The name was changed to White River Valley Railroad and finally White River Railroad before construction began in 1899.
Built on a shoestring budget, the first train arrived in Rochester in December 1900.
Because the railroad followed the course of the White River closely, it was frequently damaged by floods and was often referred to as "The Peavine".
Like most railroads in Vermont, it was heavily damaged by the great Flood of November, 1927.
Herwig, Wes, A Whistle Up the Valley : The Story of the Peavine, Vermont's White River Railroad, 2005.