Amtrak is extending its Downeaster train, from Boston to Portland ME and now to Freeport and Brunswick ME, with the $35M 30-mile project to be completed at the end of 2012. Rail stock has just been delivered to Brunswick.
It seems likely that motivation for this action is not only the expansion of commuter service in the greater Portland metropolis but also the fall season leafpeeper tourist business.
Here is the news article URL:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20100802/ap_tr_ge/us_travel_brief_amtrak_downeaster_maine
The article was interesting. The comments, started by a couple by people who were obviously uninformed about continuous welded rail, were hilarious.
PanAm F7s??? Good looking locos.
Chuck
Agree on both points - and on the latter, they don’t have a clue. [(-D]
More interesting, note the data point here regarding the cost of upgrading tracks for higher speed passenger rail**:** $35 Million for 30 miles = $1.17 Million per mile = $221 per foot, on average. I know nothing about this line and the scope of work encompassed in that distance for that amount - it may well may easier than most to accomplish. But considering that it’s been Guilford’s = Pan Am’s prior name for many years, I doubt that the track is in super-good condition - maybe they’re just lucky there are no major bridges, tight curves, interlockings, tunnels, etc. that need major rehabilitation.