Maine Eastern Railroad Readies for 2006 New England Fall Foliage Rush
As the leaves begin to fall from the trees, Maine Eastern Railroad is getting ready for the fall foliage rush. Maine's autumn leaves are one of its major tourist attractions and this year is expected to be as vivid as ever.
Rockland, ME (PRWEB) October 8, 2006
As the leaves begin to fall from the trees, Maine Eastern Railroad is getting ready for the fall foliage rush.
Seemingly, everyone is calling to find out when peak foliage will occur. According to Juanita Roberts, reservations manager for the passenger excursion service, calls are up and on the increase.
"We're way over last year at this time," stated Roberts. She claims her challenge is to try to estimate the most opportune time for people to see the best foliage, without overfilling seats on the train on any
Given day.
Fortunately for the railroad and for the rest of the businesses up and down the mid-coast, the colors tend to spread themselves out over a period of time.
Although trees in some areas of the state are showing evidence of reduced chlorophyll, the unrivaled show along the 57 mile stretch of railroad track between Brunswick and Rockland is expected to gradually move to peak color in the 2nd and 3rd week of October.
According to Maine's official fall foliage website, a well-fed forest and cooperative weather in recent weeks has led to a great start for the annual spectacle. State wide foliage conditions will be updated every Wednesday through October 18, on www. mainefoliage. com.
Maine Eastern Railroad is expected to operate through the end of October. Roberts said, "As long as the leaves are on the trees and demand remains high, the train will continue to run." Due to a later than average leaf drop last year, the train ran into November.
This year, above average rainfall during the spring and early summer has resulted in a healthy tree canopy in each of the state's seven foliage tracking zones, and cooler than normal temperatures during August are contributing to the early transformation of color in the state's 52 native species of leaf-producing trees.
In a quote from mainefoliage. com, Governor John Baldacci said, "Maine's foliage is one of our major tourist attractions," adding, "I encourage everyone to get outdoors and enjoy the beautiful pictures painted on nature's palette during the fall."
Currently, state forest and park rangers are reporting low leaf color, or less than 30 percent toward peak, in the tracking zones covering all of extreme northern Maine and the western mountain zone.
Mid-coast and south coastal Maine, Zone 1, is expected to be especially vivid this year.
"Regardless of the timing of the changing of the colors," Roberts said, "everything is nice to look at while riding the rails, including the views of the coastal scenery along the way." She said, "Watching the world go by from the comfort of an overstuffed, reclining seat is the most stress-free way to travel."
For more information, visit www. maineeasternrailroad. com, or call the Maine Eastern reservations line at 866-MERAILS, or 207.596.6725.
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