Demo Passenger Trains to Run on Guilford, Maine Eastern

On Saturday, July 24th, GTI and Maine Eastern will run passenger trains from Portland and Rockland, respectively, meeting at Brunswick. For more info, see

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/ ... rain.shtml

While Amtrak trainsets are available,due to DNC at Fleet Ctr. I hope what happened at Northumberland,N.H. with the Orient Express,doesnt occur this Sat. Amtrk. engineers refused to haul the train any farher than 2 miles down the line from Groveton,where it left the SLR. Plan was to link up with the Conway Scenic at Hazens in Whitefield & down through the "Notch". The return the next day,reverse route. This was about 6 years ago,before tracks from Groveton to Whitefield were upgraded. The past week,GRS MOW guys doing more work on the lower road than total in the last 20+ years. But still,like to see GRS use its own power,and business coaches;like 2 of the "Geeps"from Waterville. Hey,why not for history sake? Bet they will still only do 10 mph! Bud

What time is all this activity due to take place? Any special "ceremonies" scheduled, and if so, where and when?

Sounds as if the weather will cooperate!

Pictures are up!

http://photos.nerail.org/show/?byrail:1 ... rn_Railway

Great photos, but it looks as if not many people showed up! I understand it was sort of "last minute", but you'd have thought such a momentous event (how long since regular passenger trains ceased.... almost 50 years?) would have brought out more folks, especially on a Saturday.

Saw nothing in the Boston press on Sunday.

Another media snooze!

What was the response from the locals, other than apparent lack of interest?

Enquiring minds want to know!

Don't count out the Bangor Daily News!

http://www.bangornews.com/editorialnews ... ?ID=426203

BRUNSWICK — Trains rolled north and south Saturday, converging in Brunswick, where Gov. John Baldacci tooted the state’s horn in promoting seasonal passenger excursions as a way to push tourism and the economy in Maine......

We're glad the Maine press at least covered the event, but what about the rest of New England....?

The Bangor article is a nice story (although we noted the cliche word "chugged", which is used by the media in ANY story about trains) and it was mostly positive. We had to smile over the bit about the protestors... as if ANYTHING today would not bring out some sort of anti-group. Does not the railroad or the state own the land they converted to a parking lot, last-minute or otherwise? Well then....?

Let's hope the special trains are well promoted and well used this summer and fall.

FYI the location of this event was the inside of the wye (yeah, I know there is a bad joke here somewhere). Up until the late 70's this was the site of a concrete batching plant. More recently it had grown up into weeds and brush and was a great hangout for the pot-smoking crowd and 40-oz fans. Several years ago, Maine Coast stored their equipment here. Windows smashed, used condoms in and around the cars...you get the picture. If you ask me, the State did the neighbors a huge favor!