The Wells Area Improvement Project is underway. The Project has two major elements:
Extend the existing 2-mile passing siding track in Wells six-miles.
Construct a boarding platform adjacent to the second track at Wells Station and an elevated pedestrian bridge to provide grade-separated passenger access to/from both tracks.
These elements will improve reliability and schedule flexibility of both the Amtrak Downeaster and freight trains and will eventually support the addition of a 6th daily Downeaster round-trip between Wells and Brunswick, Maine.
Project Milestones
Date
Goal
Spring 2024
CSX begins work on siding track construction
February 2024
Platform/pedestrian bridge design finalized
Project Budget
The total project budget is $31,095,403.
Seventy-three percent of the total is being paid for through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement Grant awarded to NNEPRA by the Federal Railroad Administration in 2019 matched by a 20 percent contribution from the Maine Department of Transportation and six and a half percent contribution from CSX .
Project Photos
July 2024- To date, RJ Corman has constructed 6,000 track feet (TF) of skeletonized trackJuly 2024- RJ Corman laying ties on the ballast subbase, with two tie plates, both strings of continuously welded rail, gaged to proper width, and securely fastened with spikes.
July 2024- RJ Corman has approximately 3,000 TF single plated of ties laid out.
May 2024- RJ Corman’s crew laying out ties.May 2024- Track construction is underway on Wells Siding.
January 2023- The CSX Rail Train being positioned to begin offloading more rail.
January 2023- The CSX Rail Train carrying 115lb continuously welded rail.January 2023- Crews offloading the rail in Wells.January 2023- The CSX Rail Train arrives at CPF 228 carrying 115lb continuously welded rail that will extend the existing siding six miles between Wells, ME and North Berwick, ME.September 2022- Final culvert.September 2022- Construction of culvert wingwall. August 2022- Precast concrete culvert being set and connected.August 2022- Precast concrete culvert being set.August 2022- CPM Construction crews continues work on the Wells culvert repair.July 2022- Crews driving sheet piles into the ground using a vibrating hammer.July 2022- HP Fleming driving sheet piles for the culvert rehabilitation east of Varney’s crossing in Berwick, ME.April 2022- Pan Am signal department covering conduit for new interlocking.April 2022- Pan Am signal department installing electrical conduit.April 2022- Shaw Brothers Construction cutting sub grade.March 2022- Shaw Brothers Construction cutting sub grade for the new siding track before placing ballast.March 2022- Shaw Brothers Construction and Beaulieu Logging chipping trees along the railroad right-of-way.March 2022- Tree clearing, Berwick MaineFebruary 2022- Project survey team