Rhode Island towns are the latest to speak out against a proposed Amtrak route that would connect Old Saybrook to Rhode Island and shorten the train trip between Washington, D.C. and Boston by about 30 minutes.
But that also means cutting through shoreline towns.
Old Lyme is making sure federal railroad regulators know they're not on-board with the plan.
"Whether the line goes up 500 feet or goes up a quarter-mile, you're going to be impacting significant things,” said Sam Gold, executive director of the Lower Connecticut River Velley Council of Governments.
Gold said he’s concerned the possible new rail would destroy the environmental and cultural heritage of the town. Especially since there isn’t a definitive plan on exactly where that rail line would be.
But now with Rhode Island residents openly opposing the plan at the State House, "we have other allies in this fight,” he said.
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Old Lyme's First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder said in this battle, they're on the offensive.
"We've encouraged people to comment on this. In fact we've actually put together postcards,” Reemsnyder said, adding that she's encouraging those who live in town to mail or email their comments to the Federal Railroad Administration about environmental, tourism, historical preservation and economic concerns. The town’s Board of Selectmen is also sending in a letter.
The Florence Griswold Museum sits just off of I-95 and could be affected by rail plans. It's also a National Historic Landmark.
"We are concerned that it could be literally through eminent domain, or they're talking about a tunnel that would go under the Connecticut River, under Old Lyme, and it could be right through our property,” said Jeff Andersen, the Florence Griswold Museum’s director.
Both Andersen and Gold said they don’t opposed the idea of a high-speed rail. But they don’t want to see it destroy the natural, historic and cultural attributes the town wants to preserve.
Old Lyme residents also have strong opinions about the potential track.
“We're all really very disturbed. This is a beautiful community,” Ann Primo said.
“I think the way the plan is right now, it would definitely be very disruptive and destroy a lot of the elements of the town,” said Ramzi Dagher.
