Editing Ethan Allen Express (section)

=== Extension to Burlington ===
[[File:Street side at Burlington Union Station.jpg|thumb|left|Union Station in Burlington, Vermont, became the northern terminus of the ''Ethan Allen Express'' in July 2022.|alt=A large railroad station building in an urban area]]
Even before service began, state planners intended to later extend the ''Ethan Allen Express'' from Rutland to [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]].<ref name="newtrain" /><ref name="vpr">{{Cite web |date=May 15, 2008 |title=Critics question whether money for rail in western Vermont is being well spent |url=https://archive.vpr.org/vpr-news/critics-question-whether-money-for-rail-in-western-vermont-is-being-well-spent/ |access-date=July 12, 2022 |publisher=Vermont Public Radio}}</ref> In 2005, Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] obtained a $30 million earmark for upgrades to the Rutland–Burlington rail corridor in preparation for a possible ''Ethan Allen Express'' extension. Jeffords had long championed passenger rail in western Vermont, which does not have an [[Interstate Highway System|interstate highway]]. His original goal was New York–Burlington service via [[Bennington, Vermont|Bennington]].<ref name="vpr" /><ref name="freep">{{Cite news |last=Remsen |first=Nancy |date=August 21, 2011 |title=To Rutland by train: 68 miles and many millions of dollars |pages=1B, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105481138/the-burlington-free-press/ 7B] |work=[[The Burlington Free Press]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105481084/the-burlington-free-press/}}</ref> The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) applied three times for [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009]] funds to rebuild the tracks between Rutland and Burlington; none of the applications were successful.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hirschfeld |first=Peter |date=December 28, 2009 |title=Rutland to Burlington state rail service tied to stimulus |url=https://www.timesargus.com/articles/rutland-to-burlington-state-rail-service-tied-to-stimulus/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826214742/https://www.timesargus.com/articles/rutland-to-burlington-state-rail-service-tied-to-stimulus/ |archive-date=August 26, 2018 |website=[[Barre Montpelier Times Argus]]}}</ref><ref name="freep" />

The state received $9 million in [[Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery]] funds for the project in 2013, and an additional $10 million in 2015. This completed funding for the $26 million project, which included rebuilding {{convert|20|miles}} of track to allow speeds of {{cvt|40|mph}} for freight and {{cvt|60|mph}} for passenger trains between Rutland and Burlington. Other work included the construction of stations at {{amtk|Middlebury}} and {{amtk|Ferrisburgh–Vergennes}}, a new platform at [[Burlington Union Station]], adding crossovers and passing sidings, improving grade crossings, and rebuilding a wye at Rutland.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 6, 2013 |title=USDOT announces $474 million in TIGER V grants |url=https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/USDOT-announces-474-million-in-TIGER-V-grants--37546 |access-date=July 12, 2022 |website=Progressive Railroading}}</ref><ref name="tiger2015">{{Cite web |title=TIGER 2015 Awards |url=https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/TIGER%202015%20Project%20Fact%20Sheets_0.pdf |publisher=United States Department of Transportation |page=40}}</ref> The former [[New Haven Junction station]] building was relocated, as it was too close to the tracks.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 7, 2022 |title=Vermont depot set to move Jan. 12 |work=Trains |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/vermont-depot-set-to-move-jan-12/ |access-date=January 7, 2022}}</ref> A [[Middlebury station#Downtown rail tunnel|separately-funded project]] constructed a rail tunnel in downtown Middlebury to replace aging bridges and increase clearances for freight use.<ref name="middtunnel">{{Cite news |last=Flowers |first=John |date=December 23, 2021 |title=Middlebury rail project comes in on budget |work=Addison County Independent |url=https://www.addisonindependent.com/2021/12/23/middlebury-rail-project-comes-in-on-budget/ |access-date=July 12, 2022}}</ref>

