YOUR COMMENTS

Everyone is talking about how more ridership will bring the costs down. But, more ridership will never come. The MBTA trains and buses are already overfilled. They can't fit more people. And, they can't get more buses and trains because they can't afford them. Even if the MBTA could get a 10% property tax increase on all of Mass., RI., and NH, residents and somehow managed to use every penny of that money to buy more trains, it wouldn't matter. Because, the commuter rail parking lots and subway parking lots are all filled to capacity already - particularly south of Boston. Where are people going to part their cars so that they can get on the trains? The Federal Clean Air Act prevents the MBTA from building more parking spaces.

Who wants to spend 2 1/2 hours taking a train from Plaistow to Boston when they could drive the same distance in 45 - 65 mins and not have to deal with parking at a train station - that is if they can even find parking at the train station?

Is Plaistow sure that the want all the street traffic from cars coming from surrounding towns to park at their train station? Anyone telling the locals that those people will spend money is Plaistow is full of it. Look at Lowell, MA. to see the truth of the matter - people drive in and drive out as fast as they can.

Every year, the MBTA is broke. The other option, the Downeaster, is no better. It's always broke, too. Despite the fact that it gets Federal Amtrac subsidies and still can't increase ridership despite high gas prices and tax money lowered ticket prices. Subsidizing rail is just silly. Rail is a technology from 100 years ago. It's time has log ago passed.

When I took the MBTA into work today, there were delays on the Red Subway Line due to "Signal Problems". Yesterday, the MBTA commuter rail was having problems and delays due to slippery leaves on the tracks. Every day is delays, delays, delays. The MBTA is a joke. NH will regret it for generations if they let the MBTA get a foot hold in the state.

There's no need to talk about the environmental benefits of rail. Electric and Natural Gas powered cards are just around the corner. Tesla Motors and Honda are already selling them, respectively. If you're really concerned about the environment, get rid of the family dog. The family dog has a carbon footprint as large as an SUV.
- Alex, Salem, NH

People tend to forget that before the Interstate system trains moved much of the nation. It was the Interstate system that brought direct competition to the railroads. As much as the Interstate system brought in improvements of travel for the individual it killed others. Now we have a road system that is struggling to keep up with the growth that it needs to keep up with the masses of vehicles imposed upon them.
More cars means more pavement for roadways and parking lots. More pavement leeds the way to flooding and other environmental impacts. Someone mentioned a water tax. What about the infrastructure we all pay for to carry the run-off water that can't be absorbed through pavement.
The railroads in New England are not used to capacity. As urban sprawl spreads where do we build the roads. Who cries when iminent domain comes knocking at your door because your house or land is being taken for a new road project.
- Steve L, Warner NH

Wow. I have to say that I am amazed at the closed-mindedness of the anti-rail folks. The true costs of our highways is astronomical. It is not just the pavement, but the emergency services, noise and air pollution, and so on. The societal costs of our reliance on highways is very high. Not to mention our total dependence on oil, which drives our trade deficit, costs all of us money, and sends our dollars to foreign lands.

Rail is a good option. So what if you don't ride it? Others will, and it will be a great alternative for them. And it will take at least a few cars off of the road. And who knows? As rail service gets better, maybe more and more trains will result in better service, more riders, and less traffic.

Finally, someone said it costs $28 per rider for the Downeaster. No. That arguments suggests that when a new rider boards, Maine has to shell out another $28. That is not correct. As more people ride, the cost per passenger drops. It does not remain constant. Additional frequencies and more riders will drive the per passenger costs down.
- Dan, Portsmouth

Another note to Gary from Chichester,

Gary, you say,

"...the very successful Downeaster train .... It is so successful, that .... By improving the utilization of existing rail corridors, some ... daily congestion ... could be averted. ... Rail is cost-effective."

Gary, you are so far off in left field on this, I wonder if you even have a line of communication open to the real world. Here are some facts you are either ignorant of or that you choose to ignore.

First, the Downeaster is a money pit. The state of Maine last year scrambled to come up with $12 million just to keep it rolling, because (mercifully) the federal HIGHWAY funds they had been using for 6 years finally dried up.

