Downeast Scenic Railroad

An organization known as the Downeast Rail Heritage Preservation Trust is actively working on a project to establish the Downeast Scenic Railroad, which will operate on the Calais Branch (ex-Maine Central, abandoned by Guilford in 1985). They plan to do this in phases, starting with a run from Bangor to Ellsworth, then Ellsworth to Schoodic Mountain, then Schoodic Mountain to Machias, and then Machias to Calais.

Unlike some of the other proposals that have cropped up recently ("New England Railroad" being one of them), this one appears to be serious and credible. There are a number of very experienced and intelligent people working on this project -- and unlike New England Railroad, they're not afraid to say who they are! DRHPT has also hired a major railroad consulting firm that has an incredible amount of experience and expertise -- Stone Consulting.

They have a web site at http://www.downeastscenicrail.org/

The web site includes information on the project, maps, a list of frequently-asked questions, and a list of the major players involved with the project (which certainly adds a lot of credibility).

From what I've seen so far, this looks like something that might actually get off the ground.

Hmmmm.... interesting...

Aside from being a scenic railroad, is the line really going to be profitable for freight and passenger service like the website talks about?

The project's initial components will be a self-sustaining excursion railroad – to be called the Downeast Scenic Railroad – and a historic museum/depot. Long term plans for the railroad include rehabilitating the remaining 36 miles to Calais and using the railroad in its entirety for a mix of freight, excursion, and passenger service.

Initially using the rehabilitated line to run an excursion train will act as an immediate catalyst for economic growth in Penobscot, Hancock, and Washington Counties, and build the awareness, interest, and capacity necessary to successfully branch out into freight and passenger service

Don't get me wrong, I would love to see this line used again for all three but I see it to be no more than a scenic railroad but not for what the site says it's going to be. There's 126 miles of abandon track and they want to rehab all of it (well at least 90 miles of it)??? Let's say the train moves a 25 mph (a scenic ride), how many hours would that be round trip?