"Maine officials contend the tracks, which are owned by Guilford
Transportation in New Hampshire and Maine, can handle [speeds up to 79 mph].
Guilford officials, who didn't return a phone call from the Herald
yesterday, contend that it's unsafe for trains to go faster than 59 mph. . .
. Earlier this year, Amtrak asked to test the tracks to make sure they could
handle trains running at 79 mph, but Guilford balked."  Guilford, which is
doing everything it can to block the best possible rail service between
Boston and Portland, also owns Boston-Maine Airways, which just received the
Massport board's approval for an operating agreement at Hanscom Field. --
mpa

BostonHerald.com
Saturday, June 23, 2001

Feds back higher speeds on Hub-Portland rail route
by Doug Hanchett

The Federal Rail Administration has agreed with Maine rail officials in
asserting that trains on a long-awaited Boston-to-Portland line can chug
along at 79 mph, though the support won't help the oft-delayed service start
any sooner than this fall.

The FRA's input comes as the federal Surface Transportation Board is poised
to rule on the speed issue, a spat between the Northern New England
Passenger Rail Authority and Guilford Transportation that has has hampered
the debut of the $40 million service.

``We certainly were encouraged by what the FRA said,'' said Nathan Moulton,
deputy director of the NNEPRA. ``(But) the issue of the speeds will not
delay the service if everything else is ready to go.''

Maine officials contend the tracks, which are owned by Guilford
Transportation in New Hampshire and Maine, can handle faster speeds on 51
miles of the 114-mile line. Guilford officials, who didn't return a phone
call from the Herald yesterday, contend that it's unsafe for trains to go
faster than 59 mph.

Earlier this year, Amtrak asked to test the tracks to make sure they could
handle trains running at 79 mph, but Guilford balked.

The higher speed would allow trains to make it from Boston to Portland in
about 2 hours - 15 minutes faster than if they have to decrease to 59 mph.

``It's a big deal for us because we think we need that extra speed to be
real competitive with the (automobile),'' said Moulton.

Officials are still wrangling with last minute legal issues that have caused
the Amtrak-run service to miss the busy summer travel season. They're still
awaiting clearance for building three station platforms in New Hampshire and
four in Maine and expect to begin operating in the fall.

``It would be very hard (to catch any of the summer vacation market),'' said
Moulton. ``The reality of it is once we get those agreements to get out to
the ground and construct (platforms) . . . we're looking at a fall-type
scenario. We think it's going to be early fall, but we'll start as soon as
we can.''


Copyright by the Boston Herald and Herald Interactive Advertising Systems,
Inc.

==========
**NOTICE:  In accordance with 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is
distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.**
==========