Who wants to carpool to the lake?

[Excalibur]

When will trains start bringing people to the lakes region again? With the rising cost of fuel we will need to find alternative or more efficient ways to arrive in the Lakes Region. We need to save the gas for the GO FAST boat..

[andyporter]

When ya wanna go?

[AC2717]

I come up from RI and work in Quincy, MA take a half day on Fridya and I am up to the LAke by 2 latest, where you coming from exactly?

[CanisLupusArctos]

Originally Posted by Excalibur

When will trains start bringing people to the lakes region again? With the rising cost of fuel we will need to find alternative or more efficient ways to arrive in the Lakes Region. We need to save the gas for the GO FAST boat..

See the web site for the NH Railroad Revitalization Association. The tracks exist from Boston to Lincoln (passing through Laconia/Meredith) and also from Boston to North Conway. Both sets of tracks are still in use except for a few miles of the Boston-N Conway line between Ossipee and Conway. The problem is, they're 25-mph tracks (mostly) and need to be upgraded before passenger trains could run at a worthwhile speed. It can be done, just as it was when they upgraded the tracks for the Downeaster's service which began in 2002 (which was recently approved for 79 mph, upgraded from 59 mph when it first started) but the problem is the cost. If enough people support it, it'll happen... but that's the real hurdle, is getting enough people to support it and promise to ride it regularly when it's done.

The NHRRA is in the process of establishing passenger rail service from Boston to Nashua by next year, with extension to Manchester the year after that, and to Concord in 3 years. Gov. Lynch has been a railroad supporter while in office, and is a proponent of the Boston-Concord project.

[sa meredith]

You know, you may have been joking about car pooling, but I have often thought a "Shared Ride" section on this forum may be of some use.
I make the drive to Exit 23 every Thursday night at 8:30PM, almost always alone in an SUV, and have thought if someone ever asked for a ride, I'd be happy to have them. There must be instances were a husband/wife have a chance to get a jump on their trip north, but one person has to work an extra day So the free parent grabs the kids and takes off, leaving the other to drive another day alone, thus leaving the family with two vehicles at the lake, when only one was needed.
I would bet a "Shared Ride Section" where people posted their need for rides on certain days would actually see some use. Maybe/ maybe not. I often have foolish ideas.

[dpg]

Originally Posted by AC2717

I come up from RI and work in Quincy, MA take a half day on Fridya and I am up to the LAke by 2 latest, where you coming from exactly?

I believe the original poster was joking.

[AC2717]

Originally Posted by dpg

I believe the original poster was joking.

Naw really, no kidding,
but that is my trip every weekend.

[Excalibur]

I also have a SUV and drive up from Boston on Friday eves and return Sunday night or Monday Morning From June-Sept. If someone else does something similar we should talk.

My excuse for the SUV is so I can tow the boat, and its 8 years old. So getting a econo box seems to be the expensive option having a few cars. I also take the train to work.

I am glad to see the trains are being pushed again instead of a 14 billion dollar highway system..

A Boston to Lincoln train would be a great accomplishment again, even though they had it 100 years ago. A high speed rail would be nice. I would take it up skiing in the winter and to the lake in the summer.

[CanisLupusArctos]

Originally Posted by Excalibur

I am glad to see the trains are being pushed again instead of a 14 billion dollar highway system..

A Boston to Lincoln train would be a great accomplishment again, even though they had it 100 years ago. A high speed rail would be nice. I would take it up skiing in the winter and to the lake in the summer.

Funny you should mention high speed rail. The former Northern RR (Concord to Lebanon via Franklin) is one of the Fed's designated high speed rail corridors. It was in use for freight until 10 or 20 years ago. When Guilford Transportation abandoned it, they tore up the tracks for re-use and the State of NH (smartly) bought the corridor. There are groups out there that are trying to push for the installation of high speed rail on the corridor, which would run between Boston and Montreal.

