New Hampshire Commuter Rail Discussion

[newpylong]

The counties and municipalities can fund CR if they want it so bad. As has been said, there are more critical items in funding shortfall right now.

[Dick H]

Maybe on the city's and counties. Sununu and the GOP gang will do everything
they can to stop any such project, on the argument that the State might have
to become involved down the road.

Five years ago, there was federal grant for some Downeaster track upgrades in
NH. NNEPRA agreed to pay the matching funds required, Even so, the NH
Executive Council had to approve the grant. This went on for months, and
a GOP Executive Council member even tried to take the funds to build Park
and Ride lots in Central NH. Finally, the EC did sign off, but one construction
season was lost and there were concerns that the federal grant would be lost.
So, any federal monies could very well need EC approval, which they will not
get as the next ED will have a GOP majority.

[flyingfox10]

Everyone is fighting this tooth and nail yet it would be one of the heaviest traveled commuter lines the t would operate. They just expanded to Wauchussett and for what? 2 people per train.

Any commuter that has to travel down 93, or Route 3 will tell you that there needs to be a drastic change, and a highway expansion is not the solution.

Everyone wants to compare this to the downeaster, well the biggest town Amtrak serves is Portland. Nashua and Manchester that 50 miles from Boston would see hundreds of commuters because there is a lot more people in Nashua and Manchester that work in Boston.

[atlantis]

The voters wanted Mr Sununu that bad, they will get what they deserve when it comes to rail service, or the lack thereof, in New Hampshire!

[gokeefe]

New Hampshire will have to be facing complete and total gridlock before things change.

[BostonUrbEx]

They just expanded to Wauchussett and for what? 2 people per train.

Wow, what else can you tell us about post-November 21? What are the numbers for next week's winning lottery ticket??? Inquiring minds need to know!

[eustis22]

>New Hampshire will have to be facing complete and total gridlock before things change.


I say, LET them crash.

[gokeefe]

I think there are a lot of people at the federal level in transportation policy that probably feel much the same way.

[Dick H]

NH is the "Live Free or Die" state. The first part means that they want someone
else to pay for state projects, etc. When there is a fatal vehicle accident involving
someone not wearing their seatbelt or their motorcycle helmet, I always think of
that slogan. Of course, that accident is not "free", as the state is concerned, as
they call out an accident reconstruction team, even in life-threatening injury
situations, in case there could be a fatality. These teams are regional and use
personnel from local, county and state police agencies. Most of the personnel
are called on an overtime basis. Depending on the accident specifics, when all
is said and done, the costs of such a fatality (s) can reach $10,000. So while the
"politicos" in Concord champion how frugal they are, it is not free to die on NH
roads. Seatbelts and helmets are not required by NH law. End of Rant.

[Rockingham Racer]

I guess it comes down to one's perception of "free". Free, as in not having to pay, or free, as in have no restrictions.

[gokeefe]

In New Hampshire it's basically both. They sometimes forget the phrase "Freedom isn't free".

[atlantis]

Also, many of the hypocrites in New Hampshire who are against rail service returning to the spine of New Hampshire often are the ones who will readily drive to a commuter rail station in MA and board the train to Boston.

[BowdoinStation]

I thought I heard the "State Run News Media in NH" Report that C Sununu was in favoring of restoring service, only if a ski train ran to get skiers to his family owned mountain in Waterville Valley..

[atlantis]

The cynical part of me says that I have a better chance of marrying Tove Lo before Mr Sununu supports passenger rail in New Hampshire in any form!

[BandA]

Instead of hiring engineers and conductors, they could run it as a TrainPool shuttle to the nearest MA station. People would take turns driving the train . Or they could use Google Self-Driving Trains, with passengers on standby to activate emergency brakes if needed. Either of these options would require separate tracks from the freights.

Trains are valuable infrastructure. Passengers should get used to paying approximately what things cost, and should be happy about it. When you have enough passengers all going to Cambridge/Boston, if you keep costs low and speeds high you should be able to approach break even on above-the-rails. It's the model railroads used for the first 90 years. It's also the model that NH lives by in most areas. Amtrak is doing it on the NEC. FEC says they can do it in Florida. If the passengers aren't willing to voluntarily pay for the service, then the service isn't valuable enough.