With the sale of the lines north of Millinocket coming to a close, what is next for the MM&A? Is the railroad positioned to survive for the long term with a smaller more manageable system to operate? What new traffic can they garnish to sustain the routes that they plan to retain? What kind of working relationship will the new operator of state owned lines (if it is not MM&A) have with MM&A management? Will there be any more lines to abandon? It will be interesting to watch how things pan out in northern Maine railroading over the next few years indeed.
Unfortunately, Maine does not appear poised for any growth of heavy industry, and the trend has been the reverse for years now. Without the northern lines and the loss of the Twin Rivers traffic out of Madawaska, that leaves MMA essentially as a bridge carrier between the CP and the EMRY/NBSR, and whomever winds up operating the northern lines.
I think there is a pretty good chance EMRY will wind up as the contract operator, and if they do, MMA will be delivering almost all of their traffic to them for their original and new operation. If this winds up being the case, one would have to think EMRY would be in a prime spot to buy the MMA if RailWorld decides to throw in the towel on this operation.
I just really don't see any growth potential at the MMA, and I also don't think this is a case where they can shrink themselves to profitability. EMRY/NBSR, on the other hand, could certainly have major growth potential, gain control over their interchange traffic, and eliminate a railroad from the pricing scheme for their customers on a current CP/MMA/EMRY routing, possibly making them a more competitive option against CN to New Brunswick.
My bottom line prediction-- MMA won't be the winner in the coming years. I'm sorry to say that, as I have been (and continue to be) extremely interested in the operations of this railroad since the day they announced the deal. As a relatively new shortline/regional enthusiast back in those times, I relished the opportunity to watch the next Wisconsin Central unfold before my eyes, but what has happened to date has been pretty much a polar opposite...