According to other internet sources, the property has been padlocked with no trespassing signs posted. Hence, Railstar has no current access to the railroad.
Jim
Railroad demise in Belfast examined
City Council public session gives residents chance to voice concerns
Wednesday, February 09, 2005 - Bangor Daily News
BELFAST - In the wake of the city canceling its lease with the Belfast &
Moosehead Lake Railroad, the foundation holding the railroad's mortgage
has taken steps to foreclose on the historic line. City Manager Terry St.
Peter confirmed Tuesday that the Unity Foundation had reasserted its
ownership of the line.
The foundation's decision was raised during a public session called by the
City Council to provide railroad supporters with an opportunity to voice
their concerns about last week's council vote to terminate the B&ML's
lease. The meeting was a work session and no formal action was taken.
The railroad defaulted on the lease in December when it failed to make
four successive payments of its monthly rent of $646.94. Not only did the
company fail to meet its payments, some of its checks were returned for
insufficient funds.
Many of those who addressed the council urged members to reconsider their
decision. Others commended members for holding the railroad to the terms
of the lease. The railroad has been a fixture on the city's waterfront
since 1870.
Unity Foundation sold the railroad to RailStar of New York two years ago
and the company had operated from the rail yard since that time. Railroad
manager Paul Hallett said the foundation automatically foreclosed on
RailStar the moment it learned the city had canceled the lease because of
the railroad's default. Hallett said the B&ML would be unable to survive
without access to its waterfront station.
"We have to keep this terminal in the package until RailStar completes its
purchase of the railroad," said Hallett. He said the B&ML would need
three years to complete the transaction.
Hallett said if the city was willing to give the railroad another three
years at the waterfront rail yard it would provide the company with the
time needed to relocate its station up the track to City Point. He said
the railroad would then be able to run passengers from City Point along
the waterfront into the downtown rail yard.
Rep. Walter Ash, D-Belfast, a former city councilor and former president
of the railroad, urged the city to consider a short-term lease with the
railroad. Ash said he took part in many discussions with railroad
management over the years and said the council should do all it could to
keep the line in Belfast.
"I feel like I kind of nurtured the thing along like a child," said Ash.
"It's a terrible thing if we lose it."
Although RailStar has operated from the rail yard since 2003, its
relationship with the city has been troubled from the start.
"For over two years they didn't just not pay their bills, they also
bounced checks, they didn't return phone calls," said Mayor Michael
Hurley.
Barry Asalone, manager of the Comfort Inn, said the railroad was a unique
attraction and served as a draw for businesses involved in the tourism
industry. While Asalone acknowledged that the 3,300 riders who took the
train last year did not represent a boom, they did contribute to a
business economy that had been "teetering" in recent years.
"The railroad gives us an opportunity to give people something to do in
Belfast," said Asalone. "You can get boats from Camden and Bar Harbor,
but we've got a railroad. It's not Acadia, it's not Disneyland but it
just gives them an option other than as just a gas station on the way to
Bar Harbor."
City resident Nina Young, whose husband is a rail buff and apparently
decided to remain home with his model trains instead of attending the
meeting, asked the council to try to work something out with the railroad.
She said it was a valuable attraction and part of the city's heritage.
"The railroad is part of Belfast's history, I think it should be part of
Belfast's future as well," said Young.
