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July 25, 2005

Riding that train | Maine Eastern Railroad bets passenger rail can thrive on the midcoast

By Kirah Brouillette
Seventy-five years ago, trains were the finest way to travel. Even in Maine, a state with half the population of Massachusetts in 1931, train stations were dotted from Portland to Canada and used extensively by residents and tourists alike. Recently, though, the train has hit hard times. Old stations lie dusty and decrepit along Maine's coastal corridor, waiting for a new beginning.

Today, supporters of Maine Eastern Railroad believe that not only has that rebirth arrived, but it comes in an unexpected ˆ— and historically unprofitable ˆ— form: the scenic passenger rail train.

Maine Eastern's Brunswick-to-Rockland scenic train is chugging its way through its first full season this summer. Introduced last August for Rockland's Lobster Festival at Gov. John Baldacci's request, the train was pushed into full- service this year. With five poshly renovated antique rail cars (including original, fully functional Pullman and dining cars), and $30 million in state funds invested in the refurbishment of the tracks along the Brunswick-Rockland corridor, Maine Eastern is preparing for what company spokesperson Sherry Lewis calls "the newest and most intelligent change in Maine passenger and tourism travel in 50 years."

However, despite recent buzz created by the company's initial phases of advertising and an influx of press interest from Bangor to Boston, many people are still wondering whether the lofty idea will fly. After all, just last month the 101-year-old Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad was forced to close after being unable to meet its $646.94 per month rental agreement ˆ— a minimal sum compared to the millions of state and federal dollars already invested in Maine Eastern's new route.

Though Maine's scenic rail history seems to suggest only a direct route to failure for the new train, Lewis disagrees. "Scenic trains in Maine have always been run by train buffs ˆ— people who, though they loved and knew everything about [trains], didn't really know anything about the business of running a rail line," she says. "We've changed that with [the new train]. We know it will work. It's part of a larger, long-term plan intended to return the train to Maine's travel lexicon."

Lewis is referring to a Department Of Transportation plan that will utilize the passenger train in an effort to re-energize the state's "Vacationland" persona while also capitalizing on the success of the Downeaster, which increased the percentage of seats filled from 40% in April 2004 to 49% last April despite removing three daily departures from its regular schedule. "Tourism is poised to become Maine's leading economy. We haven't been as focused on tourism goals in years past as we might have, but that's all about to change," says Tracy Perez, policy specialist for the DOT. "There's a nationwide swing toward the way things were 50 years ago. Congestion, oil prices, pollution ˆ— all these things point to the need for more public transportation, both commuter- and tourism-based. We want Maine to be a part of that movement."

The court of public opinion
The state aims to extend the Downeaster from Portland to Brunswick within five years, and to extend passenger rail as far north as Bangor in 20 years. Though the state owns the nearly 60 miles of track along the Rockland/ Brunswick corridor, Maine Eastern's parent company, Morristown and Erie Railway of New Jersey, supports the DOT's long-term passenger rail expansion plan. In November 2003, the firm agreed on a contract to run freight and passenger rail through the corridor, using its own trains (including the scenic rail's vintage passenger cars) on the state-owned track. "There's a lot of cooperation," says Sherry Lewis. "It's really just a perfect fit."

But the question remains: Can the train sell enough tickets to keep itself alive until it is joined with the more stable Downeaster system? "Absolutely," says Lewis. "Every week, we sell more tickets. Every week, we field more calls from the press. Every week, our website gets more hits. Word of mouth is the biggest advertisement, and people are talking."

Both Maine Eastern and the DOT have been working to spread that word. In particular, Maine Eastern is working to present the train as more than just a means of transportation; the firm recently launching a multimedia ad campaign throughout New England with the slogan "The Journey is the Destination." "The time is ripe for a new way to travel while on vacation," says Lewis. "The new way is the old way. Riding the train is an experience that most people today don't know."

The "old way" Lewis refers to is one replete with relaxation, room to move and a certain amount of social interaction rarely seen in modern travel. For $30, a round-trip ticket seats you comfortably on the train for two hours and 15 minutes each way, allowing plenty of time for socializing with your seat mates, sipping on a crisp glass of Chardonnay or reading a book in the dining car as you float over tidal inlets and moose-inhabited marshes.

However, luxury seating and snacks cannot guarantee success the way the ability to generate money can. According to Randy Resor, vice president of Zeta-Tech Associates, a transportation consulting firm based in New Jersey, money should be no problem for Maine Eastern. "Most scenic trains fail because of the out-of-pocket costs incurred ˆ— fixing the track, the cars, etc. Maine Eastern has a new track, the trains are pristine and they have both freight and passenger income potential," he says. "It shouldn't be hard for them to survive."

In fact, Resor estimates Maine Eastern's per-trip costs to be below $1,000, a tiny portion of the potential $6,000 in ticket sales it could generate each day. "[Maine Eastern] would have to lose all freight income and sell less than 50% seating capacity each trip in order to fail," he says. "That's very unlikely."

According to Lewis, Maine Eastern is courting large tour groups and is already booking near to capacity on most weekend, though she admits that the train's first few seasons will require time for fine-tuning operations. But, she says, "surviving [in passenger rail] is all about public perception, and people are excited about us."

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