SUN JOURNAL • August 25, 2022
Passenger rail advocates made a pitch Thursday to reuse the former Grand Trunk Railway between Portland and Auburn for a new, battery-powered passenger service. In a presentation to the Portland to Auburn Rail Use Advisory Council, convened by the Maine Department of Transportation, the rail advocates said they envision the “Grand Trunk Flyer” making daily roundtrips, eventually extending to the Ocean Gateway terminal in Portland. The dormant route follows the St. Lawrence and Atlantic line, which has also been the subject of a popular proposal to create a multiuse “rail trail” along the line.