The legislature will be taking up a bill that will determine the future on passenger rail north of Brunswick!

LD 487, Resolve, Directing NNEPRA to Apply for Federal Funding for the Purpose of Identifying the Rail Corridor Connecting Portland to Orono as an Intercity Passenger Rail Corridor

Maine’s Transportation Committee has set a public hearing on LD 487 to begin at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 6, 2025, in Room 126 of the State House.  The Committee has also scheduled a work session on this bill to be held beginning at 1:30 pm on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in Room 126 of the State House.

This bill represents the future of passenger rail service in Maine, providing a way to expand that service directly to the northern half of our State. 

We need as many people as possible to testify in favor of its passage and, if possible, to attend both the public hearing and the work session!!!

Passenger rail in Maine extends only as far north as Brunswick.  Many passengers travel from north of that Town to get on Amtrak’s Downeaster service, some from hundreds of miles away.  This includes not only people from Maine but from Quebec and the Canadian Maritime provinces as well.  Designation of the CSX-owned and operated rail line from Portland through Auburn, Lewiston, Waterville, and Bangor to Orono as an intercity passenger rail corridor will make Maine eligible for federal funds to upgrade that line for passenger use. 

Last year, the Maine Senate voted 23-11 to pass a similar bill, but, unfortunately, the Maine House finally voted 80-64 to reject it.  However, legislators who remain in office after last November's election and newly elected legislators remain very interested in expanding passenger rail service to northern Maine.  Additionally, CSX has recently upgraded a part of the line, decreasing the cost of improvements needed for that service.  All of this, plus the closeness of last year’s vote, has resulted in the filing of LD 487.  Extending passenger rail service to Orono will offer safe, efficient, and eco-friendly transportation while boosting economic opportunities in northern Maine. 

Time is of the essence here.  You can take several steps to help pass this bill.  These include the following:

1. Immediately sign the Maine Rail Group petition appearing at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeSmtAjUyTd0Y0nHHoNRlWeOVfXjFLS6OiOPf9fdteR3Faeeg/viewform, signaling your support for the bill and expanded passenger rail service in Maine.  Together with Maine Rail Group, we will present the petition to the Transportation Committee at or before the public hearing.

1. Immediately contact your legislators if you are a Maine citizen to show your support for this bill.  If you are not from Maine, please contact the Transportation Committee members and the legislative leadership to declare your opposition.  More background on the bill, issues, and tips for communicating with the legislature are attached. 

1. File written testimony with the Transportation Committee supporting the passage of LD 487.  If you appear in person at the hearing on the bill, you must submit 20 copies of your written testimony to the Committee clerk at the hearing itself.  If you do not intend to appear in person, you can file your testimony online at https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/.  Please check the “Public Hearing” box on that page, then read the instructions on the next page and choose  “Transportation” at the bottom of that page.  Select the "Mar 6 2025 10:00 AM" box for the hearing time and date, then select bill LD 487.  You must then upload the testimony and insert your name and contact information at the bottom of the page.  If you file your testimony online, please do so before the hearings are scheduled to begin. 

1. If possible, attend the public hearings on the new bills and testify against them orally even after filing written testimony.  Oral testimony has more impact than merely submitting paperwork to the Committee.  Although attending in person is best, appearing by Zoom is far better than missing the hearing entirely.  To testify orally via Zoom, you need to sign up for Zoom attendance at least 30 minutes in advance of the posted start time of the hearing (10:00 a.m. on 3/6/2025).  You can sign up by using the same Web pages noted above for submitting online written testimony since the last of those pages has a box that you would check stating that “I would like to testify electronically over Zoom.”  You must also insert your name and contact information.  Please note that you will almost certainly be required to limit your oral testimony to 3 minutes.  You do not have to submit written testimony to testify orally, either in person or by Zoom.  It is best, however, to submit both forms of testimony if you have the time and energy to do so.

1. Immediately contact friends and others to get them to support the passage of LD 487 by contacting legislators and/or testifying.

1. Attend the Committee’s work session on the bill scheduled to begin at 1:30 pm on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in Room 126 of the State House.  A work session is primarily a discussion between Committee members concerning a bill and usually ends with a vote on its passage.  Members of the public are not permitted to testify at a work session except in response to questions from Committee members.  However, having more supporters attend will show the strength of our commitment to this bill.

Thank you for your help in extending passenger rail service to the rest of our State.  Please feel free to contact TrainRiders with any questions.

F. Bruce Sleeper, President

TrainRiders Northeast

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