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July 15, 2014

Rockland merchants concerned about train changes

Schedule changes for Maine Eastern Railroad’s excursion train has Rockland business owners concerned they could face a dropoff in business.

The Portland Press Herald reported that the Mid-Coast Limited is no longer providing day trips to Rockland, instead placing a greater focus on connecting passengers with the Amtrak Downeaster service in Brunswick. The train only stays in Rockland for about 30 minutes now, a major departure from when it used to park there for up to four hours.

In speaking with the Press Herald, Rockland businesses said they have already noticed a drop of business from people who would typically come in from the train. Gordon Page, the executive director of Rockland Main Street Inc., said the train service had been known to attract as many as 200 tourists to Rockland mid-day.

Charles Jensen, Maine Eastern Railroad’s vice president and chief operating officer, told the newspaper the changes were made because the train’s previous schedule was unsustainable.

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