PORTLAND — CSX Transportation will begin replacing more than 130,000 railroad ties along 124 miles of the Downeaster Corridor, from the Massachusetts state line to Brunswick, starting Tuesday, April 1, 2025, according to Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA), in a March 26 news release. Tie replacement crews will work in eight-day increments, with six-day breaks, through mid-July. 

During this time, Amtrak Downeaster trains will continue to operate daily service between Brunswick and Boston. Morning and afternoon peak-hour trains, as well as those scheduled for Boston sporting and cultural events, will operate as usual. However, some mid-day trains will be modified on workdays, with bus service substitutions at select stations. For detailed schedule information, visit AmtrakDowneaster.com. 

The tie replacement is necessary to maintain the Downeaster’s operating speed and reliability. In 2023, NNEPRA, in partnership with CSX, was awarded a competitive discretionary Federal-State Partnership grant, administered by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), to fund $27 million of the more than $35 million project. CSX Transportation is covering the remaining costs. This partnership will allow CSX to deploy resources to address additional projects along the corridor that support and improve the efficient and reliable movement of both freight and passenger trains. These projects include improvements to several grade crossings in Maine and New Hampshire, which will take place in tandem with the tie replacement. 

This project follows a successful partnership between NNEPRA and CSX to extend a passing siding between Wells and North Berwick, completed in December 2024. The next phase includes the construction of new boarding platforms connected by an overhead pedestrian bridge at Wells Station, with work underway by Great Falls Construction. Additionally, CSX is installing an upgraded railroad communication and signal system, Positive Train Control (PTC), in partnership with Amtrak. Visit NNEPRA.com for more information on NNEPRA-sponsored projects.

The Amtrak Downeaster, which set ridership and revenue records with nearly 600,000 riders in FY24, is poised for continued success.

“It’s exciting to see so many projects underway that will improve the Downeaster service and position it for growth,” said Patricia Quinn, NNEPRA Executive Director. “The short-term temporary changes and service interruptions while track work is underway will result in long-lasting improvements that will benefit the public well into the future.”