Before daily passenger service begins between Brunswick and Rockland, and even before weekend excursions begin between those two communities, Midcoast Rail Service is planning demonstration runs between Bath and Wiscasset, maybe later this month.
"This is an experiment to test the market," said Mid Coast Vice President George Betke. "[It's to] see how the public responds and the community responds."
At the Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland earlier this month, Midcoast took 628 people on 12 mile round trips between Rockland and Warren on its self-propelled rail car.
"We were very happy with it," Betke said.
Later this fall, Midcoast may run weekend excursions along the entire, 57 miles of track between Rockland and Brunswick. However, before regular, daily service can begin, Betke said Midcoast still needs to work with Amtrak on the availability of the Brunswick train platform, and joint ticketing.
