Rails to Newport RI

[RayG8]

Is any one aware of an effort to reconnect Newport to the main land by rail, aside from the obvious funding issues it seems like a natural.

[DMUinCT]

Why?

Newport is on an island, has a very fine tourist railrod and dinner train, but no heavy industry to support freight service.   The bridge connecting to the main land (Massachuseets, not Rhode Island) is gone.

[schlimm]

I would think a passenger service to Fall River and on to Boston would be the objective?  The old bridge was only about a 200 foot span.

[RayG8]

I thought I had seen somewhere that the MBTA  was considering extending to Fall River. Replacing the bridge and upgrading the track would allow service to Boston.

[DMUinCT]

Massachusetts Governor Patrick ran on a campaign promise to bring back Passenger Rail Service to Fall River and New Bedford.  The MBTA has, in the past, re-open ex-New Haven commuter lines by relaying the tracks with Welded Rail and Concrete Ties for 80mph service.

1.  The stretch of the ex-New Haven line between Stoughton (current end of MBTA Service) and Taunton (existing freight lines to Fall River and New Bedford) runs through a SWAMP!   The Environmental Lobby have held up the re-building of the tracks for years. 

2.  Now Federal Funding for local rail is in danger and has caused Budget problems for the MBTA just to maintain existing services (Rail, Subway, Ferry, and Bus).

[MidlandMike]

A line from Boston to Fall River would stop short of the bridge to Newport.  Newport would be an expansion or a separate project.

[carnej1]

DMUinCT

Massachusetts Governor Patrick ran on a campaign promise to bring back Passenger Rail Service to Fall River and New Bedford.  The MBTA has, in the past, re-open ex-New Haven commuter lines by relaying the tracks with Welded Rail and Concrete Ties for 80mph service.

1.  The stretch of the ex-New Haven line between Stoughton (current end of MBTA Service) and Taunton (existing freight lines to Fall River and New Bedford) runs through a SWAMP!   The Environmental Lobby have held up the re-building of the tracks for years. 

2.  Now Federal Funding for local rail is in danger and has caused Budget problems for the MBTA just to maintain existing services (Rail, Subway, Ferry, and Bus).

You are correct about the problems with restoring the Stoughton-to-Taunton line for the proposed Fall River Service but the current favored plan bypasses this and will have the trains share CSX trackage to Taunton either from Attleboro to the West and/or Middleboro to the East..