Pan Am seeks to jettison New Hampshire branch line
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefPan Am Railways seeks permission to abandon 10 miles of railroad between Portsmouth and Hampton, N.H., noting the line has not been used in more than two years.
New Hampshire holds the right of first refusal for the line, and could railbank the route in conjunction with an adjacent portion of the route, stretching from Hampton to the Massachusetts border, which it already owns.
But communities along the line also are considering acquisition of portions of the route for non-rail purposes. Hampton, N.H., reportedly wants to use its portion of the rail line to make drainage improvements there, while nearby North Hampton are pondering a purchase to improve vehicular traffic. in order to make traffic improvements.
As well, the East Coast Greenway Alliance seeks to convert the rail into a recreational trail, adding to its system of trails designed to stretch from Maine to Florida.
North Billerica, Mass.-based Pan Am Railways operates in six northeastern states, and in conjunction with Norfolk Southern is upgrading the Patriot Corridor to better serve New England and upstate New York.
