April 27th: Augusta, Me. From: MRG/DownEast Rail May-June quarterly

By a vote of 11-2 the Maine legislature's transportation committee voted to allow MaineDOT to proceed with their plan to take up track from Washington Jct (Ellsworth) to Ayers Jct (Pembroke), a distance of 86 miles. This will converted to a recreational trail. Representatives Boyd Marley and Charles "Dusty" Fisher dissented.

Thus, Maines political and transportation leadership have chosen recreation, not rail transportation, as the economic stimulus for the Downeast region formerly served by that segment.


And so it goes for the continuing saga of the Calais Branch- R.O.

And once it's gone, it's gone forever. Truly sad, when one considers a pair of RDC's operating in both directions, twice daily, would bring all kinds of patronage from Canadians and downeasters wishing to meet a shuttle bus for the Bangor Mall. This will be a big loss for what could have been a transport artery into Central Maine, and keep the roads clear of extra traffic. Very sad.

I still think the answer lies in an organized pro-tranist/preservation lobby. Clearly, "our side" gets out-lobbied by the trail people almost every time.

It doesn't have to be an us vs. them, but until there is an active lobby for our interests, we can't even get in the ring.

Where to start? That's what I do not know. While I disagree with trails-over-rails, I can't begrudge the trail folks since they obviosuly know how to defeat logic and pro-social concerns to meet thier niche goals. I guess I am jealous of their infrastructure and sphere of influence.

Rob

The general public just in not really motivated and not active in these types of things. The local utility here in Delaware just raised rates by 60% and almost nobody showed up at the public hearings. With the public at large just not interested in what is going on in government the vocal and organized groups get to run the show.

Even though there is a broad nostalgia for the age of railroads, the rail preservation movement cannot begin to compete with the sheer political correctness of the trail agenda. When these two interests collide over the future use of a corridor, the coal burning trains of a recreational railroad can almost seem to clash philosophically with the trail agenda and its ultra wholesome offering of sunshine, fresh air, nature, scenery, wildlife, seclusion, and exercise. The best hope for the rail preservation movement would be to explore ways to pleasantly and safely coexist with the trail function on the same corridor, or better yet, to combine the two functions in some meaningful way, and to market that concept.

In Minnesota, Hennepin County has acquired right of ways after rail abandonment, for the purpose of eventually using them for light rail transit. In the meantime, the right of ways are being used for trails. If there is anything that can match the political correctness of a trail, it is light rail transit, so when those two come into conflict over the use of a right of way, it is a fair fight.

The Southwest Trail (ex-M&StL, C&NW) has become a cherished asset since the acquisition by Hennepin County in the late 1980s. Now there is movement toward converting it to light rail use, and quite an opposition is mounting from the trail users, some of which include people who bicycle the trail and see bicycles on the trail as a kind of transit alternative to cars on the highways. It is a clash between two titans that are usually on the same side of issues. Hennepin County officials have stated that they see no reason why the trail and transit line cannot coexist on the same right of way. They feel there is plenty of room since the right of way is a minimum of 100 feet wide. That seems like adequate space if it were merely a flat band of land. I don’t know if they have considered the fact that thee are deep cuts and high fills on the corridor, both of which use the entire width of the right of way, which implies the use of retaining walls to get the flat space they would need for the multiple use.

But here is Hennepin County, we have virtually unlimited funds for these type of amenities, and the spending is only limited by a lack of ideas. To help with that problem, we hold visioning workshops, to keep the idea pump primed. So it will be interesting to see what creations materialize to accommodate hikers, bikers, skiers, equestrians, bicycle commuters, and LRT trains on the same right of way.

RTK

The Calais branch has basically been sitting there waiting for somebody - anybody - to make a rational plan for its use to Maine DOT since the 80's as a railroad. Spent some time up there a year ago, and nobody can fault MDOT for keeping the line as best preserved as possible. It was still passable with a hi-rail truck. This hasn't been an 'abandon quick & rip' issue.

While many will bemoan the conversion of this segment to a trail, the real news is that MDOT awarded the excursion operation lease to Downeast Scenic Railroad from Washington Jct. to Brewer Jct, keying out of Ellsworth, which is a real tourism center.

See http://www.downeastscenicrail.org/calaismaineplan.htm

Remember that the trails interests wanted the entire corridor, period.

Washington Jct. has some potential for transloading - this isn't necessarily an excursion-only operation, though it will be initially.

Meanwhile, over in Vermont, everybody turned a deaf ear to a very similar proposal of doing the Lamoille Valley Morrisville-west to a shortline, and a trail to the east, and the whole thing got torn despite interest in freight. So while the Maine line may be a mixed report, it is very much a 2/3 full glass of water.

The one regret I have is that I didn't take pictures of that line last year! My family and I vacation on Lake Cathance up there. My favorite part of that line was were the tracks passed through East Machias. It was just so beautiful and picture perfect. does anyone have pictures of the tracks in East Machias? When will they start ripping the line? Will it still be there in July?

-Eric

Eric: The Machias station is run down, but will probably remain for a long time. There is an old semaphore mast and mechanism still standing nearby. Don't expect the rails to go too quickly. I have written a letter to the Bangor Daily News concerning the line and I'm sure others will as well. There is a plan gaining favorable backing to put a tourist shortline between Brewer and Washington Junction, near Ellsworth. If you do come downeast this summer, be sure to check out the trackage alongside the river in East Machias, by the main highway. I would love to see a steam locomotive pulling freight or passengers through that curve. It is possibly the most beautiful part of the line. Across the street from the Machias station is Helen's Restaurant; best berry pie in New England.

I must admit, however, the roadbeds neglect will require millions of dollars of work to repair. It would be an expense equal to major road repair. Still, a pair of RDC's in opposing directions each day would bring a strong influx of New Brunswick Canadians and others to into Bangor on a regular basis. It would even be a romantic trip for kids post-prom, with dinner and music provided. Alot of forward thinkers have missed the boat on this one.

Yes I love that part of the line through East Machias. I want to get photographs of East Machias when I come up this summer. I hope it gets reversed.

-Eric

I second the nominations of Machias-East Machias as one of the finest time capsues of atmospheric brachline railroading anywhere. I just took this drive myself last week and the vista of the curving branchline next to the river leading into the old mill town of East Machias looks straight out of a 1940s-period model railroad. It's too picturesque for words.