PORTLAND

The board overseeing Amtrak’s Brunswick to Boston passenger rail line is mulling how many nonprofit groups will be allowed to use the train as a fundraiser.

According to NNEPRA Chairman Martin Eisenstein, a new policy will determine how much the rail authority can or cannot do to assist nonprofits that use the train as a fundraising tool.

There is a charge for a nonprofit to rent the train, which is paid for through ticket sales. However, it takes NNEPRA staff time and effort to coordinate the increasingly popular events. NNEPRA is also concerned about other factors, including weather and repairs should a train break down during a fundraiser.

“We need to establish a policy to ensure we’re serving our own masters, which is the public,” Eisenstein said during Monday’s NNEPRA board meeting.

Nonprofits that use the Downeaster include Tri- County Literacy, which used the Downeaster for the first time in December as its Candy Cane Train, providing holiday train rides between Brunswick and Portland. For the previous 10 years, Tri-County rented a train from the Maine Eastern Railroad. When Maine Eastern lost its lease to use the train tracks, the Downeaster stepped in.

The event raises funds that cover up to one-third of Tri-County’s yearly operating costs, according to Executive Director Deb Nowak

“It really is our only fundraiser,” Nowak told NNEPRA members.

The Sparkle Express also utilizes the Downeaster in order to bring holiday shoppers to Freeport, helping to bolster the town as a tourist destination, according to a Freeport USA representative.

More nonprofit groups are contacting the rail authority for similar fundraisers, according to NNEPRA Executive Director Patricia Quinn, who is charged with drafting the policy.

After the meeting, Quinn said it is important to balance the needs of rail commuters with nonprofits.

“We just want to be thoughtful about it,” Quinn said.

The board’s next meeting is Feb. 27.

lconnell@timesrecord.com