Rail Passengers Association Webinar Features Chairman Wayne Davis
- Details
- Created: 29 January 2021 29 January 2021
The Rail Passengers Association, formerly the National Association of Railroad Passengers, held a webinar this week for its members. The topic was state-sponsored Amtrak service.
Chairman Wayne Davis of TrainRiders/NE was one of several presenters who shared not only the projects they were focused on but, in Wayne's case, how an effective grassroots effort galvanized a state legislature to push for the return of Amtrak service to Maine. The Downeaster service from Maine through New Hampshire to Boston was the result. Wayne shared the video we shot on board the Downeaster during the pandemic, demonstrating the safety measures in place and discovering the various reasons passengers were traveling.
You can view Wayne's remarks beginning at 8:46 into the video. Later, he returned to share with the group advice that then Gov. Angus King provided which led to the creation of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority.
The Downeaster Celebrates it's 19th Birthday!
- Details
- Created: 15 December 2020 15 December 2020
Back in 1989, Wayne Davis led a group of 21 Maine/NH citizens that created our grassroots non-profit. They organized a citizen's petition that urged the legislature to support passenger rail in Maine. It took 12 years of constant work with government officials in Maine and ultimately with Amtrak and the US Congress to get 'America's Favorite Train' on the tracks. Our history of accomplishment, which brought the Downeaster to northern New England, continues today with plans to extend connecting service to New York City.
We're planning for the future and we invite you to join us by going here: http://trainridersne.org/index.php/join-trainridersnortheast
CSX to Acquire PanAm's New England Rail Network
- Details
- Created: 01 December 2020 01 December 2020
The Amtrak Downeaster will soon have a new host railroad - CSX. The freight railroad has agreed to acquire Pan Am Railways' northern New England network for an estimated $700 million. The details of the agreement, which are not yet public, will be reviewed by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board.
NNEPRA Executive Director Patricia Quinn told TrainRidersNE: "We have enjoyed a long and productive working relationship with Pan Am Railways which we look forward to continuing with this new partner, in a new era, filled with opportunity."
Pan Am President David A. Fink said this about the upcoming merger, "Pan Am is pleased to reach this agreement with CSX, a North American leader in rail-based freight transportation. This is great news for New England shippers and the national freight network overall.”