The Maine Department of Transportation is seeking a new operator to restore freight service to the Rockland Branch rail line – and possibly fulfill a yearslong effort to extend Amtrak Downeaster passenger service from Brunswick to Rockland.
The freight line has been without an operator since Midcoast Railservice announced in June that it would terminate its lease on the 57-mile, state-owned railroad after its primary customer, Dragon Cement in Thomaston, ceased production.
Midcoast’s exit scuttled Amtrak’s plan to offer two round trips daily from Brunswick to Rockland this past summer – a pilot project that was bolstered by a $500,000 federal grant from the Biden administration.
If the Department of Transportation finds an operator that meets its requirements for a 10-year agreement, Amtrak remains interested in providing passenger service along a route with captivating views of the rocky coast and serene woodlands.
“We’re very supportive of the request for proposals,” said Patricia Quinn, executive director …