Deputy Director, Natalie Bogart, and Grant and Compliance Manager, Catherine Davidson, represented NNEPRA at this year’s WTS Maine Chapter Annual Meeting. It was an inspiring event featuring keynote speaker Nuria Fernandez, who shared her insights on leadership and empowering women in the transportation sector.
Thank you to WTS Maine for hosting, and to Nuria Fernandez for her motivating words! Events like these highlight the importance of collaboration and mentorship.
Nuria Fernandez
ABOUT: WTS International was founded in 1977 by a group of pioneering women in transportation who realized that women’s careers would benefit from professional development, encouragement and recognition to support their advancement in transportation professions. After more than 40 years of growth and development, WTS is an international organization with more than 6500 members (including women and men) and 79 chapters. WTS is connected to a network of 40,000 transportation professionals. Join today.
On June 26th, Amtrak and the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA) gathered with state, local, and federal officials at Freeport Station to discuss the installation and impact of Positive Train Control (PTC) between Haverhill, MA and Brunswick, ME on over 100 miles of track.
What is Positive Train Control?
Positive Train Control (PTC) is an advanced system designed to automatically stop or slow down a train before certain types of accidents occur and is intended to prevent:
Train-to-train collisions
Derailments caused by excessive speed
Unauthorized train movements on tracks undergoing maintenance
Movement of trains through misaligned track switches
Timeline
Scheduled to be completed in Spring 2026, Positive Train Control (PTC) also creates opportunities for potential increases in Downeaster frequencies.
For additional details and updates, please follow NNEPRA on LinkedIn and the Downeaster on social channels and subscribe to our newsletter.
Spring brings new opportunities for our station communities to engage with residents and visitors. NNEPRA remains committed to supporting and sustaining efforts put forth by small businesses, chamber groups, tourism partners, and rail advocacy members through sponsorships, tabling, and participating in local events. View our recent list of major engagements below.
Governor’s Conference on Tourism
April 24th & 25th – Holiday Inn By The Bay – Portland, Maine
At this year’s conference, NNEPRA was proud to watchWayne Davis, of TrainRiders Northeast, receive the 2024 WelcomeME Award. His dedication to bringing passenger rail to Maine was the catalyst for the development of the Amtrak Downeaster.
TrainRiders Northeast35th Annual Meeting
April 30th – Harraseeket Inn – Freeport, Maine
Supporting the TrainRiders Northeast Annual Meeting as Platinum Sponsors, the NNEPRA team, along with partners at Amtrak and MaineDOT, gathered to celebrate the growth of passenger rail in Maine and along the Northeast Corridor.
Flying Colors – Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine Art Auction Benefit
May 10th – Portland, Maine
NNEPRA partnered with Downeaster Travel Packages to donate a curated travel package to the CMTM’s Art Auction Benefit event. The CMTM continues to bring inclusive opportunities for all children and families to experience, learn, test, and grow within their expertly designed exhibits and hands-on experiential workshops, classes, and performances.
Downtown Worker Appreciation Day
May 25th – Portland, Maine
NNEPRA, alongside transportation partners serving the greater Portland region, b2b solutions, and b2c businesses, gathered to give back to Portland’s Downtown Workforce. With a two-hour lunch window and the location set in Monument Square, hundreds of staff, residents, and visitors poured into the city center to shake off the winter blues and get ready for a busy season in Portland, Maine.
Photo: Egide Foxworth and Portland DowntownPhoto: Egide Foxworth and Portland DowntownPhoto: Egide Foxworth and Portland Downtown
