WILTON, N.H. (AP) – The Wilton Scenic Railroad is no more.

The last hope for its rebirth disappeared after the cars were sold to the Newport Dinner Train in Rhode Island, where they may become part of regular passenger service.

“A lot of people are disappointed, certainly,” said Peter Leishman, owner of Milford-Bennington Railroad, a freight line that provided manpower and expertise for the excursion train during its three-year run.

The sale was made by the estate of former Wilton Selectman Stuart Draper, who had spent as much as $750,000 to establish the scenic railroad, using a pair of self-powered diesel cars brought from Canada.

Draper died of a heart attack Jan. 31. His widow, Bonnie, put the two cars up for sale for $300,000, their original purchase price.

The sale price to Newport Dinner Train was not released.

Carl Anderson, a longtime friend of the Drapers who owns The Color Shop in Wilton, said the news of the sale was disappointing to the town.

“We were hoping that the thing would really be a success … They were bringing business onto Main Street, definitely,” he said.

“Stu was hoping this would be the break-even year for operations,” Anderson said. “But there was some more money to be laid out before they could really turn a profit.”

More than 30,000 people had ridden Wilton Scenic Railroad since it started in 2003 as the first passenger train on the former Boston & Maine line for at least two decades.

The trip went through woods, alongside Zephyr Lake and over one of the highest railroad trestles in the state, and Draper featured specials like “mystery dinner theater” and an annual music-filled “blues train.”

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Information from: The Telegraph, www.nashuatelegraph.com

AP-ES-10-25-06 0500EDT