New England
Maine to get $35M to extend Amtrak to Brunswick
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Amtrak's Downeaster service will be extended another 30 miles north to Brunswick thanks to $35 million in federal stimulus money, while another $50 million grant will be used to reduce travel time by 30 minutes between St. Albans, Vt., and Springfield, Mass.
The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority hopes work will start this summer on the Portland-to-Brunswick project that includes upgrading 36 crossings, building passenger platforms in Freeport and Brunswick, and replacing railroad ties and laying new rail from Portland to Brunswick.
"Our hope and our desire is to hop on this as soon as we can," said Patricia Quinn, the rail authority's executive director, in Portland.
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, said the project will create 200 jobs. Amtrak will begin service to Brunswick and Freeport by the end of 2012, she said.
Vermont, meanwhile, is receiving money to improve track, roadbed and bridges along 190 miles of track the Amtrak Vermonter uses between St. Albans and Springfield.
The upgrades will mean a half-an-hour reduction in travel time between the two communities, Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas said, but there was disappointment over the rejection of a separate proposal for $79 million to bring passenger rail service to Burlington for the first time in five decades.
Another $500,000 in stimulus money was awarded to study the possibility of creating service from Burlington to Bennington, and then into New York state, Douglas said.
In Maine, a separate $52 million proposal for track improvements between Portland and Plaistow, N.H., was rejected.
It was part of an effort to boost the Downeaster's speed and make it possible to increase the number of round trips between Portland and Boston from five to seven. The proposal would have shaved another 10 to 12 minutes of travel time off the trip from Portland to Boston.
Overall, the White House announced $8 billion in grants for rail improvements in 31 states. The Federal Railroad Administration received proposals totaling more than $57 billion, far outstripping the available funds.
The timing of the announcement is good for rail officials in Maine and Vermont because it gives them time to begin ordering railroad ties, rail and other materials with a goal of getting construction started this summer.
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verified Agree with Skippy,
Agree with Skippy, Lewiston-Auburn continues to lose out on these opportunities of economic growth and visibility. Case in point, why is it cost-free to travel down Route 295 to and from Brunswick and Portland and L-A folks are charged to take the turnpike to get to Portland? That's just one example, and now we lose out on commuter rail service to L-A? It's frustrating!
geeezzz this is like the
geeezzz this is like the bridge out in the mid west, the out of state union construction workers came in got hotel rooms bought some gas made the bridge and left. and as soon as the 20 or so people do get the "Train" jobs and start feeling secure enough to go out and get that $5000 used car and put that $30000 mobile home on the 1/2 acre of ground. the federal infused AMTRACK will close the route due to lack of use by all the out of work Mainers. Then those 20 people will apply for uneployment
WHAT A DEAL
well skippy it's like this to
well skippy it's like this to many residents on social services---- looked at your tax bill lately
verified This thing is mostly
This thing is mostly political; why does Brunswick area have free use of interstate to Portland and L/A has to pay to do same? Same thing with this rail plan. Look at the party in power at all levels; Lewiston is a democratic stronghold, the Lewiston vote is needed to be elected as a Democrat in Maine yet you are passed over when the political pork is passed out. When will folks in Lewiston learn to bargain hard for their vote?
L-A didn't miss the train. We
L-A didn't miss the train. We are just early for it. If you have been keeping track of what's been going on with the L-A rail connection you would know that the L-A to portland connection was not "shovel ready" when the funding became available. The portland-brunswick extenchion was. How ever the line from portland to brusnwick has to go through yarmouth junction which by the way also leads to Lewiston-Auburn.
I don't think the politics would want to by-pass the 2nd largest population center in the state because for one it would make them look bad and 2nd the residents of L-A have been hearing rumors of passenger service reaching them even before the downeaster even turned a wheel.
Another thing too. There is a 2nd route into L-A that I think has been over looked. It's know as the Lewiston Lower Road and it starts on Lisbond St. in Lewiston just past the Gridiron. It follows Lisbon Road all the way down to brusnwick. passiong through Lisbond and Lisbond Falls. And when the line reaches Brunswick it connects to the Maine Eastern tracks. If the Portland-Yarmouth-Lewiston connection does not pan out it's possible that the Lewiston Lower Road could be used insted.
Also a rout via the Lewiston Lower Road could help expand freight service along Lisbond Road cause I know that there is a wood chip mill in Lisbond that is bisected by the line, and they have fixed up the tracks within their facility in antisipation of being served by rail.
