how kool is this. i love it

I just wonder who is going to ride the train during a Depression.

Things are bad, but we are a long ways from a depression. What we are in is called a recession not a depression.

For once, some good news!

To Knightscross: did you miss the part about also using the train line to transport freight? THAT'S a good thing! The rails have been there for a long time and its worth a try to make them productive again. During the "Great Depression", some people that couldn't afford cars, COULD afford a train ticket and have a short train ride to visit family or look for work. In case you hadn't noticed, Maine has always developed tourism...

And if this venture is successful, then it may boost a niche buisness or two! That would be GOOD news!

So let's see, rails and trains are good for Brooks, Maine but BAD for Machias, Maine? Did I get that right? Here it is no rails but trails. And so we are once again left out of the really cool ECO-Friendly "STUFF" like rail bikes. Instead we get NON ECO-Friendly ski-doooos. And also we have Station 98 Fund to RESTORE the deteriorated Train station in Machias which becomes a ski doo station. Very good.

Meadowlands: You pretty much summed it up. Strange how our delapitated infastructure is recontorted to benefit the "Beautiful People" who have the time and resources to utilize the "remaking" of what used to be a lifeline for industry. (See my comments under the Sears Island story)

obama could ride the train....

meadowlands and All,

It is a shame to see such State owned resources such as the rail line through Machias being scrapped due to the pressure of so called environmentalist and ATV/Snowmobile groups. Such moves are short sighted. Such moves are also an easy way to get a trail. There are cost to keeping dormant real in place. Much of these and the work involved can be taken on by volunteers. I for one was involved in trying to keep this line cleared and passible under state ownership. I am a railcar (Speeder) owner. Rail with trail is a concept that is more acceptible to all concerned. Most rail Right of Ways (RoW) are 66 feet or more wide. This is often nore that enough room to create a diversified trail within the RoW to serve all interest. The concept is more about working together than working against the various groups pining for what they want. It is part of what is wrong with this country as a whole in my opinion.

Things change. It is easier to keep infrastucture in place even in a dormant state than to replace it.

I ask what freight? What people? Yes we are in a Depression open your eyes. According to Bush we weren't in a recession. Then we found out we had been in a recession for 13 months since December 2007. Of course the Bush administration played with the numbers till McCain lost. Then the truth came out.

I've been wanting to try those rail bikes. I can't wait.

"I just wonder who is going to ride the train during a Depression." Heck, riding, working on, or just watching trains keeps me from being depressed. 8-)

Then again, maybe that was from someone who was just looking for an opening to do some Bush-bashing.

Things can always be "better," but the Maine Eastern RR has done alright with freight and excursions on the Rockland Branch. Getting commuter rail running again could keep the rails even shinier and reduce both fuel consumption and traffic congestion.

No, it may not work for all parts of the state, and there needs to be some thought given to seamlessly getting passengers to their workplace or other destination once they step off the train, but it can work. At least it can if we set to work, and make sure we get our money's worth out of the ARRA.

As Steve1 said, "It is easier to keep infrastucture in place even in a dormant state than to replace it." Or, as Joni Mitchell et al said, "Don't it always seem to go, That you don't know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone."