Maine Rail Group

05/21/2026

TrainRiders/Northeast, Conway Scenic Railroad, and the people behind SaveMaineRails were on WLOB in Portland to talk all-things rail, including the Lower Road and the Mountain Division! Guests include Bruce Sleeper of TrainRidersNortheast, Reginald Groff of Groff Video, and Jason Briggs and Jack Duffin of Conway Scenic Railroad.

From discussing the economics and efficiency of rail to talking about the Conway Scenic Railroad’s plans for the Mountain Division, it’s quite the listen! Feel free to give it a listen in the link below. 🛤️ 🚂

https://wlobradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/05-14-2026-09-10-11.mp3

05/09/2026

We here at Maine Rail Group would like to wish everyone a wonderful National Train Day! This day commemorates the pounding of the Golden Spike for the transcontinental railroad, connecting the United States from coast to coast by rail.

From Bangor and Portland to Rockland and Brunswick, Fort Kent and S**o to Presque Isle, Maine’s rail network has kept the Pine Tree State rolling by taking trucks and cars off the road and spearheading economic development. With efforts to fortify and expand the state’s rail infrastructure, it’s never been a better time to be an advocate for rail. 🛤️ 🚆 🌲

https://mainerailgroup.org

#🌲

05/08/2026

While other municipalities in Maine consider removing railroads for trails, S**o recognizes the importance of freight railroading in their community and how it improves their city!

With help from MaineDOT the city has been working on a spur off the CSX mainline that serves numerous businesses in the city limits. This will keep the tracks open, the trains running, and will continue to ease the pressure on the area’s roadways while supporting the economy.

We believe that this is something that should be afforded to all Maine communities that have railroads- active or inactive. See what we mean below.

https://savemainerails.org/

🛤️ 🚆

**o

S**o Public Works will begin maintenance on the City’s railroad tracks starting today, Monday, May 4. Throughout the week, residents and local employees should be aware of intermittent equipment crossings that will occur along Industrial Park Road.

This maintenance project is partially funded by a $48,713.50 grant awarded by MaineDOT. The City owns and maintains 2.2 miles of railroad track, which provides essential rail service to businesses located in the Industrial Park.

Rail freight plays an important role in reducing the number of truck deliveries required by local companies, which helps alleviate traffic congestion and slows roadway wear. Because trains can transport significantly heavier loads than trucks, more goods can be moved with fewer trips, improving efficiency and reducing infrastructure impact.

The City’s freight line is a key economic asset. It supports the needs of existing businesses and strengthens the Industrial Park’s appeal to companies considering locating in the region. Currently, three businesses rely on this rail service, benefiting from improved shipping rates through bulk freight deliveries.

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this important project.

04/28/2026

Eyes up! Tomorrow in Freeport (or Thursday in S**o, if tomorrow doesn’t work), NNEPRA are holding open houses regarding their service development plan, including the future projects relating to the Amtrak Downeaster service! This is a great way to learn more about Maine’s passenger rail service and current plans for expansion. The finer details can be found in the original post done by the incredible folks at the Amtrak Downeaster. 🚆 🛤️ 🌲

04/24/2026

A small snippet from Save Maine Rails, a documentary exposing the danger that many of Maine’s rail corridors face at this very moment in time. Join us in preserving our state-owned rail corridors for rail use!

www.savemainerails.org

04/23/2026

We hinted that there would be something all of you should keep on your calendars coming down the pipeline. That has finally arrived.

Folks, let's Save Maine Rails.

https://savemainerails.org/

Film producer Reginald Groff has interviewed several people from Conway Scenic Railroad, Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad, TrainRiders/Northeast, and ourselves here at Maine Rail Group to expose the unfolding situation regarding Maine's state-owned rail corridors and the attempts to remove them for bike paths. This includes the Mountain Division, Berlin Subdivision, and the Augusta Lower Road. This has involved a great deal of coordination and a great deal of filming, and we're excited to be sharing this with all of you.

The clock is ticking, everyone. Some of these lines are facing removal within the next one to two years. When the tracks are gone, they are—for all intents and purposes— gone. We can avoid this tragedy and work together for equitable transportation for all of Maine.

There's far more to come as we continue with this project, but we want to welcome all of you to Save Maine Rails. 🚂 🛤️ 🌲

Multiple major, state-owned rail corridors in Maine have already been approved for removal by Maine DOT. The current plan replaces them with paved pedestrian trails.

