Paul3CMStPnP, I've ridden the old Maine Eastern to Rockland a bunch of times, and I have to say that there has never been rail "beyond" Rockland...ever. It's literally the end of the line and always has been.
I know I looked at the map before I posted. Maine can afford to finance a connection (new rail), it is not out of their reach financially. They have a youtube video of the ME line which shows the bumper post right at the depot.
There was also the quarry operations in the Rockport area. But I don't thnk that had a connection to the outside world.
Paul3 CMStPnP,I've ridden the old Maine Eastern to Rockland a bunch of times, and I have to say that there has never been rail "beyond" Rockland...ever. It's literally the end of the line and always has been.
CMStPnP,I've ridden the old Maine Eastern to Rockland a bunch of times, and I have to say that there has never been rail "beyond" Rockland...ever. It's literally the end of the line and always has been.
There was the Rockland, Thomaston & Camden Street Railway which had extensive freight operations.
charlie hebdo ben It'd be nice if they extended it to Bar Harbor as well. The track is also there for a Boston-Halifax Route. That would require Canadian/VIA RAIL cooperation.
ben It'd be nice if they extended it to Bar Harbor as well. The track is also there for a Boston-Halifax Route.
That would require Canadian/VIA RAIL cooperation.
I'm aware, but I'm sure that they wouldn't mind the idea, much like the other trains that run similar operations.
benIt'd be nice if they extended it to Bar Harbor as well. The track is also there for a Boston-Halifax Route.
CMStPnP charlie hebdo The Downeaster runs 5 RT daily. Ridership for 2017 was officially 337,760, which works out to 92.5 passengers per train run. If one ever drove north on the Maine coast in summer, one would realize the population of Maine increases dramatically, along with the road congestion. Thus it is likely the summer boardings on the Downeaster are much greater. They are extending the Downeaster North again to Rockland Maine from what I read to replace the tourist train that used to run from Brunswick to Rockland. No more rail beyond Rockland though. Too bad, would be cool if they laid rail to Belfast to eventually connect to Bangor, ME.
charlie hebdo The Downeaster runs 5 RT daily. Ridership for 2017 was officially 337,760, which works out to 92.5 passengers per train run. If one ever drove north on the Maine coast in summer, one would realize the population of Maine increases dramatically, along with the road congestion. Thus it is likely the summer boardings on the Downeaster are much greater.
They are extending the Downeaster North again to Rockland Maine from what I read to replace the tourist train that used to run from Brunswick to Rockland. No more rail beyond Rockland though. Too bad, would be cool if they laid rail to Belfast to eventually connect to Bangor, ME.
It'd be nice if they extended it to Bar Harbor as well. The track is also there for a Boston-Halifax Route.
charlie hebdoThe Downeaster runs 5 RT daily. Ridership for 2017 was officially 337,760, which works out to 92.5 passengers per train run. If one ever drove north on the Maine coast in summer, one would realize the population of Maine increases dramatically, along with the road congestion. Thus it is likely the summer boardings on the Downeaster are much greater.
runnerdude48 This proposal is just another failure waiting to happen. Hopefully for the investors this probably will never get off the ground. The Downeaster is a poor comparison because it was heavily subsidized for construction and it continues to run only because the taxpayers of Maine are too stupid to stop funding it. There is little or no private money used. It is all publicly funded. This venture is a dream of the founders who have no clue about passenger rail operations and how much it is going to cost to get this running and keep it running.
This proposal is just another failure waiting to happen. Hopefully for the investors this probably will never get off the ground. The Downeaster is a poor comparison because it was heavily subsidized for construction and it continues to run only because the taxpayers of Maine are too stupid to stop funding it. There is little or no private money used. It is all publicly funded. This venture is a dream of the founders who have no clue about passenger rail operations and how much it is going to cost to get this running and keep it running.
A few facts and readers may draw their own conclusions.
The Downeaster runs 5 RT daily. Ridership for 2017 was officially 337,760, which works out to 92.5 passengers per train run. If one ever drove north on the Maine coast in summer, one would realize the population of Maine increases dramatically, along with the road congestion. Thus it is likely the summer boardings on the Downeaster are much greater.
I think there has been a thread with considerable detail on this, including some of the 'hidden' opportunities for monetization, on RyPN. I am in Ohio without access but will find better references; there should be quite a bit of material available going back a few years if someone does a little judicious digging.
Some of the 'contingencies' are long shots but the will appears to be there to get things done.
First I heard of this proposal, wonder if it will get off the ground on such a short timeline. Granted the dateline of the story is Sept, 2017 so it might have already failed or flopped.
http://www.concordmonitor.com/private-railroad-passenger-service-proposed-12722214
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