Mar 18, 9:38 AM EDT

Vt. track upgrades mean faster Amtrak times

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MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) -- A series of upgrades to the railroad tracks means the Amtrak Vermonter is going to be traveling faster through the state.

The new timetable for the train that runs from New York to St. Albans, Vt., cuts 28 minutes off the trip within Vermont.

It is the direct result of a recently completed two-year, federally funded program to upgrade and repair a 190-mile stretch of track from the Massachusetts border to St. Albans.

The improvements include track and signal upgrades.

Track speeds along the route within Vermont have been increased, from 55 mph to a maximum 59 mph north of White River Junction and from 59 mph to a maximum 79 mph south of that location to the Massachusetts border.

The new timetable takes effect Monday.

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