Do you think southern Maine needs commuter rail service?
Pamela Elwell, 49, Limington
“I travel the Westbrook, Standish, Gorham, Portland area all the time and between 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. it’s always congested, so they have to do something about it. If it was brought up our way, I sure would travel by rail, especially with gas prices the way they are.”
Christine Capeyron, 58, Windham
“Yes. The state of Maine needs more public transportation. In Europe, mass transit is so efficient and very affordable. You don’t really need to have a car. And parking in Europe is a real issue and getting to be the same way here. So commuter rail is a great idea.”
Eunice Norris, 40, Bridgton
“I say no. It’s hard enough to get around this place than adding something else to it. I think we should leave it as it is.”
Wilbur Black, 95, Windham
“I was born right up on the Mountain Division Trail in Baldwin. It would be nice to have the commuter rail but the expense would be quite a lot to start it up again. It would be wiser to extend it up to Lewiston or down the coast. I’d think the state would get a lot more benefit out of the money they’d spend doing that. But I hardly think the Mountain Division Trail would be worthwhile. It’s been abandoned so long it would be like building anew.”
Henry Hamilton, 61, Otisfield
“I lived abroad for 22 years so I just love traveling by train. I would love the opportunity to travel by train again without having to go to far-off lands. I’d like to see the line go right to Quebec.
Scott Paradis, 23, Windham
“My suggestion is to use it for summertime tourists, especially for the Sebago Lake region. Other times of the year, there wouldn’t be enough usage to justify it.”
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