The idea of private passenger rail in N.H. is very unusual, but not impossible

nhbiz4rail General, In the Media

The idea of private passenger rail in N.H. is very unusual, but not impossible

Boston Surface Railroad Co. hopes to open the line from Worcester, Mass., to Providence, R.I., in 2018. Its website shows this map, which doesn’t indicate anything about a line north to Bedford. Courtesy of Boston Surface Railroad Co.

It might seem crazy that a private company says it wants to operate passenger train service in New Hampshire’s Merrimack River valley – an idea that has been fiercely debated for decades – by running on a different company’s tracks.

It’s not crazy at all: Just look east.

Read more

Privately funded passenger rail pitched for southern NH

nhbiz4rail General, In the Media

Privately funded passenger rail pitched for southern NH


Boston Surface Railroad Company of Rhode Island is hoping to bring privately funded passenger rail service from Bedford to Worcester, Mass. (Kimberly Houghton/Correspondent)

NASHUA — Boston Surface Railroad Company of Rhode Island is in the early stages of planning to bring privately funded passenger rail service from Bedford to Worcester, Mass., with potential stops in Nashua and Lowell, Mass.

City officials will be presented with a proposal on Tuesday to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the railroad company and the other communities to promote and facilitate the plan.

Read more

Counterpoint: The Positive Effects of Rail

nhbiz4rail General, In the Media, Letters
Cafe La Reine

New Hampshire Magazine

It invites more people to stay, work, and play here

The Politics column in the July issue titled “Corporate Rail” attempted to cast an investment in commuter rail expansion from Boston to Nashua and Manchester as “subsidizing big business” simply because of the proximity of station locations to large businesses such as Dyn and BAE Systems. The author asks why the state should support businesses that are “doing just fine,” questions whether people from the Upper Valley or Lakes Region would ride the train, asks if it’s worth providing support for our regional airport or if it would make working in New Hampshire more attractive for young workers. As a 20-something small business owner with peers in Boston who long to live and work in the Granite State, I think I have a unique perspective missing from that column.

Read more

Passenger rail would boost local economy

nhbiz4rail General, In the Media, Letters

homepage logo

Nashua Telegraph – In the early ’80s, I lived in the Boston area. The Red Line subway was being extended from Harvard Square to three new stations, ending at Route 2 near Arlington, Mass. At the end of the line, a large parking garage was built, including electric car charging stations. After the extension was completed, I witnessed rapid economic growth near every new subway station: new stores, restaurants and offices. Property values also increased.

In Nashua, we have been fighting to get Boston commuter rail extended to our city. I strongly believe that extending commuter rail to Nashua and also to the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport would bring rapid economic growth and attract new employers to our cities. If we built it, the businesses will come, adding jobs and improving our tax base

Read more

Supporters of commuter rail in NH not giving up, despite funding cut

nhbiz4rail General, In the Media
Rail Crossing

Union Leader – NASHUA – One week after the Senate voted against restoring funding for the New Hampshire Capitol Corridor rail expansion projet, supporters say they are planning the next phase of their efforts.

“I have been working on this project since 2007. We have jumped over some major, major hurdles to move the project forward, so we are not giving up,” said Michael Izbicki, chairman of the New Hampshire Rail Transit Authority.

Read more

Another View – Mike Izbicki: NH should take a step forward on Capitol Corridor Project

nhbiz4rail General, Letters

Union Leader – If you were a business owner considering making a critical investment in your business that could deliver tremendous returns, would you do your due diligence or pass up the opportunity? New Hampshire is faced with that very question this week as the Senate debates the fate of passenger rail expansion from Boston and the hundreds of millions of dollars in economic benefits and the thousands of jobs that come with it.

The state Senate Transportation Committee is currently deciding whether to reintroduce the Capitol Corridor rail expansion project into the state’s 10-Year Transportation Improvement Plan. If the state wants to develop a specific strategy for implementing rail expansion, it must reinstate the project and authorize the use of toll credits, which can be used to access existing federal funds to pay for the entire project development phase at no cost to taxpayers.

Read more

NH should hop on rail expansion

nhbiz4rail General, In the Media, Letters

Nashua Telegraph – If you were a business owner considering making a critical investment in your business that could deliver tremendous returns, would you do your due diligence or pass up the opportunity? New Hampshire is faced with that very question this week as the Senate debates the fate of passenger rail expansion from Boston and the hundreds of millions of dollars in economic benefits and the thousands of jobs that come with it.

The New Hampshire Senate Transportation Committee is currently deciding whether to re-introduce the New Hamsphire Capitol Corridor Rail Expansion Project into the state’s Ten-Year Transportation Improvement Plan. If the state wants to develop a specific strategy for implementing rail expansion, it must re-instate the project and authorize the use of toll credits, which can be used to access existing federal funds to pay for the entire project development phase at no cost to taxpayers.

Read more