04/23/2026

1 like. "Save Maine Rails - Documentary Trailer"

04/22/2026

Important news: MaineDOT announces Portland West Study, a perfect chance to support the Mountain Division rail corridor!

In regard to the continued development of the towns west of Portland, MaineDOT is seeking input regarding ways to improve the area’s transportation infrastructure for current and future use. Maine Rail Group has been advocating for the return of service on the Mountain Division railroad between Portland and North Conway, which definitely fits the bill for headed west from Portland. Reviving this line— with an interested rail operator and numerous prospective shippers— would alleviate congestion on western Maine’s truck-clogged roads. We invite all of you to submit commentary to their page with this same point in mind.

If you’re looking for a template, here’s some main points.

- Rebuilding this line with the trail adjacent to the tracks would aid in removing traffic from the nearby congested roadways, alongside the economic and environmental benefits.
- Utilizing the corridor for freight opens the door for future passenger rail opportunities.
- The line can, should, and in some cases is currently being used for both rail AND trail.

Below is the link for commentary: submit yours in support of rail before the submissions close!!!

https://www.mainedotpima.com/comment?projectGuid=01b84a7a-a137-4205-9c00-ba1b938ed379

This is your chance to share your voices, advocates! 🛤️ 🌲

04/13/2026

How to build pedestrian infrastructure without removing railroads: it can be done!

We’re not strong believers in comparing apples to oranges (or in this case, comparing Maine to Miami) but if you look for examples on how to build proper railroad and pedestrian infrastructure, you’ll find it everywhere. Take the Miami Beach boardwalk, for instance: the path extends the length of Miami Beach and offers a protected pathway for walking, running, cycling, just about any pedestrian activity you can imagine. The path is supplemented by sidewalks that lead to mass transit options.

The best part? No railroads were removed in the making of this trail. Quite the opposite, there’s proposals to build a rail connection to Miami Beach to improve pedestrian transportation options in the form of BayLink.

As stated before, Miami is not Maine. That said, the general principles remain the same: building pedestrian infrastructure in a manner that doesn’t destroy other modes of transportation is a win-win for everyone. We needn’t remove our vital rail corridors for pathways and irreparably destroy the option for future transit, especially in spots where both can fit or alternative routing exists.

Agree with us? Disagree? Learn more below!

https://mainerailgroup.org

04/04/2026

It’s the moment you all (or at least hopefully some) have been waiting for: an honest look at the new amtrak Acela train, as done by your favorite Maine Rail Group social media rep!

Let’s go down the list, shall we?

+ The experience at both Boston South Station and DC Union Station were seamless. I was lucky enough to be dropped off at the front door of South Station, and the walk from the entrance to the platform took less than 5 minutes. Given all the excitement with current wait times at airports, this was stellar.

+ The train cars themselves were clean. The interiors hardly had a speck of dirt on the floors, the chairs looked spotless, and the windows weren’t incredibly dirty. This is remarkable, given…

+ The speed. Viewing the world go by at 150mph is amazing, and it’s also somewhat humorous when the tracks parallel the highway and you view hundreds of motorists stuck in stop-dead traffic. Should have taken the train!

Of course, there were a handful of hiccups (slow orders in Connecticut, no north-south connection in Boston, so on and so forth). Additionally, we’re most likely not going to be seeing speeds of 150mph in Maine anytime soon, so don’t expect to see these pulling into Portland next week. That said, it’s important to remember that passenger rail does not exist in solitude- it’s part of a broader network. We’re lucky to have the amtrakdowneaster connecting us to Boston, and by extension the Northeast Corridor. However— as we have repeatedly stated— it’s not enough, especially if you’re north of Brunswick. If you agree, consider joining our cause.

https://mainerailgroup.org

03/25/2026

While we said this week’s post would be about our ride aboard the Acela (which we will post about, trust us), we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge this development regarding the Lower Road and Bucksport Branch!

This is superb news and shows that there’s interest in utilizing rail corridors for rail use. It’s equally positive to see MaineDOT speak in support of freight rail, especially as companies continue to seek rail opportunities on state-owned corridors such as the Lower Road, Berlin Subdivision, and Mountain Division.

A New Hampshire-based company wants to lease and operate a dormant freight rail line connecting Bangor and Bucksport.

The Bucksport branch that had been managed by CSX has gone mostly unused since the closure of the Verso Paper mill in 2014.

Read the story: https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/03/24/hancock/hancock-business/bucksport-freight-rail-revival-joam40zk0w/

📝: Elizabeth Walztoni / BDN
📸: Ethan Genter / BDN File