VTrans originally planned for trains to lay over overnight at Union Station, but nearby residents objected to having the locomotive idle there. In March 2020, VTrans indicated that the Vermont Railway yard to the south would instead be modified to accommodate the train.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Vermont Agency of Transportation announces Amtrak Burlington train parking location |date=March 12, 2020 |publisher=Vermont Agency of Transportation |url=https://vtrans.vermont.gov/sites/aot/files/press-releases/Vermont%20Agency%20of%20Transportation%20announces%20Amtrak%20Burlington%20train%20parking%20location.pdf}}</ref> The two new stations and the new Burlington platform were built in 2020–2022.<ref name="middtunnel" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bakuli |first=Ethan |date=January 27, 2021 |title=Progress on Burlington Amtrak service and bike path relocation moves along |work=The Burlington Free Press |url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/2021/01/27/progress-burlington-amtrak-service-and-bike-path-relocation-moves-along/4276848001/ |access-date=July 12, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022 |title=Amtrak to Burlington |url=https://vtrans.vermont.gov/sites/aot/files/rail/documents/AMTRAK%20to%20Burlington%20PR%20flyer_Draft_Upated%202022.pdf |publisher=Vermont Agency of Transportation}}</ref> In October 2021, Amtrak and Vermont Rail System began running qualification trips between Rutland and Burlington to familiarize train crews with the new route.<ref>{{Cite news |last=St. Angelo |first=Lilly |date=October 21, 2021 |title=Watch for trains: Amtrak's route to Burlington is doing practice runs |work=Burlington Free Press |url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2021/10/21/amtrak-burlington-practice-runs-begin-anticipation-start/6115983001/}}</ref> 

Revenue service to Burlington began on July 29, 2022, with trains departing early afternoon northbound and late morning southbound all days.<ref name="startdate">{{Cite web |last=Delabruere |first=Dan |date=June 16, 2022 |title=Agency of Transportation Announces Start Date for Long-Awaited Amtrak Service in Burlington, Vergennes, and Middlebury |url=https://vtrans.vermont.gov/sites/aot/files/press-releases/06.16.2022%20-%20Agency%20of%20Transportation%20Announces%20Start%20Date%20for%20Long-Awaited%20Amtrak%20Service%20in%20Burlington,%20Vergennes,%20and%20Middlebury.pdf |publisher=Vermont Agency of Transportation}}</ref> It was the first direct passenger rail service to Burlington in 69 years.<ref name="RailPassengers" /> The first day of service was marred by a temporary suspension of all Amtrak service west of Albany caused by a deteriorating trackside structure, the [[Central Warehouse (Albany, New York)|Central Warehouse]], in North Albany. Passengers were bussed between Saratoga Springs and [[Albany–Rensselaer station|Albany–Rensselaer]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hughes |first=Steve |date=July 29, 2022 |title=Crumbling Central Warehouse shuts down Amtrak service west of Albany |language=en-US |work=[[Times Union (Albany)|Times-Union]] |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Amtrak-temporarily-suspends-service-west-of-17337788.php |access-date=July 29, 2022}}</ref> The extension caused an immediate increase in ridership, with August 2022 ridership about 50% higher than August 2019.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hall |first=C.B. |date=October 23, 2022 |title=New Amtrak service makes a strong start |work=Vermont Biz |url=https://vermontbiz.com/news/2022/october/23/new-amtrak-service-makes-strong-start |access-date=November 7, 2022}}</ref> Ridership in Fiscal Year 2023{{efn|name=FY Note}} – the first full fiscal year of Burlington service – was 86,638, exceeding the pre-pandemic FY 2019 figure of 50,515.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://media.amtrak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/FY19-Year-End-Ridership.pdf |title=Amtrak Fiscal Year 2019 Ridership |date=November 2019 |publisher=[[Amtrak]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://media.amtrak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Amtrak-Fiscal-Year-2023-Ridership.pdf |title=Amtrak Fiscal Year 2023 Ridership |date=November 2023 |publisher=[[Amtrak]]}}</ref>