Maine Rail Group

06/10/2026

All Aboard! Join Maine Rail Group for their annual meeting, riding the rails of the Rockland Branch with the Penobscot Shore Line Railroad!

On Saturday, June 27— departing at 12:30 from Rockland and headed to Waldoboro— will be Maine Rail Group’s annual trip, hosted by the Penobscot Shore Line Railroad! This excursion is open to members and non-members, and will take passengers on a scenic train trip through the Midcoast Region of Maine on the former Maine Central Railroad’s Rockland Branch. You can either order tickets (and food!) online at www.mainerailgroup.org, or you can download the attached photo, fill out the details, and mail them to the address included in the document!

Come celebrate Maine’s railroading past, present, and future! A massive thank you to the Cumberland and Knox/Penobscot Shore Line Railroad for hosting us on their railroad, giving a glimpse of what’s to come for excursions on this historic line! 🛤️ 🌊

06/05/2026

MaineDOT has published the preliminary study for rail removal of the Mountain Division, quoting a $12 million price tag to remove 10 miles of track!

The early findings to remove the rails on the Mountain Division are finally here, folks, and it’s a doozy. Removing just 10 miles of the railroad for a trail is going to cost $12 million of taxpayer dollars, up front. This doesn’t even include the maintenance fees involved after the trail is built, a burden that each town the trail passes through is responsible for.

Is this really the avenue we want to go down, especially as an interested railroad finalizes its business plan to operate the rail corridor and work with MaineDOT? Maine Rail Group doesn’t believe so. If you agree with that disbelief, MaineDOT is accepting commentary on the project via their website. We will provide the link below: the section to leave your commentary is closer to the bottom.

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/6e9ffdda3bca497daddadfe19b6bf4f8?fbclid=IwY2xjawSPqktleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA80MDk5NjI2MjMwODU2MDkAAR5nodt3iFA4hhb-6a3SOeOUsSyw4hPxatmjZX7X2txJOpxDrEAtYAW-JH8rfw_aem_exBhnbxPkfKYvD_hPpOeQg

This is one of those chances to make your voice heard, advocates. Let’s help western Maine stay on track! 🛤️ 🚆

Preliminary design to convert 10 miles of the inactive Mountain Division Rail Corridor into an interim off-road shared-use path/trail.

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! 🛤️ 🌲