan Allen Express''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Keays |first=Alan J. |date=October 13, 1999 |title='Connection' Is Nearing End Of Line |pages=13, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105043132/rutland-daily-herald/ 15] |work=Rutland Daily Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105043104/rutland-daily-herald/ |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> On October 31, northbound service was reconfigured. A daily train departed New York at 6:15 am – an hour earlier than the ''Maple Leaf''. The afternoon northbound train continued to run Monday–Thursday; the Saturday northbound shifted to that time, while the Sunday afternoon northbound was canceled. The Friday northbound trip became an express operating nonstop between New York and Schenectady, with a {{frac|4|1|2}} hour schedule – the fastest time ever scheduled for the ''Ethan Allen Express''.<ref name="50years" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 31, 1999 |title=Amtrak Northeast Timetable: Fall/Winter 1999–2000 |url=http://www.timetables.org/full.php?group=19991031ne&item=0030 |publisher=Amtrak |page=30 |via=Museum of Railway Timetables}}</ref>

A baggage car was added to the train for bikes and ski equipment in late 1998, but it could not be used for luggage until February 2000 when an attendant was hired for Rutland station.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Keays |first=Alan J. |date=January 16, 1999 |title=The Express Still Has A Few Bugs |page=8 |work=Rutland Daily Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105540150/rutland-daily-herald/ |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Keays |first=Alan J. |date=February 4, 2000 |title=Rail depot staffed; baggage car can be used |page=8 |work=Rutland Daily Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105540084/rutland-daily-herald/ |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The baggage car was removed in 2002 due to low usage, elimination of station agents due to state budget cuts, and the older baggage cars not being certified for as high speeds as the rest of the train.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Allen |first=Anne Wallace |date=November 8, 2002 |title=Passenger rail contract proposed |page=15 |work=Rutland Daily Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105540878/rutland-daily-herald/ |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Edwards |first=Bruce |date=July 26, 2004 |title=Vt. pays $2.5 million to keep Amtrak |pages=C1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105540785/rutland-daily-herald/ C10] |work=Rutland Daily Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105540853/rutland-daily-herald/ |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The schedule was simplified on April 29, 2001: daily afternoon trips in both direction, plus a morning Albany–Rutland northbound trip with no New York connection.<ref name="50years" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 29, 2001 |title=Amtrak National Timetable: Spring–Summer 2001 |url=http://www.timetables.org/browse/?group=20010429n&item=0025 |publisher=Amtrak |page=25 |via=Museum of Railway Timetables}}</ref> The morning trip became a New York–Rutland trip on July 9, while the Sunday trip was again moved to later in the afternoon.<ref name="50years" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=July 9, 2001 |title=Amtrak Northeast Timetable: Summer 2001 |url=http://www.timetables.org/browse/?group=20010709ne&item=0038 |publisher=Amtrak |page=38 |via=Museum of Railway Timetables}}</ref> The morning trip was cut back to an Albany–Rutland shuttle in January 2002 and discontinued entirely that April.<ref name="50years" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=January 28, 2002 |title=Amtrak Northeast Timetable: Winter–Spring 2002 |url=http://www.timetables.org/browse/?group=20020128ne&item=0032 |publisher=Amtrak |page=32 |via=Museum of Railway Timetables}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 29, 2002 |title=Amtrak Northeast Timetable: Spring–Summer 2002 |url=http://www.timetables.org/browse/?group=20020429ne&item=0036 |publisher=Amtrak |page=36 |via=Museum of Railway Timetables}}</ref> In April 2003, the Friday northbound trip was moved later in the evening, while weekday southbound trips were moved to a 7:15 am departure.<ref name="50years" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 28, 2003 |title=Amtrak Northeast Timetable: Spring–Summer 2003 |url=http://www.timetables.org/browse/?group=20030428ne&item=0036 |publisher=Amtrak |page=36 |via=Museum of Railway Timetables}}</ref> Monday and Saturday southbound departures were moved to 10:45 am in November 2004.<ref name="50years" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 1, 2004 |title=Amtrak System Timetable: Fall 2004 {{!}} Winter 2005 |url=http://www.timetables.org/browse/?group=20041101&item=0067 |publisher=Amtrak |page=67 |via=Museum of Railway Timetables}}</ref> The Monday southbound trip was moved back to match the other weekdays in October 2007.<ref name="50years" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 29, 2007 |title=Amtrak System Timetable: Fall Winter 2007–08 |url=http://www.timetables.org/browse/?group=20071029&item=0064 |publisher=Amtrak |page=64 |via=Museum of Railway Timetables}}</ref>