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Hearing set for Brunswick ‘Downeaster’ layover facility
Last chance for the dreaded NIMBY’s to raise their ugly heads…
Forget Brunswick (NIMBYland). Extend the ‘Northeaster’ to Bangor and build a proper temporary terminal.
And they’ll be there stomping their feet and having a hissy-fit. If they went to Bangor they could use what is now empty space at Northern Maine Jct.
Last chance for the dreaded NIMBY’s…
Unless you confiscate their back yards, NIMBY’s have the longevity, similar to the "Rail to Trails folk, the longevity of Zombies.
I agree with Bill Hays. Take the line to Bangor. It appears as though the NIMBY’S have become BANANAS (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything).
What facilities are available for the Downeaster in downtown Bangor?
All you guys who want the Downeaster extended to Bangor, we who live in Maine would welcome that but, you have to pay 100% of the cost. We’re laying off university professors and cutting back on education and other good stuff even without the extention to Bangor. We can’t afford anymore of these Amtrak lines to no where. And, it wouldn’t solve the Brunswick layover situation as Brunswick is on a line that is no longer thru to Bangor. The line through Lewiston and Waterville would be the more efficient route to take.
In answer to Mr. Laszek’s question as to facilities, the only thing left is a few storage tracks behind the ugly strip mall that replaced Bangor Union Station in the mid-1960s. No one would regret seeing that strip mall go but there are also other locations for a station downtown. The tower, yard, repair and engine facilities are all, or mostly, gone. Replaced by a casino and a riverfront park.
Best thing to do is to get rid of the Brunswick extention and use the money to improve Portland to Boston section. That’s the only piece that handles any number of passengers. The Brunswick extention is a flop no matter what NEPRA tells you. Only an average of 24 passengers a trip, that’s less than a 100 per day. And, most of those would not have any problem getting to Portland for further travel if they had to.
The tracks were there long before the people started building houses and moved into the area. It reminds me of a house that was put up for sale here in New Hampshire. The owner said he decided to sell and move because new residents complained about the noise from the birds landing on a small pond on his property. They told the police he needed to get the birds to stop making so much noise.