Maine Ski Train

[gokeefe]

Pre-dating the Downeaster made it a venture that was difficult to be successful, probably. I wonder if the owners would consider another try with marketing done by the Downeaster folks.

I think the whole thing could go a step further. Just run the trains directly from North Station to Bethel.

[Cowford]

Yet another example of PPH's sloppy journalism. Ski trains to Farmington, Rangeley and Bridgton? I've never seen any evidence that MEC ever ran ski specials. Summer camp specials, maybe. And Saddleback/Sugarloaf/Sunday River all opened 1955-1960 timeframe.

[Cosmo]

Yet another example of PPH's sloppy journalism. Ski trains to Farmington, Rangeley and Bridgton? I've never seen any evidence that MEC ever ran ski specials. Summer camp specials, maybe. And Saddleback/Sugarloaf/Sunday River all opened 1955-1960 timeframe.

Check again, the PPH didn;t say "Skiing specials," it said people took the train from Portland to those destinations.
There is plenty of evidence of SR&RL winter PAX traffic during it's heyday.

[Cowford]

Cosmo, I checked again and it says "ski trains" as in:

"Both jumping and ski trains saw their decline and eventual extinction in Portland..."

And don't get all semantic on me. Ski train = Ski special

The SR&RL had passengers in the winter? I don't dispute that. But given there were no ski areas in Maine until after the SR&SL's demise (heck, the chair lift wasn't invented until the late 30s), I'm going to go out on a limb and guess approximately zero of them were skiers.

[artman]

Cosmo, I checked again and it says "ski trains" as in:

"Both jumping and ski trains saw their decline and eventual extinction in Portland..."

And don't get all semantic on me. Ski train = Ski special

The SR&RL had passengers in the winter? I don't dispute that. But given there were no ski areas in Maine until after the SR&SL's demise (heck, the chair lift wasn't invented until the late 30s), I'm going to go out on a limb and guess approximately zero of them were skiers.

It first says: "Skiers of the era also made use of Portland’s location as a railroad nexus, taking trains to go skiing throughout Maine and New England."

Why does this cause you so much consternation? Why do you post here? Everything about rail seems to make you angry and denounce trains, while you incessantly pump up buses? Don't you belong over on the greyhound forum?

[Cowford]

Why does this cause you so much consternation? Why do you post here? Everything about rail seems to make you angry and denounce trains

Artman, if you re-read my comments which you reference, you'll find nothing anti-train. My beef with the article is what I said in the original post: Sloppy journalism/research. Portland hosted no ski trains, neither was it ever a nexus for skiers throughout New England, or Maine for that matter. If you are grouping in my comment in this thread from 2013, my suggestion is not anti-train, but pro-common sense. Please note that you have to take a bus to Sunday River regardless, even from the Bethel train station. I was just suggesting a 75-mile bus connection instead of a 7-mile bus connection.