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Passenger rail revival plans announced for Rockland branch
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The first vehicle will be on introductory public display during Bath Heritage Days, June 30 through July 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
After further exposure in other on-line communities, equipment testing and personnel training, initial operations are likely to involve group charters. he said.
The first major event will be short round trips to the Thomaston waterfront from the annual Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland from Aug. 4 through Aug. 6.
Regular public excursion service is anticipated to start as soon as possible thereafter, featuring two daily trains in each direction Fridays through Sundays, Betke said. One is expected to be a full-length, morning and afternoon round trip from Rockland to Brunswick; and the other a mid-day loop from Brunswick to Bath, Wiscasset, Newcastle and return, offering a variety of trip lengths and layover times.
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‘Coastliner’ RDCs to debut this weekend in Maine
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The RDC, which Midcoast now brands as a “Coastliner,” recently arrived from Finger Lakes’ Geneva, N.Y., shops, where it was upgraded with an Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant bathroom. Once a second car arrives, train crew qualification runs will begin on the 56-mile Rockland-Brunswick route that Midcoast leases from the state of Maine to operate both freight and passenger service.
Smith tells Trains News Wire that passengers will have their first opportunity to ride the cars on four daily one-hour round trips between Rockland and Thomaston, Maine, in conjunction with the Rockland Lobster Festival Aug. 4-6. Trains will leave from the station used by Maine Eastern excursions until 2015.
The time between this weekend’s display and the August excursions will be used for training and testing, with the eventual goal of establishing scheduled passenger service. Earlier this year, the state’s Department of Transportation approved funding to launch Rockland-Brunswick service [see “Maine DOT proposes $3 million for pilot …,” News Wire, Feb. 3, 2023].
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Emmett wrote: ↑Fri Jul 07, 2023 9:31 am Good news! 2003 made it to rockland yard! I have a picture i will place here. also Excursion service was rumored to start in august correct?IMG_5421.PNGIt appears they place the rest room behind the blue sign in the furthest most left window in this photo. Otherwise, why place that sign there? Kind of disappointing they removed all the colored vinyl that gave the RDC some color. All stainless steel can be dull and unattracted if not shiny as a mirror. Looks like the AEAX ownership badge remains. Wondering if Maine DOT would add their own livery to these RDCs using viny besides the window sign replacement?
electricron wrote: ↑Fri Jul 07, 2023 9:57 am Wondering if Maine DOT would add their own livery to these RDCs using viny besides the window sign replacement?Why would they be making alterations to cars they have no ownership of?? That's Finger Lakes' call as the lessee.
Emmett wrote: ↑Sat Jul 08, 2023 6:59 am what stations are they using for lobster fest? is one of them the old rockland station which is now a restaurant? please tell, I wanna try and catch them.From the website, which doesn't currently give an option to buy tickets yet:
Following a period of training and testing, the first official public activity will be offered during the annual Maine Lobster Festival at Rockland, August 2-6. Four daily introductory round trips are planned on a first-come, first-served basis from Rockland station to the Thomaston waterfronthttps://www.coastlinerexcursions.com/area.html
