Good News on Train Travel in Maine!
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- Created: 10 August 2023 10 August 2023
First, NNEPRA announced that Downeaster ridership surpassed half a million passengers in fiscal year 2023. The 516,723 riders fell shy by 57,681 of the record 574,404 which was achieved in 2019 before the pandemic hit.
NNEPRA's deputy director, Natalie Bogart, commented, "The results are particuarly impressive given that Massachusetts track construction required more that 400 trains to operate limited service in the last fiscal year." The full story from the Portland Press Herald.
Second, an excursion passenger train between Brunswick and Rockland will likely launch Friday/Saturday/Sunday 'Coastliner' service next month, just in time for 'leaf peeping.' George Betke, Midcoast Railservice’s co-founder and vice president, said the Budd cars are completely refurbished with new restrooms and air conditionng. His company ran shortened pilot runs during the Rockland Lobster Festival carrying 628 riders. Lookout Bath, Wiscasset, Newcastle and Rockland - the tracks will soon be active again! The full story from The Time Record.
LD 209 Defeated; LD 404 Remans Alive; 6/22/2023 Public Hearing Before The Lower Road RUAC
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- Created: 19 June 2023 19 June 2023
There’s good news and there’s continuing news.
First, the good news. On June 14, 2023, both the Maine House and Senate voted that LD 209 "ought not to pass." This bill would have resulted in the removal of track between Portland and Augusta from the Berlin Subdivision formerly owned by the St. Lawrence & Atlantic. In voting against passage, the legislature accepted the recommendation of the Transportation Committee, as well as that of the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT). This is great news and we thank everyone who contacted members of the legislature about this bill. However, although that bill is dead for this legislative session, MDOT’s Commissioner has said that he is still studying the issue, so it may come back to haunt us sometime in the future.
Read more: LD 209 Defeated; LD 404 Remans Alive; 6/22/2023 Public Hearing Before The Lower Road RUAC
Write Your Augusta Representatives to Urge Them to Vote Against Bills That Would Tear Up Unused State-Owned Rail Lines for Trails
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- Created: 05 June 2023 05 June 2023
The first half of the Maine 131st Legislature in now in its final weeks and the fate of two unused state-owned rail lines will come before the full Legislature for debate and a final vote. We at TrainRiders have opposed LD 209 (tearing up the Berlin Subdivision formerly owned by St. Lawrence & Atlantic between Portland and Auburn) and LD 404 (tearing up the Mountain Division between Standish and Fryberg), the passage of which would replace rails with trails.
Now it's time for you to write your State Senator and Representative, urging them to vote against passage of LD 209 and LD 404. TrainRiders President F. Bruce Sleeper has sent such a letter to his Augusta representatives asking them to vote against passage of these two destructive bills. We urge you to write your own letter to your Augusta representatives. The attached letter is a guide for the talking points that you can raise and don't copy it word-for-word. Click here for the letter.
A directory of Maine House members, along with a way to determine who your representative may be, is available at https://legislature.maine.gov/house/house/. Similar information for senators is available at https://legislature.maine.gov/senate/.