By Justin Franz 

The State of Maine has issued a formal Request For Proposals to seek a new operator for the scenic state-owned Rockland Branch. The document, which was released on September 20, also provides new insights into a proposed expansion of Amtrak’s Downeaster. 

Earlier this year, the previous operator, Finger Lakes Railway subsidiary Midcoast Railservice, ceased operations after the line’s largest customer stopped shipping by rail. Since 1990, there have been six different operators on the former Maine Central line between Brunswick and Rockland. Midcoast took over from the previous one, Canadian Pacific, in 2022 and aggressively went after new freight business. Unfortunately, last year the line’s largest customer announced it was ceasing production at its facility in Thomaston. Officials with Finger Lakes said the railroad was not profitable without it. 

While the state is now looking for someone to run freight service on the line, it’s also looking for someone to host a proposed expansion of the Downeaster, which presently runs between Boston and Brunswick. For years, the state has wanted to extend that service seasonally up the coast. In the RFP, the state specifically said that a pilot program would call for two or three runs per day between Brunswick and Rockland, Thursday through Sunday, from May until October. The state is also calling for two daily runs from Brunswick to Bath, Monday through Friday, to serve Bath Iron Works. A key detail is that any freight service on days that Amtrak runs would likely have to occur at night. 

All proposals are due by 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, October 25.