After about 20 years, The Maine Central Mountain Division will Finally be used Again!!

[Intransitman]

Rail to trail is bad, though building trails beside rail lines is good!

[trainlover479]

will frieght go to crawford notch or not????

[dcarpine28]

@trainlover479 I don't think so.

[trainlover479]

@dcarpine28 o dang, how close to the CSRR though?

[dcarpine28]

@trainlover479 Umm I think they were Just going to Windham ME for now but I thought I heard talk about them going up to Fryburg. I am not 100% sure though. I don't want to say anything that might not be true lol

[trainlover479]

@dcarpine28 oh ok, i was lucky to see the Shnable move through the crawford notch, ive never seen anything like that in my life!

[dcarpine28]

@trainlover479 Yea I wish I had seen that! I havent been railfanning on the CSRR before. I have ridden it though.

[trainlover479]

@dcarpine28 its fun dude.  you can check out my vids, have vids all around new england (except vermont.......)

[dcarpine28]

@trainlover479 I'll try to make it up there sometime. I'll take a look at your videos! :)

[GrnArrow092]

The tracks from Ellsworth to Calais are gone now, but Baldacci said it was to preserve the corridor until rail traffic is needed again. I hope that will be someday soon because the Calais line in my eyes is a valuable railroad. If Amtrak wanted to, or a local carrier, could run passenger trains from Ellsworth to downeast Maine and back. It could be a dual use freight and passenger line like the Mountain Division will be again.

[GP9railfan]

@GrnArrow092 You said it exactly! The CB is needed more than ever these days, especially with the cost of fuel nowadays alone. If they bring it back that would mean the end of the DSRR, but they'd probably still be able to use the line. The Amtrak Downeaster would benefit from it to with direct access to all the coastal towns along the route, & access to the Canada border. Funny how the old stuff that's been around (like trains) seems to always beat out the new stuff in the long run

[GrnArrow092]

I am happy to see that the Mountain Division is being reactivated after nearly 30 years of the line being abandoned. If this is only going to Windham... that's only 11 miles of track that's being rebuilt. I suppose that's better than nothing given the reality of the shrinking use of the railroads that exist here in Maine. I hope one day the Calais main line will be used once again.

[OdaConnProductions]

is conway scenic's (ex MEC) tracks be used in any of this? If so, EPICNESS!

[dcarpine28]

@OdaConnProductions no. They are using this for freight. But in the future, there miht be some commuter or excursoion train the might use this also.

[dmontoya699]

I'm not very familiar with the PanAm/MEC operations, but I'm guessing that whatever customer(s) were served by this line chose to switch back to rail service? Was this the route that Amtrak had to discontinue use over due to bad track? If so, that welded rail looks very suitable for a passenger service. Regardless, glad to see a rail line being rebuilt and put back into service.

[dcarpine28]

@dmontoya699 Yea, the the businesses along the line say it will bring lots of more Trucks off the road. Which it will and Amtrak never used the line. It was just MEC ,Passengers back before it was abandoned. And yes, it does look very suitable for rail service. They are thinking of Passenger Service in the future. Im not to sure of anything yet. And it is awesome that they are bringing a rail-line back to use!!

[chuckusa1957]

blows my mind that this is all being done, not far from my home and where I grew up!!! Chuck

[dcarpine28]

@chuckusa1957 I know mine too. I never thought this would ever get done. Did you like trains when you lived near the Mountain Division?

[chuckusa1957]

Boy I'm out of the loop. I remember all the tracks being removed. Great but who are they planning on for business??? Chuck

[dcarpine28]

@chuckusa1957 haha. I remember riding my bike last year on the rail bed all the way from Standish. And I'm not sure who they using for business on the line. I'v been wondering myself.

[chuckusa1957]

Where is all this work being done??? I have heard nothing to amount to anything about this new project. I used to live in Wetsbrook near the Mtn Div..... Chuck

[dcarpine28]

@chuckusa1957 This is being done on Pierce St. and Bridge Street and to windham

[Brian4449]

Are they gonna be using it for frieght or passenger?

[dcarpine28]

@Brian4449 Frieght for now I believe. They are talking about Passenger use in the future though.