Railroad officials say the Bellows Falls Tunnel can accommodate larger, double-stacked railroad cars without being altered. A member of the Railroad Association of Vermont told Transportation Agency officials and lawmakers that bits of the track can be lowered instead of reworking the historic stone-tunnel.
The plan was drawn up by the Railroad Association and New England Central Railroad.
The tunnel, which was built in 1851, is seen by some as a stumbling block in the state’s plan to modernize the railroad system. The state is currently reviewing its rail plan and the final report is expected to be out in April.