Bar Harbor Special Service Proposal

Rockingham Racer wrote:I like your enthusiasm, Cameron, but I think it could use a little tempering with practicality. The likes of Noel have a good perspective on operations, and what you're proposing would be wonderful, were it to be on Amtrak's hot list. But Tom Nelligan has it right, unfortunately. Are you from Maine?

Well Rockingham that's why created this thread, to discuss the practicalities and difficulties undertaking such an extensive project. When I was young I traveled to Bar Harbor with my family from New York and it was by far the most beautiful small town I've seen in my life. I work for a third party as a state official, one of my tasks are to explore new practices that improve the state of our country. We are firmly against some of these new Amtrak proposals whereas we believe service should be expanded not diminished. I specifically made this thread to ask the opinions of experts in the industry and gain a consensus of what could be done to make passenger rail more attractive in New England. I have proposed discussing this with Governor LePage through my national committee so if you have any insightful information don't be afraid to tell me everything counts for something.

Cameron

Arborwayfan wrote:Counter-proposal: Rockland service and a fast ferry to Bass Harbor. Uses mostly existing infrastructure plus buys a Hurtigbåt (fast boat for coastal transportation) from Norway, where they run 30 mph or faster routes all over the place.

It would all have to do with the market. Do enough people want to make the trip every day in the summer to cover a substantial part of the costs of either option? I really have no idea. MDI has so many tourists that I doubt the towns or the state would pay to try to attract more. On the other hand a train+coastal ferry that could spread the tourists out along the central coast might have something going for it. If the other islanders dont just want to be left in peace.

No need to get something exotic from Norway. These girls do the 200 mile run from NYC to Martha's Vineyard in a little over 5 hours: https://seastreak.com/about-seastreak/s ... ble-fleet/

Rockland to Bass Harbor via the Fox Island Thoroughfare is ~40 miles. Should be able to do that in a little over an hour. You could even have two boats- one running express to MDI, one making the local stops along the way (North Haven, Vinalhaven, Isle au Haut, Swan's Island, Frenchboro, etc.)

Not saying that this could happen tomorrow but it would be a lot simpler (and a lot cheaper) than bringing the Lower Road and the Bar Harbor branch back into service and up to passenger standards.

Cameron:

There is a long and varied discussion that touches occasionally on your interest. You might want to check it out.

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Rockingham Racer wrote:Cameron:

There is a long and varied discussion that touches occasionally on your interest. You might want to check it out.

viewtopic.php?f=46&t=58854" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thank you, I'll take a look into it. I'll be honest, I've seen the track up there in Ellsworth it's alright if you exempt the various paved over crossings, vegetation and rotting ties. It would take an act of god to obtain the funds needed to restore that section to passenger standards and I'm afraid I don't see God anywhere in sight.

Here's the easiest way to get to Bar Harbor, Bangor and even St Stephen NB and onto the Maritimes. Just change the connecting point from South Station to Portland or Brunswick now:
(timetable from the '70s)

N S VIA FAN: love your post. Never knew that schedule was in effect. May have seen it in the past, but don't remember it. Train to Rockland then ferry to Bar Harbor makes more sense. I'm talking transportation, people here talking trains. Unfortunately we don't live in a perfect world. There is a reason railroads dumped passenger services. MEC in 61, B&M in 64. CP was the only holdout in Maine, then VIA took over, stopped then reinstated and then finally quit for good. Saw the last 2 VIA trains in Maine. I guess Canadians didn't want to come thru Maine.

NS VIA Fan:

That Amtrak/Greyhound Timetable was issued in July 1976 - the month of the U.S. Bicentennial.
This timetable showed cooperation between Amtrak and Greyhound to serve New England that
was substantially north and east of the Boston terminal. The only problem that I noticed were
the connecting timing between trains and buses in Boston which was somewhat close at times.

The Rich Meyerowitz drawings of the E60CP and the bus is interesting since back then electrified
service to Boston was still more then 20 years into the future. The E60s were literally brand new
back then - #968 (and 966) would eventually go to a coal hauling railroad in Utah after Amtrak
retired and sold off part of the E60 fleet to NJ Transit.

Baldy: US Customs inspections on VIA trains through Maine were the main reason for delays in
services crossing Maine. With increased security one of the prime factors it was easier for VIA to
route their trains around from Quebec to New Brunswick instead of having to deal with US CBP
to operate more direct across Maine.

What made VIA's service across Maine interesting is that it was literally the last train service to
directly serve Maine until the Downeaster began operating almost 20 years ago...MACTRAXX

Any new service which requires P32s is surely not a runner - Amtrak have few enough of those as it is.

Cameron Wolk wrote:I have proposed discussing this with Governor LePage through my national committee so if you have any insightful information don't be afraid to tell me everything counts for something.

Cameron

The fastest way to hurt passenger rail, to include existing service in Maine, would be to bring this proposal to the Governor's office. It would simply attract attention to a topic that is best left alone.

I have spent an enormous amount of time studying the route you are looking at on virtually all of the segments you're considering. As proposed it is not economically or operationally viable. There are some alternatives in certain areas but they cannot be actively considered at the moment due to a lack of political support.