NASHUA – With conversations ongoing about the potential Capitol Corridor commuter rail project connecting Boston to Nashua, freight trains continue to chug along the tracks crossing Main Street at the north end of downtown every now and again.

However, New Hampshire Railroad Revitalization Association President Peter Griffin said rail service, even the freight variety, is almost extinct in the Granite State.

“As far as miles on the ground, our rail network has shrunk to almost nothing,” Griffin said. “We can’t look at just passenger service for New Hampshire to be economically competitive.”

“We have to have freight rail operation in New Hampshire also to attract business by giving them choice, and that’s what we demand in our life, choice,” Griffin added.

Existing Nashua Rail Lines

While rarely used, Nashua does have two active rail lines that pass through the city, both of which are owned by Pan Am Railways Inc. New Hampshire Department of Transportation Railroad Inspector John Robinson said freight trains from all over the country utilizing these rail lines shipping a variety of different supplies.

“I would say at a minimum, once a week would be a safe assumption,” Robinson said of how often the existing lines are used.

When it comes to the safety of these tracks, he said by federal regulation, Pan Am is required to inspect their own tracks. However, Robinson looks at the particular line in Nashua, perhaps a couple times a year, in its entirety.

In an email, Pan Am Railways Executive Vice President Cynthia Scarano said conditions of the rail lines in Nashua support the level of freight traffic that is currently transported over them, and are in compliance with all applicable safety regulations.

Robinson said the railroad sets the classification by federal standards and are then required to maintain that classification. The line that runs up to Concord is a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Class 1, which allows for a max speed of 10 mph.

Robinson said it is conceivable that the line to Concord could allow passenger services, but not to exceed 15 mph.

As far as what is hauled up and down the tracks through the city, New Hampshire Department of Transportation Railroad Planner Lou Barker said the trains are flexible, depending on what business is tied to the tail, so to speak. He said he’s pretty sure there’s a good bit of cement that comes up to Bow, along with some other various building materials.

“There’s a calcium chloride for road surfacing that’s delivered to Concord,” Barker said.

Potential For Passenger Rail

Relative to the proposed commuter rail service taking people up to Concord, Robinson said since Pan Am is the owner of the tracks, company officials would certainly have a say in such a plan.

“I know there’s been interest by other parties in maybe establishing a service. But, again, as the track owner, Pan Am would have the final say on that and be involved with that development,” Robinson said.

In an email, Scarano said with any conversion of a rail line from light density freight traffic to passenger service, substantial initial investment would be required to rehabilitate the line. After doing so, she said there would be significant annual operating costs that would need to be entity by the entity providing the passenger service or be subsidized by the state of New Hampshire.

“The (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) has certain rights to provide commuter rail service on the line to Concord, provided that the MBTA is willing to make the initial rehabilitation investment and provide the necessary annual subsidy to support the service,” Scarano said via email. “As a result, if the MBTA elected to utilize its rights and make the necessary investment, Pan Am would work cooperatively with them on a plan to implement such service.”

Griffin describes the Amtrak Downeaster on the Seacoast of New Hampshire as a success story, citing that 500,000 people are carried along that track annually.

“It’s spawned economic development in downtown Dover, a catalyst for the remaking of their downtown, and the University of New Hampshire uses it as a marketing tool to attract faculty and students,” Griffin said.

However, Scarano said the Downeaster shows how difficult it is to convince New Hampshire to support rail services.

“As the Downeaster has shown, New Hampshire has historically been adverse to investing in passenger rail, particularly the ongoing subsidies,” she said.

While some have concerns that a commuter passenger rail would only make it easier for Granite Staters to flood into Massachusetts for work, Griffin said the opposite may also occur. He said people living in Boston may eventually take advantage of commuting to work in New Hampshire while shedding light on how that same situation is being seen in Stamford, Connecticut and White Plains, New York.

“We have the same symbiotic relationship to Boston from White Plains, (New York) and Stamford, (Connecticut) to New York City,” Griffin said.

He said New Hampshire can capitalize on Boston’s hot market in a similar fashion and draw businesses to relocate further north.

“New Hampshire is the only state in the union, including Alaska and Hawaii, that does not have a state funded rail component as part of a balanced transportation system,” Griffin said.

He said at one point in time, New Hampshire had many more rail connectivity points than today, with about 24 points of rail access connected with various states, which allowed the state to connect with Canada. He said right now, there is nothing connecting to Vermont or through Vermont to Canada.

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