Craig says she will bring commuter rail to New Hampshire if elected governor

This would be nice..
https://www.wmur.com/article/craig-comm ... r/44954512

Craig contends that the nearly $800 million estimated cost of connecting Nashua and Manchester to Boston is well worth it.

"It will provide jobs. It will provide economic development," she said. "It's what our residents are asking for, and there are federal funds available."

So, either NH will introduce income tax or real estate taxes will go up. Maybe they could put NH Liquor Stores https://www.liquorandwineoutlets.com/ https://www.liquorandwineoutlets.com/product-listinside the train station waiting room - the sales might offset the train subsidy and they would get car less people from Lowell coming up to buy booze...

If they need $800M (seems like a lot of money, but probably second track, signal upgrades, stations, parking lots, upgrade ties on existing track) how much can NH realistically get from Uncle Joe Biden & friends, with all the other bigger, better connected states vying for money?

IMHO long term this will be a big asset. The electric cars of today have limited range, and the technology will improve, but bottom line i think long distance travel will be dictated by airline and train travel. i recently drove 2K across the country, and would not even consider an electric car for the journey, being the charge time after every 250-300 miles would take me far longer than the 2-1/2 days it currently takes. NH needs to step up to the plate. i am currently in Denver and the highways here are parking lots for 5-6 hours a day and that is with the RTD bus and train service, didn't bother to goo out today because of the w/e surge.

Al P.

BandA wrote: ↑Fri Sep 01, 2023 12:25 pm If they need $800M, how much can NH realistically get from Uncle Joe Biden & friends, with all the other bigger, better connected states vying for money?

Unca Joe will just print more.

It's worth noting that three of the five Executive Council districts, and about 65% of the legislative seats, will not receive any direct benefit from commuter rail service to Boston. The most direct transit services (Boston Express, Concord Coach) are privately operated, with the State providing only park and ride lots. Any contracts would have to go through the Executive Counci, which has rarely shown any support for rail projects of any type, regardless of the Governor's party.

The $800 million price tag is a great example of what happens when you kick the can down the road for years or decades. If NH had done this 20 years ago or even 10 years ago, the price would have been less than half the price being discussed today.

It has nothing to do with kicking the can down the road and everything to do with the fact that the state does not want to pay a dime towards any type of passenger rail, and I would bet the majority of the tax paying citizens in the state would agree. The price could drop to $100 million, and they will still vote it down. I find it amusing that she thinks she can get commuter rail passed, she'll lose the election just on that alone.

NH should take a "two tracked" approach: Option 1, a traditional extension of the Lowell Line to Manchester area (Bedford NH/Airport), operated by the MBTA. Option 2, a "skunkworks" shuttle train that dumps passengers off at Lowell station, synchronized with the T schedule, using used refurbished equipment, perhaps even low-platform midwest style bilevels.

Assuming NH wants to run service with a very small or no local subsidy beyond an initial startup phase of say 4 years. Let's assume a generous load factor of 50% - every seat filled one way, completely empty the other way. How much would they need to charge per passenger to break even (except for federal subsidies)

Isn't it funny whenever the discussion of expanded rail passenger service is brought up that the politicians are jumping at the chance to bring "Public Subsidy" into the conversation yet, these same people who have districts where there are any major highways or airports in them at the same time go out of their way to NOT use that same expression?

Why is this? Because if the general public had any idea how much it costs the taxpayers for every person that steps into an airliner, they would be screaming at their representatives who voted for the subsidies. The same goes for highway subsidy.

Many years ago, I was watching a live session of congress who were in the process of voting for transportation funds for highway, air travel and passenger rail. Mind you it was several years ago so, the amounts I witnessed would be blown out of the water by today's numbers.

Not an eye was batted when 64 BILLION dollars was allocated for the next 5 years of highway subsidy.
Right afterward, the same reaction occurred when 53 BILLION was allocated for air travel but this would only cover 4 YEARS!

Finally, the discussion moved on the rail travel. The allocation of 1.3 BILLION for only 2 years sparked more debate and concern over public subsidy that one would think they were in the process of writing the Constitution!

Lets take a look at where our tax dollars are going. You see signs on the back of trailer trucks reading "This truck pays 10% of highway taxes". It sure sounds good, and is most likely true. However, trucks do about 90% of the damage caused to highways. Care to guess who picks up the rest of the tab?

How about airlines? Do you think that they pay the salaries of all the state and federal workers along with the costs of all the materials and specialized equipment needed to operate the airports where their planes land? Again, guess who picks up this tab!

I know I'm a little off topic here regarding the New Hampshire commuter rail project and, I offer my apologies to the moderators but, now and then a little reality is a good thing. Off of my soapbox now.

New Hampshire may be interested in Commuter Rail, but the State is not set up financially to contribute to build it, nor subsidize it. I would be curious to know how the NH Democratic Candidate for Governor plans to pay for it.. She has not really explained the money part to voters. There's a few things in play, first the current NH State Gov't Leadership in no way, shape or form endorses plugging NH into the big MBTA machine, period. Ain't happening. Second, any candidate like Craig who proposes raising property taxes or adding a sales or income tax to pay for the commuter choo choo that appeals to a limited, yet populated, geography at best, and will be never be 'on track' with NH Voters. I'm not against commuter rail to Manchester, just can't see it happening.

FRA sort of tried it in the 80s...but what about Diesel Light Rail?

-Existing track might be used
-Any crossing with a sidewalk would become a station. ("Stop and proceed" at the crossings would avoid wrecks possibly.)
-Hillsboro branch could be used.
-MHT Airport link could use street trackage
-Minimal freight, means line could be closed to light rail when freight moves.

Toughest part is connecting with the T. MBCR would probably have to be extended to the NH border where it would meet the NHRTA light rail.

p42thedowneaster wrote: ↑Sat Dec 09, 2023 8:29 pm
-Hillsboro branch could be used.
-MHT Airport link could use street trackage
-Minimal freight, means line could be closed to light rail when freight moves.

Toughest part is connecting with the T. MBCR would probably have to be extended to the NH border where it would meet the NHRTA light rail.

April 1st is still a few months away....

The Hillbilly is barely getting back to a 10mph freight line, forget about wasting money on hauling passengers on it.

How do you even connect an MHT "link", when there's nowhere to put the track on an already busy road, and no land to connect it to the Northern?

This whole concept is a non-starter...

There's been no progress made to bring commuter rail to the state in the last 40 years, and there won't be for the next 40 years.

$10 tolls on 3, 93, and 95 at the Mass border will fix that right quick.