BETHEL — The feasibility of passenger train service from Portland to Montreal, with stops in Auburn, Paris and Bethel, was presented to about 25 residents Monday afternoon at the Bethel Inn Resort.

The $183,000 study started in August was paid for by the federal government and done by a Los Angeles-based consulting firm.

For Robin Zinchuk, executive director of the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce, getting a train to bring skiers and others who want to visit the area during any season of the year is crucial to the growth of the tourist industry.

She and others are planning a transportation summit for sometime in the spring.

“We want to work with municipal, state and federal officials, community members and people from New Hampshire, Vermont and Canada to help this work along,” she said after listening to the presentation by AECOM and John Weston of Jacobs, a transit planning consultant from Boston.

Jay Duncan, based in the Boston office of AECOM and project manager for the rail feasibility study, said stations would be established in Auburn, South Paris, Bethel, and several other towns in New Hampshire and Vermont, if a passenger train travels to Montreal.

He said layover facilities would be needed at the Auburn intermodal site, adding that the study showed that eight round trips per day were possible between Auburn and Portland. For Bethel, he said a layover facility would also be needed, and four round trips per day could be planned.

Adams Streit, an engineer with Jacobs, said all stopping sites would need 400-foot platforms to accommodate a five-car train. He said Bethel would have to rebuild its existing platform. Many of the other proposed stopping sites were once a part of the Grand Trunk railroad.

Buses that could take people from Portland to Lewiston-Auburn, or all the way to Bethel, were also an option given, at least until a rail system is in place. An extension of the Downeaster to any of the sites would likely take years to fulfill.

Scott Hynek of Bethel said interim bus services would be needed not just for the winter months.

“This is not a single-season place,” he said.

Others asked whether train and bus schedules could be aligned with flights into the Portland Jetport, while others were concerned that providing an interim bus service could delay the creation of a train system to Bethel.

Sue Moreau, manager for multimodal planning and operations for the Maine Department of Transportation, said more than a decade was needed to get the Downeaster to travel from Boston to Portland. Extending the rails would also take time.

“If we have rail service, the bus goes away,” she said.

Tony Donovan, a member of the Maine Rail Coalition, suggested using VIA Rail rather than Amtrak. He also questioned whether five cars would be needed to transport people. A five-car train requires a 400-foot platform.

Steve Wight, a former Newry selectman, suggested that proponents for rail service work with the recently created Northern Regional Border Commission.

Duncan said he will take comments and additional information his team gathers, then make a final report in January.

From there, a myriad of requirements must be completed, including an environmental study, designs, permitting, finding funding, purchasing equipment and material, and construction.

The Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments is working closely with the Maine DOT on the project.

“We have to show the federal government that this will pay off,” Moreau said.

Additional details on the study may be found at www.atrcmpo.org

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