I never said it would be "easy."
MMA is positioning themselves for a large tax-dollar infusion. So how should the state react? Some could argue that the County has never been a big rail supporter, so screw 'em... let the railroad die. Others would argue that the railroad is essential. Assuming the latter as the prevaling opinion, the next logical step is to ask the question, "What's the best way to try to foster long-term viability for northern Maine's rail network?" CP pulled out of the County in 1987 and the International of Maine in 1995; Iron Roads B&A venture failed; MMA's B&A venture is failing. Simply pouring additional $$$ into the former B&A right-of-way doesn't address the fundamental issue at-hand, namely: Northern Maine's rail traffic density (or lack thereof) makes viable service unsustainable.
There are two ways to deal with the issue: (1) build traffic volume, and/or (2) shed route-miles. OK, (1)...for the forseeable future, there are no significant prospects for rail traffic growth in Maine in general, or the County in particular. That leaves (2). Looking at Maine as a whole, the state's branch line network has been rationalized. Not so with the overhead "bridge" routes. Way back when, there were seven. Today, with traffic a fraction of what is ever was, there are still four bridge routes. PAR's former BM line is the core overhead route, owing to PAR's local franchise and its physical route connections. CN's St Leonard connection is to an overhead route between the Maritimes and the rest of North America... MMA's business is minor and incremental and the interchange is not viable for non-MMA traffic. SLR limps along, and would likely be torn up by now had it not been for chronic PAR service issues that fueled transloading demand. And then there's the former CP... its train density speaks for itself. While I'm not privy to MMA's books, I find it very difficult to believe that it can be run/is being run profitably. ~300 miles of barely one train per day territory???
Another way to look at it is that Maine has one interstate "spine," that being I-95. If one highway can easily handle all the road business to/from Maine, why not focus on one rail spine via Portland, Waterville, Bangor, Mattawamkeag, Millinocket and points north? I suppose running between Keag and Millinocket via Brownville is possible, but at 75 miles, it's very circuitous... and what a cluster! Go to Brownville, run around, haul up to B Jct, run around, head east, run around at Keag.
Of course, the biggest wild card in all this is PAR. Without their cooperation (unless this can be forced through STB edict), it's all kind of a moot point.
CPF, what is "R&P?"
