Another New Hampshire Stop Added to Proposed Boston-to-Montreal Train
Not only is a proposed plan to create an overnight train from Boston to Montreal still alive, but an extra stop in New Hampshire is now on the table.
According to a report in New Hampshire Business Review, North Stratford would be among the towns included. It would utilize the town’s former Grand Truck Railroad station
In addition to stops in seven Canadian towns, the train would also stop in Auburn, Portland, and Old Orchard Maine, as well as Berlin, Gorham, and Durham, New Hampshire, after making its way through Massachusetts’ North Shore.
A Canadian official told the Review that the North Stratford stop came after significant interest from one of New Hampshire’s funniest-sounding towns, Dixville Notch. But management at the Notch’s Balsams Grand Resort might be laughing all the way to the bank if the plan works out.
Officials cautioned, however, that significant upgrades to existing rails would be needed for the project to come to fruition. Though currently strong enough to handle freight trains, tracks would need to be reinforced to allow passenger trains to travel over them.
Don’t take it personally; it has less to do with weight and more to do with the faster speed at which passenger trains travel. At the same time, planners were quick to note that this train wouldn’t necessarily be as fast as, say, the Accela. After all, it is a night train, allowing passengers to sleep until they arrive in Canada or back in Boston.
When first proposed in the fall, it was stated the trip would last approximately 14 hours.