A potential extension of the Amtrak Downeaster service could bring seasonal passenger rail back to Lincoln County.
The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, a quasi-government agency tasked with developing and providing passenger rail service between Maine and Boston, is looking to return passenger service to the Brunswick-Rockland line with stops in Wiscasset and Newcastle.
The service would run on weekends from May through October, according to Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority Executive Director Patricia Quinn.
The Newcastle station was a regular stop on the Brunswick-Rockland line from July 17, 1871 until April 4, 1959, according to “Between Two Rivers: Newcastle, Maine” by Arlene Cole.
In the years after World War II, automobile travel became more widespread and the owners of the railroad discontinued the service.
The Maine Department of Transportation purchased the line in 1987 and restored the track.
Maine Eastern Railroad returned seasonal passenger service to the line from 2003-2015, when the DOT opted not to renew Maine Eastern’s lease.
Central Maine & Quebec Railway has leased the line since Jan. 1, 2016, but has not operated passenger trains. Central Maine & Quebec Railway runs freight trains on the lines it leases and owns in Quebec, Maine, and Vermont.
The new plan would bring back passenger service by extending Amtrak’s Downeaster service, which runs daily between Boston and Brunswick, to Bath, Wiscasset, Newcastle, and Rockland on the weekend.
If train service returns this summer, the schedule would run from Friday evening until Sunday evening, according to Quinn.
On Fridays, an evening train would run from Boston to Rockland, with the return trip running from Rockland to Brunswick.
On Saturdays and Sundays, train service would begin in Brunswick and run to Rockland, with the return trip going to Boston. This run would be followed by a round trip from Boston to Rockland and back.
Currently, the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority is inspecting the tracks to see if they need improvements or repairs before passenger service can return.
“If improvements are required to operate the service, then obviously we won’t be able to operate service until improvements are made,” Quinn said. “We need to identify what they are to make sure we can ensure the safe and reliable operation of service.”
Quinn said she’s unsure how long improvements would take, if necessary, once inspections are complete. She said inspections could continue for several weeks to a few months.
The stations are the responsibility of the towns where they’re located. Quinn said towns must provide adequate parking and lighting and ensure platforms are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“The local communities manage and operate the stations and facilities,” she said.
Newcastle Town Administrator Jon Duke said the town is prepared, once it knows whether the service will return, to have a station up and running.
Currently, the land where the train would stop is split between three entities: the train depot, owned by Mark Doe; a Dead River Co. building; and a private residence.
Duke said the town will plan the station around those areas. The station will likely be a ramp leading to a platform outfitted with lighting that meets the guidelines of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority.
However, the town will not start work until it knows train service is coming back.
“For the town to put any investment in this, we need to make sure this is going to happen,” Duke said.
Duke said Quinn and other members of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority will attend the Newcastle Board of Selectmen’s meeting Monday, Jan. 22 to update the town on the process.
Duke said the return of passenger rail to Lincoln County is not just about Newcastle. He’s working with surrounding communities to bring train service back to the area.
“Everyone wants to see this happen,” Duke said. “It’s Newcastle station, but this is a community effort.”
“It’s going to take volunteers from the whole region … to make this really be a success,” he added.
Quinn said that depending on how popular the service is once it returns, the Downeaster could bring year-round service to Rockland.
“I think it really is going to depend on how viable the service is,” Quinn said. “We’re considering this a pilot program to test and evaluate demand and … see what we can do beyond that.”
