The non-profit Downeast Rail Heritage Preservation Trust signed a 15 year lease last week with the Maine Department of Transportation. This will allow the Trust to begin work on establishing the Downeat Scenic Railroad with operational headquaters in Ellsworth, Maine. They have lease from Brewer, Maine to Washington Junction, east of Ellsworth.

Many have worked very hard over the years to preserve this historic line and are now able to begin a labor of love to bring it back to life.


http://ellsworthmaine.com/site/index.ph ... &Itemid=31

As we all know none of these projects are easy, so please give them your support where you can. If they don't succed it will be another trail. The state has agreed to leave this segment of the Branch for rail use, while giving 87 miles from Washington Junction to Ayers Junction to the Sunrise Trail Coalition. If they fail I would bet dollars to doughnuts that it will be gone forever as a rail corridor.

Their webstie is www.downeastscenicrail.org They are encouraging people to sign up if nothing else to keep up with their progress. I know everyone is stretched thin, but a few bucks wouldn't hurt either.