Rutland Railroad Pumping Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rutland Railroad Pumping Station
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | 43 Lake St., Alburgh, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1903 |
| Built by | Rutland Railroad |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001630 |
| Added to NRHP | December 30, 1999 |
The Rutland Railroad Pumping Station is a special old building in Alburgh, Vermont. It was built in 1903. This building is important because it's a rare example of an early facility that helped railroads get water. It was used until the 1940s to provide water for steam engines at the train yards in Alburgh. Today, the town owns it, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 because of its historical importance.
About the Pumping Station Building
The old Rutland Railroad Pumping Station is right by Lake Champlain in Alburgh. It's a simple, rectangular building made of brick. It has a sloped roof and a strong stone base. The front of the building faces north. It has a door on one side and two window openings on the other.
All the openings in the building are now covered with boards. You can still see where round pipes used to be, even though they are now filled in with bricks. Inside, the building is one big open room with a concrete floor. Some old equipment, like a gasoline motor, an electric motor, and a water pump, are still inside. Most of this equipment is from the mid-1900s.
Why Was the Pumping Station Built?
The Rutland Railroad wanted to make its train service bigger, especially north of Burlington. In 1897, they were able to get rights to the railway crossing between Alburgh and Ogdensburg, New York. This happened because another company, the Central Vermont Railway, was having money problems.
After getting these rights, the Rutland Railroad built a very large train yard in Alburgh. Most of this big train yard is no longer there today. This pumping station was built around 1903. Its main job was to pump water from Lake Champlain to the new train yards. This water was super important for the railroad's steam-powered trains. The station also helped supply water to parts of the town of Alburgh.
How the Pumping Station Changed
During the first half of the 1900s, trains started to change. Newer, more efficient diesel and electric trains began to replace the old steam engines. Because of this, the pumping station was no longer needed for the trains. It stopped being used for its original purpose.
In 1954, the town of Alburgh bought the building from the railroad. Today, the town has a modern water supply plant located nearby. The old pumping station stands as a reminder of the important role railroads played in the past.
