Quote:
Originally Posted by Excalibur
When will trains start bringing people to the lakes region again? With the rising cost of fuel we will need to find alternative or more efficient ways to arrive in the Lakes Region. We need to save the gas for the GO FAST boat..  |
See the web site for the
NH Railroad Revitalization Association. The tracks exist from Boston to Lincoln (passing through Laconia/Meredith) and also from Boston to North Conway. Both sets of tracks are still in use except for a few miles of the Boston-N Conway line between Ossipee and Conway. The problem is, they're 25-mph tracks (mostly) and need to be upgraded before passenger trains could run at a worthwhile speed. It can be done, just as it was when they upgraded the tracks for the Downeaster's service which began in 2002 (which was recently approved for 79 mph, upgraded from 59 mph when it first started) but the problem is the cost. If enough people support it, it'll happen... but that's the real hurdle, is getting enough people to support it and promise to ride it regularly when it's done.
The NHRRA is in the process of establishing passenger rail service from Boston to Nashua by next year, with extension to Manchester the year after that, and to Concord in 3 years. Gov. Lynch has been a railroad supporter while in office, and is a proponent of the Boston-Concord project.