In Maine there is currently a study underway to determine how many people would use a train between Portland and Fryeburg (right near N. Conway.) The line is the same one that extends through Crawford Notch and is owned by the States of Maine and NH. People are guessing that IF Maine decides to start train service on their part of the line, it would quickly be extended to North Conway by demand. On a recent visit to Whitefield I found many people up there are pushing for at least a return to freight service on the line so that all the big trucks will stop clogging/tearing up their roads.

For anyone interested, there's a great book that gives the basics of the rail system in Northern New England... which lines are still in place, which ones are abaondoned, still in use, etc... Look for "The Rail Lines of Northern New England." It's got historic and current photos... pretty fascinating for everyone including history buffs.

[John A. Birdsall]

In 1908 the trains brought the material to the West side of Alton Bay near Mt Major, along with the people who built the cottage. There was no road as I understand it on the East side of the lake. Oh yeah, this was in the winter and everything had to be brought accross the lake on ICE.

[Merrymeeting]

Someone may have been kidding, but I've often thought this would be a good option to have with 5 family members and 3 teens who always have different sports schedules on weekends.

Excalibur, we may be able to help on occasion, or ask for it. I head up most weeks on Thursday night, coming back on Monday mornings, from Marlborough.

Also have other extended family members coming up/down 495 to the Alton area on Friday evenings and Sunday nights.

[fatlazyless]

WBZ television, also known as CBS-4 in Boston, Massachusetts, had a piece on tonight's six o'clock news about vacation spots that are less than one tank of gasoline away. And it was all photographed in Meredith with video shots of Meredith Bay, the Inn at Church Point, the Inn at Bay Point, and the picturesque, quasi-antiquated Meredith Mobil gas station.

The Concord Trailways bus no longer uses the Irving gas station, formerly Wallace's, as a bus stop. For years, that was the Meredith bus stop on the route from Berlin to Boston. Not sure where the Trailways bus stops in Meredith now.

Gasoline will have to sell for something like $6.50/gallon before people would leave their cars and take a train from Boston to Lincoln, NH. Then, what do you do in Lincoln, NH, when you get there without a car?

Most American's cars have an automatic transmission because people do not want a manual transmission with a clutch pedal. In Europe, 80% of cars have manuals because they use less gas, while in America something like 90% have automatics which need a bigger engine. If people do not want a manual transmission, then how you gonna get them to take the train?

Watched a Ford f-350 run up a $105. gas fill-up at the Center Harbor, Irving gas station, this morning..... $105....ouch....that's a lot of torque for a regular driver!

[sa meredith]

Merrymeeting..
I had posted that earlier in the thread. I agree with you. Although I would have no idea how to start it, I think someone should create a "Shared Ride" section on this forum. Simply a place where a member can leave a day and time they are looking for a ride (to or from), where from and exactly where to. I wouldn't think it very conveniet for someone with a place in Meredith to drive someone to Wolfeboro, so exactly where a person was headed would be very important info. Although, personally, I would never need a ride, I would be happy to drive someone on one of my many solo trips on Thursday nights.
Just a thought...

[idigtractors]

Originally Posted by AC2717

I come up from RI and work in Quincy, MA take a half day on Fridya and I am up to the LAke by 2 latest, where you coming from exactly?

Furnace Brook, how about picking up myself, wife, 3 kids and our 2 Golden's. We usually leave at 11 AM on Fridays, but if it is a bit later that would be OK. Oh, I forgot and sometimes my mother-in-law.

[AC2717]

Originally Posted by idigtractors

Furnace Brook, how about picking up myself, wife, 3 kids and our 2 Golden's. We usually leave at 11 AM on Fridays, but if it is a bit later that would be OK.

I am right in Quincy ceter beside the post office. I think that car pool would be a little full

Not a bad idea, my wife always has fridays off during the summer, seriously let me know if you are ever heading up mid day on a Friday my half days get out at 11:15. My place is in Laconia

[dpg]

Originally Posted by AC2717

Naw really, no kidding,
but that is my trip every weekend.