Second, if you took all the people who ride the Downeaster off the train and put them on I-95 in single occupant vehicles, the traffic on I-95 would increase by less than one percent. In other words, the Downeaster has averted daily congestion by an amount that is less that the daily fluctuations on I-95.

Third, the cost of this imperceptible change in traffic has been borne by people who have never seen the Downeaster and who will NEVER step foot on it.

Finally, every time a passenger boards the Downeaster, it costs the residents of Maine $28 ... more than the ticket cost.

Get real Gary. the advantages of passenger rail could fit on the head of a pin.
- Gary, Concord

Anybody who watches the traffic news should clearly see that many, many workers make the daily commute from home to work (and return) using the federal, state, and local subsidized roadway system. They drive the highways because NH's politicians and others have failed to give those folks a choice. While I agree that one passenger train route would not end the near daily "parking lot" on the highways, it could help relieve some of the daily congestion. Proof that if a train were available, then passengers would use it is the very successful Downeaster train that runs from Portland, ME to Boston five round-trips a day. It is so successful, that you need to make reservations!! It could also delay the need to expand the width of I-93 that is now estimated to cost taxpayers, tollpayers, and the like nearly a BILLION dollars.
By improving the utilization of existing rail corridors, some of the daily congestion and and need to spend money on highways could be averted. There are solutions to the ownership hassle and Fink knows that as he was part of the hassle and solution negotiated over a couple of decades for the coastal train (Downeaster).
A multi-model, transportation infrastructure is the future way of traveling for both the daily and vacation passenger. It is also meets a critical need for the movement of heavy, bulky freight items as one rail car replaces a minimum of three tractor-trailers which cause serious damage to the highways and bridges it uses. Rail is cost-effective.
- Gary L. Kerr, Chichester

"Trains can move a ton of freight 423 miles on a single gallon of fuel"~CSX

Why should the gluttony of a current American's convenience needs outweigh that of tomorrows?

Affordable Mass Transit should be the keystone of our society.
- Eticus, Rochester

Note to Gary L. Kerr,

Hey Gary, if you CHOOSE to live in Chichester and work so far away from your home that a train makes sense, well then why should I give a rat's patootie what you "endure".

Tell you what Gary: If you want to stop enduring and start enjoying, move closer to your job of find a job closer to home. Walk. Ride a bike to work.

You choose to live a train ride away from your job and YOU call ME selfish. Pay your own way, crybaby.

The one and only government review of subsidies by mode of transportation concluded that highway users pay more than their share while train riders enjoy the greatest subsidy.
- A different Gary, Concord

I think if Plaistow wants passenger rail, they should have it. I want rail so I should have it too. Everybody who wants rail should get it. That's only fair. In fact, I think every town in NH should have rail that connects to every other town in NH. That only makes sense.

I think everybody should have their own helicopter and landing pad, too...you know, just in case the train is late.

I think everybody should have great health care, too. I want my own doctor. Why shouldn't I be able to have my own doctor. What if, for example, the train is late and my helicopter won't start? I wouldn't be able to get to the hospital. Aren't I entitled to good health care? I think you should have great health care. I think everybody should have great health care, whether they want it or not.

If taxes need to go up, so be it. It would be worth it. Tax water. We all need water and nobody would be able to avoid the tax.

P. S. Does anybody know where Plaistow is?
- Consumate Democrat, Gotham

Would the train be profitable? What a silly question. We are talking about a means of transportation. How profitable is route 93? How much money goes into this mode of transportation? It always amazes me how people do not realize that, just because you pay for the car itself, does not mean the ride is free (much less profitable) Roads cost money. Trains cost money. People need to get from A to B. Simple. If you do not ride the train--too bad. I do not drive on 95% of the roads in NH yet I pay for all of them.
- Dave, Derry

I'd like to know why those who post negative comments about potential commuter rail services do so. Is it because you do not have a heart or an understanding or a care about what the daily commuter endures? Is because you are so selfish that you refuse to pay a pittance for another mode of transportation? Government subsidies are given to highways, buses, airports, airplanes, etc. as NONE of them are totally self-supporting! Why denounce rail?
- Gary L. Kerr, Chichester

There are around 25,000 cars a day on Route 125 in Plaistow. If the train was wildly successful, perhaps there would be 250 riders a day, resulting in a one percent drop in traffic. The real problem is that the remaining 24,750 drivers will end up subsidizing the tickets of train riders.
Bad idea.
- Jason, Plaistow

Do people think car drivers who use gasoline powered cars should NOT be receiving subsidies from the federal government? I do not. Most people could NOT afford the real cost of gasoline.

