Train service will return to Newcastle next summer.
Maine Eastern Railroad will include the Academy Hill Road station as a regular stop on its weekend passenger trains, the Mid-Coast Limited and the Wiscasset Flyer, according to a press release from the railroad.
The railroad, in partnership with Country Coach Charters of Nobleboro and the towns of Damariscotta and Newcastle, will offer shuttle service from the station to downtown Damariscotta and Newcastle.
The railroad will also connect to the Amtrak Downeaster in Brunswick, where passengers will be able to change trains and ride to and from Portland, Boston and other points south.
The Mid-Coast Limited service will operate Friday-Sunday from July 4 through Oct. 12 with 1:50 p.m. and 4:20 p.m. stops in Newcastle.
The Wiscasset Flyer service will offer round-trip service from Wiscasset to Newcastle every Saturday from July 5 through Oct. 4, except July 12 and Aug. 2. The 45-minute round trip will depart Wiscasset at noon.
Wiscasset will have a new train station this year with a permanent station platform and a new ticket office. The railroad will renovate a “vintage caboose” to serve as the ticket office.
The Wiscasset stop will move from its present location at the town landing to its “historic location” on Railroad Avenue, according to the railroad.
