The Green Mountain Railroad (reporting mark GMRC) is a small Class III railroad based in Vermont, operating over former Rutland and Boston & Maine lines between North Walpole, New Hampshire, and Rutland. Formed in 1964 under the direction of F. Nelson Blount, the railroad began life closely tied to the early Steamtown operation, before developing into an independent freight carrier with a modest but distinctive role in the regional rail network.
By the late 1970s and early 1980s, GMRC occupied an awkward but interesting position. It functioned partly as a bridge line between larger systems such as the Delaware & Hudson and Boston & Maine, but with limited traffic and often strained relationships with its connections. As a result, much of its business came from on-line industries, and its overall traffic levels remained relatively low.
Box Cars
Green Mountain Railroad boxcar GMRC 350 stands in yard service, date and location unrecorded. This 40 ft class XM boxcar reflects the earlier generation of the GMRC fleet, likely acquired second-hand and finished in a simple dark green scheme with yellow “Green Mountain” lettering. Lettering indicates it was leased from ITEL Rail, a common source of rolling stock for shortlines building up their fleets. A “Herbie” moniker drawing is visible on the car side, one of the distinctive palm tree figures created by Herbert A. Mayer, a switchman with the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis, who is said to have drawn the design on hundreds of thousands of freight cars during the 1970s. © Unknown Green Mountain Railroad boxcar GMRC 377 stands at Denver, Colorado, on 19 October 1980. One of a group of 40 ft cars rebuilt around 1979 while under lease to ITEL Rail, it reflects the continued need for shorter equipment where tight industrial trackage restricted the use of larger cars. The car carries a plain dark green scheme with yellow “Green Mountain” lettering and minimal branding, typical of these rebuilt vehicles. © Norm Metcalf Green Mountain Railroad boxcar GMRC 504 stands at Selkirk, New York, on 1 May 1977. One of a small series (501–514), this 40 ft 6 in inside length XM boxcar has a capacity of 3,898 cu ft and represents the second-hand, workaday equipment typical of shortline fleets in the 1970s. The dark green livery is offset by a bold “Green Mountain” emblem. © Matt Herson Green Mountain Railroad boxcar GMRC 0620 stands at Trenton, New Jersey, in April 1976. Built by FMC in February 1976, this 50 ft 6 in XM boxcar was part of the GMRC 0600–0699 series, with a capacity of 5,077 cu ft and Plate B clearance. Leased from SSI Rail, it carries the bright red “SSI Cushion Service” livery. The use of leading zeros in the numbering is a distinctive feature of the series. © Richard Louderback Green Mountain Railroad boxcar GMRC 0644 stands at Spartanburg, South Carolina, on 15 October 1976. Built by FMC (Lot 17755) earlier that year, this 50 ft 6 in XM boxcar was part of the GMRC 0600–0699 series and leased from SSI Rail, reflected in its striking red “SSI Cushion Service” livery. With a capacity of 5,077 cu ft, it represents a more modern, high-cube car compared with the older second-hand equipment on the roster. © Matt Herson Green Mountain Railroad boxcar GMRC 0655 stands at Pomona, California, on 21 February 1977. Built by FMC (Lot 17755) in March 1976, this 50 ft 6 in XM boxcar was part of the GMRC 0600–0699 series and leased from SSI Rail, carrying the bold red “SSI Cushion Service” livery. As with others in the series, the use of leading zeros in the numbering is a distinctive quirk. With a capacity of 5,077 cu ft, it represents a modern high-cube design within the fleet. © Steve Vincent Green Mountain Railroad boxcar GMRC 0683 stands in service, circa 1976, exact location unrecorded. Built by FMC as part of the GMRC 0600–0699 series, this 50 ft 6 in XM boxcar has a capacity of 5,077 cu ft and Plate B clearance. Leased from SSI (Scientific Systems Inc.), it carries the distinctive orange “SSI Cushion Service” livery used on early leased cars before the company rebranded as ITEL; the prominent “SSI” lettering was reportedly dropped in part because switching crews sometimes mistook it for the car’s reporting mark. As with others in the series, the use of leading zeros in the numbering is a notable detail. © Chuck Killian Green Mountain Railroad boxcar GMRC 701, lettered “Cushion Service,” crosses the Hudson River at Stamford, Connecticut, on 1 November 1978, framed by autumn foliage. The car’s clean green and yellow livery contrasts with a more typical Southern Railway boxcar alongside. © Henry Frick Green Mountain Railroad 717, a 50 ft boxcar in “Green Mountain Cushion Service” livery, stands in the Frisco yard at Memphis, Tennessee, on 29 November 1979. © Dennis Conniff Green Mountain Railroad boxcar GMRC 11000 stands at Oceanside, California, on 14 December 1979. Built by Pullman-Standard (Lot 1044A) the previous month, this 50 ft 6 in XM boxcar was the first of the GMRC 11000–11099 series. With a 5,344 cu ft capacity and Plate C clearance, it represents a later generation of high-cube equipment, finished in a darker green “Green Mountain Cushion Service” scheme with bold yellow lettering. © Steve Vincent Green Mountain Railroad boxcar GMRC 11024 stands in service shortly after delivery in November 1979, exact location unrecorded. Built by Pullman-Standard (Lot 1044A), this 50 ft 6 in XM boxcar was part of the GMRC 11000–11099 series, with a capacity of 5,344 cu ft and Plate C clearance. Finished in the dark green “Green Mountain Cushion Service” scheme with bold yellow lettering, it represents a more modern, purpose-built addition to the fleet compared with earlier second-hand cars. © Rick Selby Green Mountain Railroad 11099, a 50 ft boxcar in “Green Mountain Cushion Service” livery, stands at Louisville, Kentucky, on 12 January 1980. © E. L. Vasser Nos. Type Notes GMRC 300…350…399? 40’ Box Car Leased from ITEL GMRC 501-514 40’ Box Car XM (USRE) GMRC 0600-0699 FMC, Lot 17755, Feb-Mar 1976. GMRC 700?-701-717?-? GMRC 11000-11099 Pullman-Standard, Lot 1044A, Nov-Dec 1979. Explosives-A.
