Welcome to Maine Rail Group
A non-profit group working to enhance rail service in Maine and New England.
May 2026 Tracking the News …Transportation affects us all
5-2-26 2 buses, 3 hours and 13 miles: how Americans in ‘transit deserts’ get groceries without cars
As Covid-era funding dries up and bus services are cut, a food insecurity crisis is brewing from Tennessee to Rhode Island
Sadly, many places in Maine do not have any optional transit options.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/03/bus-public-transport-cuts-groceries-snap
4-28-26 Bloomberg Philanthropies Commits $350M to Cycling Infrastructure Across 30+ Cities
MRG has always supported “active transit” as a way to get around towns and cities, and serving as that “last mile” connection to transit. This is a positive announcement.
On April 28, at CityLab 2026 in Madrid, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced a major new $350 million investment aimed at reshaping how cities around the world design their streets. The funding will expand the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety alongside the Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure, with a shared goal of saving an estimated an estimated one million lives over the next five years.
04/24/26 Save Maine Rails
A trailer of a new film now being produced on the value of State of Maine rail lines is now available. To watch the video and learn more go to https://savemainerails.org
04/09/26 National Passenger Rail Policy Left to Local Volunteers
Just like us in MRG, Knox Ross, the chairman of the Southern Rail Commission, is a volunteer. He sometimes gets reimbursed for travel expenses if he goes to Washington, sometimes not. The other 17 members of the Commission, representing Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, are also volunteers. Yet this group of everyday citizens, some with political or government experience, pulled together and restored passenger rail service between Mobile, AL and New Orleans last year, which had been suspended 20 years prior in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Volunteers make a difference, and we hope you’ll get involved. https://www.hsrail.org/blog/national-passenger-rail-policy-left-to-local-volunteers/?emci=f4c3f1cf-1d35-f111-8ef2-000d3a14b640&emdi=077b63d6-1d35-f111-8ef2-000d3a14b640&ceid=2217544
4/2/26 Not really about trains
But this great YouTube video captures why we need to be thinking about alternatives to cars, and best of all trains!
4/1/26 Congress only proposes delusional ideas to fix the highway trust fund
We need to keep in mind that traffic on roads is being subsidized even when we ride on a train.
3/26/26 Now’s the time for Maine to extend passenger rail service
A great big thank you to Michael Johnson, a second-year student in Thomas College’s three-year bachelor’s degree program, who wrote the editorial for the Bangor Daily News. I find many of the reader comments very interesting, and wish they had spoken at the hearings last year to the legislators about why this alternative was needed!
3/21/26How Canada Is Beating the US in the Public Transportation Race
Study from McGill University shows a good feeder bus system (frequent with all day service) and political will drives LRT usage.
https://www.mironline.ca/how-canada-is-beating-the-us-in-the-public-transportation-race/
3/9/26 Rail Transit Development Hasn’t Kept Up .
In 1990, 4 of the world’s 14 longest metro networks—or those that include monorail, subway, elevated, and automated light metro—were located in the United States. Today, not a single US network sits on that list. https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/rail-transit-development-hasnt-kept-us-population-growth-heres-how-policymakers-can
Portland Station Relocation Updates
Latest news on the progress of the new station needed for Portland
Official NNEPRA report: https://www.nnepra.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-12-5-NNEPRA-PTS-Relocation-Site-Alternatives-Analysis-Summary-Report.FINAL_.pdf
Reflections from the Urbanist Coalition: https://www.urbanistportland.me/blog
Letters to the editor – Portland Press Herald 11/22/25 page A-4
About Us
MRG, Inc. is an independent all-volunteer group (501c(3) corporation), that promotes awareness of railroads' contributions to Maine's economy and their important role in moving passengers and freight.
- Advocates for railroad utilization and encourages preservation and productive use of Maine's rail system and its regional connections.
- Currently sharing legislative actions regarding the extension of passenger service from Portland to Bangor.
- Informs our members and the public of rail-related developments through emails, our bimonthly newsletter, and bi-annually updated railroad maps,
- Encourages dialogue among railroad interests, and the general public for mutual education and rail expansion opportunities through contacts with railroad and public officials, and various rail organizations throughout Northern New England
- Board Meetings are held monthly virtually - members are invited, please use contact form to receive an invite.
- Annual meeting is scheduled for the spring and combined with a train ride when possible.
- Board Meeting dates may change due to holidays and schedule conflicts, so please check ahead to confirm.
Get Involved
We are working to keep Maine moving and developing economically while keeping Maine in its natural beauty.
We are working with citizens and legislators to encourage the extension of passenger train service to Bangor so that 90% of Maine's population can be within 1 hour of train service connecting Maine together.
We are working with environmentally focused groups to preserve rail corridors. We encourage rail with trail to ensure the future use of the corridors for passenger service. This leads to economic growth, affordable development without sprawl, open land, and climate friendly transportation options.