BATH

A little more light will shine on plans to extend the Downeaster from Brunswick to Rockland on Wednesday night.

Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, will present on the proposed service extension at the Bath City Council meeting set for 6 p.m. at Bath City Hall.

NNEPRA announced the creation of the Downeaster Coastal Connection back in October, but has stated little about what the extension would actually look like in the interim. The proposed pilot program would be a seasonal weekend service. The rail authority has been meeting with affected communities in recent weeks to discuss the changes.

The current Amtrak Downeaster service runs from Boston to Brunswick. The extension would continue to Rockland, with stops in Bath, Wiscasset, Newcastle and Rockland. That same route was active for 12 years under the Maine Eastern Railroad until 2015, when it was shut down. The line has continued to be used for freight.

The Downeaster currently operates three round trips between Brunswick to Boston daily and two between Portland to Boston. The extension from Brunswick to Rockland is estimated at about 2 hours, according to NNEPRA.

According to a recent NNEPRA board meeting, station communities, such as Bath, would be responsible for temporary platforms for the service. Bath has a platform from the previous passenger service.

A decision on whether to commence with a 2018 pilot program is expected in March.

nstrout@timesrecord.com