Amtrak to Wiscasset (and Rockland) in 2018?

[Joe Fox]

Freeport does ok on Weekends, however due to current scheduling its not a very good schedule for commuters or visitors to Freeport.

As for ever coming up here to Lewiston Auburn, in my mind they already cganged their minds against that by going to Brunswick, the complete opposite way from Auburn however puts it on the way to Augusta, Waterville, & Bangor. Who knows what the future will hold, but Maine as a whole needs to work on improving public transportation.

[John Kokas]

Interesting discussion but does anyone know for sure whether this is weekend only or full week service?  Also, are we getting with Amtrak marketing or not.  If there were weekend package deals for 40 or more folks, then charter a bus or vans to shuttle folks up.  I'm sure the Boston area railfans would do it.

We'll never know for sure unless we try.........

[Joe Fox]

Weekend service is the only thing they are currently talking about.

[Wayne Laepple]

One report I read mentioned a single daily round trip from Boston to Rockland. Currently, the earliest Saturday/Sunday departure from North Station, Boston is at 9:25 a.m., arriving Brunswick at 12:45 p.m. It will take another two hours, at least, to run to Rockland. Two hours to get back to Brunswick to make the current 6:25 p.m. departure to Boston, arriving at 9:50 p.m. That would allow at most a 90-minute layover in Rockland. I'm not sure many tourists would want to take that ride unless they were planning an overnight stay in Rockland. On the other hand, that schedule might allow about 3-1/2 hours in Wiscasset (and Sheepscot).

[Stephen Piwowarski]

Rockland is a changing demographic. It is becoming very popular with the younger generation who, having left the big city, are working on making their way in smaller cities and towns without the use of a car. If the trend continues, I could see Rockland becoming a draw for Downeaster traffic.

Steve

[Wayne Laepple]

I just dug out my December 1953 edition of The Official Guide, and here's what I found. Two daily round trips Boston to Rockland. No. 55 left Boston at 2:25 a.m, Portland at 7:05 a.m., Brunswick at 8:00 a.m., arrived Rockland 10:25 a.m. Train 57 left Boston at 4:40 p.m., Portland at 7:20 p.m., Brunswick at 7:58 p.m. and arrived Rockland at 9:30 p.m.

From Rockland, No. 52 left Rockland at 7:50 a.m., Brunswick at 9:48 a.m., Portland at 10:35 a.m., arriving Boston 1:15 p.m. No. 56 Left Rockland at 4:20 p.m, Brunswick 6:33 p.m., Portland 7:10 p.m. and arrived Boston 10:10 p.m.

In addition to these two trains, there was also a Portland-Rockland round trip leaving Portland at 8:48 a.m., Brunswick at 9:31 a.m. arriving Rockland 11:25 a.m. The return to Portland left Rockland at 5:20 p.m., Brunswick 7:13 p.m. and arrived Portland 7:55 p.m.

In addition, the Guide shows three daily round trip buses between Rockland and Portland. There were also connecting trains to New York from Portland, but no direct through trains. At that time, there were still daily trains from Portland to Bangor, Farmington, Calais, Vanceboro, and even Montreal via St. Johnsbury.

[Gordon Cook]

Rockland is a changing demographic. It is becoming very popular with the younger generation who, having left the big city, are working on making their way in smaller cities and towns without the use of a car. If the trend continues, I could see Rokland becoming a draw for Downeaster traffic.

Steve

This makes a lot of sense. With real estate prices high in the bigger urban areas, people with some flexibility and portable skills (think young, internet, and programming for example) are looking for a place to settle and would naturally migrate to attractive but 'undiscovered' places. Portland has seen this already, and as prices rise there, further out becomes more acceptable.
It will occur at the expense of some of the natives, however, as real estate and other prices rise.

[James Patten]

It's already occuring here, as waterfront property becomes increasingly valuable, the locals can't afford it, unless you're a lobster/fisherman and thus shielded somehow by the State.  Several years back my town reevaluated our properties, and I got mistakenly categorized at waterfront property for my 50+ acres.  My property tax was over $4000; when I complained eventually and they realized their mistake, it dropped to $2600.

[Bob Holmes]

Having observed it for 15+ years, Rockland is now becoming a hopping place.  It's gentrifying in a nice way.  In addition to the stable institutions and businesses (the Farnsworth, FMC, the harbor), Main Street has blossomed.  One of the best restaurants in Maine (Primo) is there, and there are many new restaurants as well.  The annual Lobster Festival is legendary.  The cruise ships now stop there as well.  It's only going to get better, so as a rail destination, it's increasingly attractive.