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Steven Leibman
ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center
802-864-1848 ext. 125
sleibman@echovermont.org
ALL ABOARD!
"ECHO EXPRESS ON THE CHURCH STREET MARKETPLACE"
BURLINGTON, Vt -- There's a new reason to visit Church
Street Marketplace this summer - to get on board a fun and
colorful electric train. Coming this Saturday, June 16,
the "ECHO EXPRESS on the Church Street Marketplace" will add new
excitement to the well-loved pedestrian mall.
The four car locomotive, made by Wattman Trains and Trams of
Canada, is wood-paneled and brightly painted in primary colors,
closely resembling the main character from The Little Engine
that Could. The "ECHO EXPRESS on the Church Street
Marketplace" runs solely on electric-charged batteries and is
silent and emission-free. Seating up to twenty people at once,
the train runs independent of a track and will take passengers
on open-air, round-trip excursions along the Church Street
promenade.
"Providing people with an authentic experience is what
downtown Burlington is all about," says Ron Redmond, Executive
Director of the Church Street Marketplace District. "'The ECHO
EXPRESS on the Church Street Marketplace' provides a
family-friendly activity that's guaranteed to delight everyone.
And, it's a great way to communicate to residents and visitors
that there is so much to do, see and explore in our downtown."
The train, brought to Burlington by a partnership between the
Church Street Marketplace, Wattman Trains and Trams, and ECHO
Lake Aquarium and Science Center at the Leahy Center for Lake
Champlain, is an expression of ECHO's commitment to explore and
celebrate local history. The ECHO name is an acronym for the
science center's mission to educate and delight people about the
Ecology, Culture, History
and Opportunities for stewardship of the Lake
Champlain Basin and beyond. This new venture is sure to peak
folks' interest in the rich history of trains in Vermont, as
well as inspiring stewardship for their future.
Vermont, like many states, has been heavily influenced by
train travel. In the mid-1800s, trains brought goods in and out
of towns, turning villages into city structures and also greatly
enhancing the tourist industry throughout the great state.
Trains remain a vital part of the region today, with Green
Mountain Railroad and Amtrak bringing locals and tourists to
various destinations, and with our own landmark Union Station
located right on the busy Burlington Waterfront.
Rides are $3 and all proceeds, after expenses, support
ECHO's Open Door community access programs, which provide
free and reduced admission to ECHO to area families in need. The
route takes passengers on a round trip through the two upper
blocks of Church Street, boarding and disembarking just south of
the Pearl Street Fountain. Every rider receives a free train
trading card and can use their ticket as a $1 off coupon at ECHO
for up to four in their party. |
1.802.864.1848