Car drivers who use gasoline powered cars have received hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies over the years.

Do people think car drivers who use gasoline should pay the real full cost of gasoline at the pump which includes the full military cost of providing it, the full health care harm cost of providing it, and the full environmental harm cost of providing it. I do not.

Gasoline powered cars harm the health of people who have asthma and many others who have lung/heart problems increasing their health care costs by many billions of dollars a year. Pollution from gasoline powered cars harm our air, our water, and our lands.

Subsidies for car drivers who use gasoline cause harm.

Subsidies for buses, passenger rail, and freight rail reduce harm. Would people like our country to have cleaner air? Would people like our country to save many billions of dollars a year on health care?

Do people realize how much money we spend on the military so people may have gasoline in their cars? Do people realize we are spending more than 400 billion dollars a year on the military and a lot of this spending is so our country has access to oil?

Do people realize that Eisenhower removed Mossadegh from power in Iran and replaced him with the Shah because of oil? Are you happy with this? How would you like it if a foreign government removed our government from power and replaced it with a bad leader and supported that bad leader for more than 20 years?

Do people realize how much foreign oil we buy each year? Would you rather our country save billions of dollars a year on foreign oil?

Our country should drill for more oil on our lands and ocean waters. Our country should build more nuclear fission power plants. Our country should try to obtain energy from coal in ways that pollute less. Our country should spend more on solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, other energy sources, and energy transmission.

Our country should have a military tax on gasoline.

The highest federal income tax on people and businesses should NOT be greater than 15 percent. The federal government and state governments should stop taxing interest from savings accounts, dividends, capital gains, and estates.
- Ken Stremsky, Manchester, NH

Bet they'll be mystified as to why crime in Plaistow goes up.
- Mike R., Bedford

You don't really live in Bedford because if you did, you would realize that Bedford crime has gone up since we opened the high school, not the train station...
- Mary Mags, Bedford

Who is going to pay for this? Suggestions this rediculous make the idea of restricting the right to vote to tax payers seem a lot more logical.

NH does NOT have the money to do contribute to this. The majority in Concord raised the state budget $2,000,000,000 in a severe recession and still haven't found a way to pay for widening I93.

The other option is to steal taxpayer money via the federal government. I am sure carol shea porter can be easily talked into earmaking money for this during her last term in office.

How about if a private company can build and operate the rail in a profitiable manner we let them? If it is not profitable we do not need it. The governmen is supposed to empower and enable us, not give us a money nipple to suck upon freely.
- Michael Layon, Derry

Somebody help me. MBTA does not make money in Mass. even with all the people there. What trains make money. This will be another tax payer subsidized project that the developer will walk away with the only profit ever.
Here's a deal - If Plaistow wants it and pays all cost to build and run it then Plaistow can keep every penny of profit. If the town can't buy into that then they know it will be a tax drain for the state but don't want to admit it.
- Jim, Loudon

Alex, if you're done ranting now....the MBTA and the Commuter Rail are different organizations. I've been taking the Commuter Rail almost every day for 5 years, and have seen but a handful of delays that you speak of. You've obviously never taken it, because there IS NO other faster and more efficient way to get downtown. And all the crime everyone always says will come? It's all in your head. I've never experienced, nor heard of any in the 5 years I've been on it.
- Commuter, Merrimack, NH

The more user friendly public transportation is a great idea.

Bring it on
- Harry, Atkinson

This is a really bad idea. I have to take the MBTA to work every day. It's always late, continually breaking down with signal problems, disabled trains, and accidents due to operator error. No one even expects it to run with in an hour of its schedule on a day when a drop of rain or snow flake hits the ground.

Beyond that, the MBTA is the only rail system in the country that still uses 2 employees to operate a single subway train. The 2nd employee is completely unnecessary but is protected by the Carman's union. The MBTA employees can retire at 38 years of age with a full pension and health benefits for life. The MBTA is always running out of money and over budget for everything they do because of exorbitant compensation for low skilled low intelligence employees. They've been talking about canceling rail service because they can't afford to provide it. And people think NH citizens can make transportation decisions that involve counting on the MBTA?