I said the original poster, AC not you. That would be Excaliber.

[codeman671]

I'll take a ride too, myself, my wife, 2 kids, 4 dogs and a cat. Every Friday afternoon!

[sa meredith]

Yeah, funny stuff...not exactly what I had in mind. But, actually, suppose one day your wife, kids, dogs and mother in law had the chance to leave on Wednesday (or whatever the case may be). Woundn't it be nice if the person left behind could just grab a ride rather than bring another vehicle? Maybe not.
Perhaps it is a foolish idea. Oh well....

[tricia1218]

Not a foolish idea at all. We carpool with neighbors, cousins, whoever, when riding up for the weekends. Gas prices do not seem to be letting up, you will see alot more people looking into the carpool option this summer.

[AC2717]

Originally Posted by tricia1218

Not a foolish idea at all. We carpool with neighbors, cousins, whoever, when riding up for the weekends. Gas prices do not seem to be letting up, you will see alot more people looking into the carpool option this summer.

I think it is a great idea and maybe there could be something in the classifieds to this affect. or maybe we coudl set up a post, Something like, Hey I need a ride to tlake ON friday at this time, anyone in the area?
WE do not have any crazys here right?

[CanisLupusArctos]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

WBZ television, also known as CBS-4 in Boston, Massachusetts, had a piece on tonight's six o'clock news about vacation spots that are less than one tank of gasoline away. And it was all photographed in Meredith with video shots of Meredith Bay, the Inn at Church Point, the Inn at Bay Point, and the picturesque, quasi-antiquated Meredith Mobil gas station..

Then, what do you do in Lincoln, NH, when you get there without a car?

If people do not want a manual transmission, then how you gonna get them to take the train?

One of CBS4's reporters (Karen Anderson) used to have a place in Moultonborough on the lake. So, I am not surprised when they do stories up here. She probably misses it!

On trains and "What do do when you get there," Trains encourage something we need a LOT more of in this country: Walking. It seems we can't turn on the news without hearing another story about how bad the overweight/heart disease/diabetes problem in this country is becoming. When in Europe once I started to lose weight after all the walking I did to/from train stations. It doesn't take too much work to turn an ordinary town into a walker/bicycle friendly town. When the trains welcome bikes on board (like the Downeaster does) people take their 10-speeds with them.

I agree that the current generation will probably not want to give up the automatic transmission cars they grew up with. Changes happen slowly as new generations have to deal with problems. At UNH right now, they've seen a huge rise in student ridership on the Downeaster. It saves students the hassle of keeping a car on campus and now with gas and rising tuition/fees stretching students' budgets thin, the train has become a much cheaper alternative for them. When they graduate, they'll be deep in debt unless they're really lucky, so they're likely to continue the train habit - especially if the cost of driving keeps rising faster than their pay. When they realize trains (and other forms of mass transit) don't serve the places they regularly go, they'll push for expansion of the system.

Economic revitalization groups would also likely get involved, because trains create foot traffic near stations, and foot traffic is a lot more likely to window-shop than car traffic. It could lead to a resurgence of "mom & pop" storefronts. In New Hampshire's case, there are a few entire towns that could see revitalization from railroads - the same ones that suffered decline when the railroads were abandoned.

[froggy]

Originally Posted by CanisLupusArctos

One of CBS4's reporters (Karen Anderson) used to have a place in Moultonborough on the lake. So, I am not surprised when they do stories up here. She probably misses it!

SURE, and retired meteorologist Don Kent used to be on WBZ radio and WBZ TV Chanel 4, then an NBC affiliate. He lived in Weymouth and I lived in neighboring town. When he moved to Sanbornton, we worked part time at WLNH radio.

[EricP]

I drive from Meredith to Beverly, MA every Monday AM and return Thursday evening, if anyone ever needs a lift I am happy to have a passenger.