And, Amtrak is setting new ridership records, nationwide and in Vermont.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Vermont officials took a train trip from White River Junction to Brattleboro on Friday to mark the completion of track repairs. They did it to celebrate one of the first rail projects in the federal government's $8 billion passenger rail stimulus program to be completed.

With gas prices climbing, more people are taking the train. Nationwide, the number of people riding Amtrak has gone up nearly 4 percent. And that's good news for Vermont rail lines as well. 

Vermont transportation officials say planned repairs to a rail corridor in Massachusetts will be a boon to the Green Mountain State, because they will make trips on Amtrak's Vermonter passenger trains faster.

The Shumlin administration is working with officials in Quebec to restore passenger train service to Montreal. The governor says the ultimate goal is to build high speed rail between the U.S. and Canada.

A $50 million federal investment in Vermont should shave 90 minutes off a train trip to New York. But hope for a broader revival of passenger rail on the western side of the state won't happen for now.

Amtrak had record-breaking ridership on Thanksgiving week, including strong showings on some New England routes.