Everyone is Mass. hates the MBTA and that they're forced to take it due to the Federal Clean Air Act and a lack of parking in the Boston area.

Let's face facts here - if commuter rail comes to NH the only thing it will bring is higher taxes. There will be no faster more efficient way to get to work. There will be no cost savings for commuters. There will only be another Union with a strangle hold over New Hampshire Tax payers. And, New Hampshire will pay through the nose for the privileged of working to serve the union's needs.

Look at Rhode Island. That state is a disaster. The only thing bringing commuter rail to RI did was enrich the contractors who built the stations and laid the track. Everyone who was expected to use commuter rail fled the state because of the tax burden there. Now, the state is second only to MI in economic misery.

NO COMMUTER RAIL FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE! ESPECIALLY, NOT UNION RUN RAIL!
- Alex, Salem, NH

Extending the MBTA line to Plaistow appears at face to solve problems for everyone on both sides of the border. Route 125 during rush hour and weekends is a mess between Plaistow and I-495 and it appears that widening the road is limited due to the close proximity of homes and businesses. Residents in Bradford are trying to sue to MBTA as the current rail yard is in a residential neighborhood. Thus, if a new rail yard can be built in an industrial section of Plaistow, it would solve a problem for the MBTA and get some cars off the road on Route 125. As the rail line itself here is active (Amtrak Downeaster), the only cost should be the rail yard and station itself. Not sure if the same can be said about the coastal route (Newburyport to Portsmouth) as I don’t think the rail line is active north of Newburyport and it would thus cost a lot more money.
- Will, Salem NH

This should be an easy build......one way for people leaving Plaistow; who actually wants to go there. MBTA in NH- what are you all smoking over there.
- Chester, Londondery

Come to think of it...I thought Plaistow WAS in Massachusetts...
- JB, NB, NH

Commuter rail to Plaistow would certainly be a step forward, but Plaistow is very far from the Manchester-Nashua and Manchester-Salem corridors so it wouldn't open ALL of Southern NH for commuter rail. More service is still needed in these heavily populated corridors.
- Mike, Bedford

This is great news for Plaistow, it will really help them out. And it is good for the MBTA. Good luck!
- Art, Portsmouth

Bet they'll be mystified as to why crime in Plaistow goes up.
- Mike R., Bedford

Sounds great but how does the cost of rail extension compare with road (Rte 125) widening? Is peak traffic on Route 125 on weekday communter rush hours or on Saturday? If Saturday, a commuter train won't really help. Does it prevent the need for road widening or only defer it a few years? Would another extension up to Newton Junction or Depot Road in East Kingston defer the need to widen Route 125 even further? Would going all the way up to Exeter push up the ridership enough that a smaller subsidy would actually be needed? Are the zoning laws in the communities near the tracks strict enough to prevent the large scale infusion of low income housing that tends to bring in the crime?
- Jim, Manchester

Sounds like another choo-choo fantasy.

"The service would also "open up intermodal transportation, help plug Plaistow and the southern New Hampshire region into metro Boston commerce, education, technology, art and culture, and open up interstate commerce opportunities for the region," Fitzgerald said."

If you want "Boston culture" then move to MA. Keep it out of NH as much as possible! We have our own, thanks!
- Rick, Hampton

Its a shame they cannot open up the old rails past Newburyport to Hampton and Exeter. Those rails over the marsh offer breathtaking views.

This is a great move for Plaistow and adjoining communities.
- Eticus, Rochester

The only way that a collaborative effort with the MBTA to bring commuter rail to Plaistow would not be a drain on the NH taxpayers is to have Plaistow secede to MA, which now that I think about it may not be a bad idea. Time to let this one rest for good Plaistow or become part of the Commonwealth.
- David, Merrimack

I think it would be a smart (and profitable) move for MBTA to extend rail service into NH. I wish the Newburyport line extended up to Portsmouth. I use the Downeaster out of Exeter occasionally, but the schedule times are few and far between.
- Jason, Portsmouth