Your "Saturday Short Takes" of April 26, "Train Aficionados May Yet Be Vindicated" pokes gentle fun at us rail advocates.

Yes, we enjoy railroad history and we sometimes display rail nostalgia. Our basic concerns, however, remain public education and appreciation of railroads' roles in meeting freight and passenger transportation needs and opportunities -- today and tomorrow.

Maine just enacted the law providing funding mechanisms to support future Downeaster operations and to extend the service from Portland to Brunswick and ultimately, when it's justified by public demand, northward through Augusta and Waterville to Bangor.

Central Maine people are well- served by public officials and media who understand and promote the economic and environmental opportunities offered by modern-day rail services. In 2002, the Waterville and Augusta city councils, together with several other municipalities from Bangor to Brunswick, adopted resolutions to recognize and preserve the Portland-Brunswick-Waterville-Bangor rail corridor for future passenger service. The May 10 excursion to Augusta and meeting at Hallowell reflect continuing support for those recommendations.

MRG (Maine Rail Group) Inc. is proud of our interests in rail history and lore, but we also urge enlightenment for those mired in the concept of trains as "choo-choos" of a bygone day. The rail industry is evolving to meet transportation needs -- just as print media must adapt to electronic competition.

Meanwhile, we apologize to anyone unable to participate in the May 10 excursion because we expect the train's capacity will be fully booked by then.

Jack Sutton, president

MRG Inc./DownEast Rail