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  • Montreal to Portland Passenger Service

  • Guilford Rail System changed its name to Pan Am Railways in 2006. Discussion relating to the current operations of the Boston & Maine, the Maine Central, and the Springfield Terminal railroads (as well as the Delaware & Hudson while it was under Guilford control until 1988). Official site can be found here: PANAMRAILWAYS.COM.
Guilford Rail System changed its name to Pan Am Railways in 2006. Discussion relating to the current operations of the Boston & Maine, the Maine Central, and the Springfield Terminal railroads (as well as the Delaware & Hudson while it was under Guilford control until 1988). Official site can be found here: PANAMRAILWAYS.COM.

Moderator: MEC407

 #170550  by outdoorbob
 
I've come across a few ads for operations supervisors for a new Portland to Montreal passeger service but can't seem to find out any information about it, does anyone know what this is all about? Thanks.
 #170632  by Noel Weaver
 
Last passenger trains between Montreal and Portland, Maine was a once a
week operation on the Canadian National which last ran in the 1960's.
It is not likely than there were be return of passenger trains to this route
anytime in the reasonable future.
Noel Weaver

 #170669  by Robert Paniagua
 
Yeah, I don't think MTR-POR service will happen, the only service that would only happen is the one from BON thru FIB and Greenfield Jct thru the NECR at Brattleboro up to MTR (the main route of Amtrak's Vermonter).

 #170878  by NRGeep
 
With even GWB encouraging the United States to conserve fuel, stranger things could happen than the ressurection of passenger train service though at the same time the neo cons are chomping at the bit to purge Amtrak when we need it more than ever.
 #170946  by wolfmom69
 
As Noel said,it was last run in the 60's,once a week. And it was ONLY summer service. Year round daily service ended in late '60 or 61',just a bit after the MEC ended their passenger trains.

Service was on Saturday only,leaving Montreal early AM and arriving in Portland(India St.) mid afternoon. Then a crew change and head back to Montreal, Major customers were the French Canadians going to the Old Orchard Beach area. Busses met them at station,and I think they might have continued it into 1967,after station was torn down.

Being wonderful welcoming Mainers,my buddy and I would meet the train in Portland,and offer the pick of the Canadian single females a ride to Old Orchard.usually in my 64' Falcon Sprint ragtop. Yup,all in the spirit of "international relations".

If gas prices continue to escalate.maybe the SLR should explore the possibility of Summer Service,as many Canadians do not need a car once they get to Old Orchard.

Bud :P :wink:
 #172031  by trainsinmaine
 
Could be that something is in the works that we don't yet know about. I say that as more than idle speculation. The Maine newspapers reported a couple of years ago that state transportation people were working in earnest with reps of the SL&A on the restoration of at least part-time passenger service between the two cities. It was part of a master plan for public transport and freight movement in Maine. At the time, no target dates had been set.

 #173103  by TomNelligan
 
The StL&A has certainly been cooperative with excursion operators in the past (as in the Sunday River Ski Train), but as with any other speculative venture of this sort, the question is who pays for it and where does the equipment come from. Plus, there's also the issue of who would run the Canadian end of the hypothetical service -- CNR and/or VIA might want an arm and a leg to handle the train between Montreal and the border. That was the major reason why Amtrak's "Montrealer" was cut back to a US-only day train.

 #185886  by Arborwayfan
 
Sometime last year I saw an add for luxury rail excursions through NY, NE, and Quebec. The first leg was going to be coupled to the Adirondak. The rest of the trip varied with the leaf season, but for part of the time it was going to run Montreal-Portland on the SLR. Part of the time it was going to run east, but I don't remember whether on the CN route or the ex-CP route into Maine. Maybe the add was for someone to work on this kind of land-cruise operation.

 #185917  by shadyjay
 
I think we talked about this a while back, but I believe it was an individual's project and wanted to start it this year or last year or something. I can't recall the name off the top of my head but it was New England Rail, or something. I think this was in the New England Railfan forum.

-JH