In all there are 2 possible routs into L-A one using tracks that are used everyday by Guilford (Pan Am) and one that has not been used in a while but could be used to connect Lewiston with Brunswick. The 2nd largest population center in Maine will probably not go much longer without passenger rail service once the portland-brunswick connection is up and running.
We are left out here in
We are left out here in Oxford...wish we had train service to portland a behind..
L/A got all of those new
L/A got all of those new residents from Atlanta, GA. Just about time Brunswick got something even tho' it will benefit Bowdoin College mostly! This entire Maine Street Station thing is a laugh for the taxpayers,
Seems to make more sense to
Seems to make more sense to spend money like this than put it into foreign pockets via buying gas for cars. What is really needed is a connection between Brunswick and Lewiston and perhaps further up the coast to even Belfast? Regarding Vermont, from Springfield, MA to St. Albans seems ok, however, logic would say why not connect to Burlington as well. A track running from Springfield, MA to Bennington, Vt and northward along the NY border to Burlington would really make sense. Tying those into an East -West rail network just would be the best ever for ideas. Has anyone considered something running through St. Johnsbury, VT to Monpelier and Burlington? What about connecting a Maine route to St. Johnsbury? That really would open up a lot of passenger travel without the hassel of the interstate highways... which were really meant originally for truck travel in case of civil emergencies or nuclear war... Reason this with me and let your voices be heard.
verified We don't have a
We don't have a representative in Washington. We don't get things like this.
That's true. Pingree and
That's true. Pingree and Michaud should really be replaced with Republicans next time.
verified I don't think this is a
I don't think this is a democrat-republican issue, it's about representation. Maine has two powerful REPUBLICAN Senators and the LA area still gets the shaft. So I'll make you a deal, replace your Senators and we'll replace our Representatives.
- Disagree Disagree (1)
I like it. Replace them all
I like it. Replace them all with fresh new Republicans, anti-federalists and Whigs.
verified Unfortunately we've tried
Unfortunately we've tried that already and it failed miserably. Sorry you've had your chance, time for something different.
- Disagree Disagree (1)
verified Tron, if we give the
Tron, if we give the Democrats 8 years of unchecked control, you will be yearning to return to the days that President Bush was president and the Republicans were in control. This country will go soooooo far to the left we will not recognize it. Socialism is a failed experiment. Obviously, the President, Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi were absent from school the day it was taught.
verified If you are thinking this
If you are thinking this comment is in the wrong thread, I would have to agree. When the statement was made to through them out, and Tron replied we tried that and it failed. If you were to replace every memeber in Congress with the other party, that would put the Republicans in charge and since Tron said that the Republicans had failed, my statem definetly belongs here.
Wrong thread, but while you
Wrong thread, but while you are here... as opposed to the last 8 years of being in this war with unspeakable numbers of civilians dead, no WMD, no Bin Laden, and billions being shoveled in every month? because we darn sure couldn't afford that.
verified You're not even in this
You're not even in this thread, start your own. You've got nothing pertinent to say.
verified Who is directed to: "You're
Who is directed to: "You're not even in this thread, start your own. You've got nothing pertinent to say."
verified Is there any more word about
Is there any more word about to L-A?
L-A missed the train. We
L-A missed the train. We didn't get in on the planning discussions, for whatever reason, so we are shut out of this source of funding.
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verified on "G. Decoteau: They deserve each other"
The Democrat sacrament is envy, or class warfare.
I propose as captain of this lunar expedition our very own moonbat-in-chief, BHO; and as executive officer, of course, Joe "foot-in-mouth" Biden. Lift-off is set for 1/20/13.
Decoteau's letter proves that the full moon exaggerates lunacy.
verified on "P. Nachman: Confidence probably misplaced"
Ronald, If you have not
Ronald,
If you have not noticed, everything I’ve listed is a growth in the size of government, a growth in government spending or a program in crisis.
A tax cut does not belong in that list. While a tax cut may grow the size of the national debt, a tax cut does not necessarily grow the size of government nor does it increase spending.
Moreover, you selectively forgot to add your favorites, Bill Clinton and Obama, to your list of tax cutting presidents. Any reason why? Maybe your Cuban pharmacist is giving you placeboes!
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verified on "G. Decoteau: They deserve each other"
I second
I second the motion!!!!
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- Agree Agree (1)
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