By Railfan & Railroad Staff

The State of Maine is considering ripping up more than 30 miles of former Maine Central track across the southern part of the state to construct a new trail, Maine Public Radio reports. The state-owned trackage was once part of MEC’s legendary “Mountain Division” to Vermont. 

There are already short stretches of trail along the route, including near Fryeburg and Sebago Lake. However, a new measure passed by the legislature this year would allow the state to rip the line up. Before that could happen, the state and trail advocates would need to secure funding to build the 10-foot-wide path. The entire trail between Fryeburg and the Portland area would cost between $17 million and $20 million, MPR reports. 

While the New Hampshire section of the Mountain Division still has train service thanks to the Conway Scenic, most of the line in Maine has sat unused since the 1980s when Guilford ended service there. The extreme east end in Portland, however, is still used by CSX Transportation and Amtrak.