by charlesriverbranch
Does it make a difference that MBTA commuter rail runs across state lines?
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charlesriverbranch wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 11:46 am Does it make a difference that MBTA commuter rail runs across state lines?In terms of the regulatory oversight, no.
mbrproductions wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:15 am I personally think MBTA Commuter Rail service should go up to Manchester, with Amtrak service going all the way up to Lincoln, NH, unfortunately the ConnectUS map shows there is no intention of doing this anytime soon, what a route like that even be named? probably something adopted from the B&M.The old Maine Central Mountain Division, which was the MEC's direct-connection to (I believe) Canadian Pacific back when they were a freestanding railroad and didn't always have the best relationship with the Boston & Maine (their other outlet). The State of Maine owns the line west of the mill in Westbrook; there have been occasional proposals to revive and restart it for either commuter rail into Portland or for the odd putative industrial startup (no farther out than Steep Falls), but little has come of it except for some track work that didn't lead to a single train running on it. See the thread in the Pan Am forum for all the details.
And that wouldn't even be the only way to get Amtrak service into central NH, there is a right of way that goes from Portland, ME that leads straight to Conway, NH, although parts of it are now a trail, a good portion of it is still track. Does anyone know this ROW, what its called, when it was used? Thanks
mbrproductions wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:15 am I personally think MBTA Commuter Rail service should go up to Manchester, with Amtrak service going all the way up to Lincoln, NH, unfortunately the ConnectUS map shows there is no intention of doing this anytime soon, what a route like that even be named? probably something adopted from the B&M.Mr. MB, may I ask you accept that the Connect US was a coloring book just like every last agency in town submitted to the incoming Biden administration to suggest they are more worthy of funding than the other guys.
charlesriverbranch wrote: ↑Wed Jan 26, 2022 11:46 am Does it make a difference that MBTA commuter rail runs across state lines?Nope. The only real true difference between commuter and non commuter rail at least to the feds is how it’s funded. FRA regulates all railroads freight and passenger including commuter rail from an operations and safety point of view. It also regulates the service standards, grants and things like ADA for all federally funded passenger railroad services except those that are commuter rail. Commuter rail is that passenger rail that meets the definition of commuter rail as defined by the FTA and meets the more strict cost benefit and density requirements to receive mass transit dollars which is under the auspices of the FTA. Services which receive commuter rail funding are not eligible for FRA passenger rail grants except for instances where assets are shared with Intercity service. Metro North for example operates across state lines. Intercity funding also allows for incremental improvements while transit funding has more strict requirements and is more difficult to secure as far as cost to benefit.