Shop till you drop takes on new meaning this year, as people will have the opportunity to buy their holiday gifts, than take a cozy nap on the ride home.

Maine Eastern Railroad will operate two shopping trains on Saturday, November 24. One will head west, with Bath and Brunswick as the destination; the second will head east to Rockland, just in time for the annual Festival of Lights celebration in that city.

Shopping trains are growing in popularity because they give consumers the option of relaxed transportation without having to find a place to park.

This is the second season that Maine Eastern has offered this service.

As traffic congestion on the highway continues to increase, particularly on Coastal Route One, safe holiday shopping has become more of a challenge.

While the trip between Rockland and Brunswick takes a little longer by rail than it does by automobile, the additional time is more than compensated for by the comfortable and hassle free mode of travel.

Maine Eastern has already shown that the train works for tourism and sightseeing, not to mention for the countless Maine residents who take advantage of the seasonal excursion train to visit friends or to shop and enjoy a restaurant meal in different parts of the state.

A soon-to-be released report is expected to show that Maine Eastern Railroad passenger counts were significantly higher in 2007 than in 2006.

Passenger rail may be just what Maine retail merchants and downtown boutiques need to reclaim their lost revenue share to online shopping outlets.

The Maine Eastern shopping train experiment was successful last season, with well over a hundred people taking the single trip to Rockland from Brunswick, Bath and Wiscasset on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

A Maine Eastern spokesman said the company was able to prove that the railroad can fill a need for people who are willing to travel to shop.

According to a recent survey, the vast majority of consumers will purchase at least some of their holiday gifts from stores located more than twenty-five miles from home this holiday season.

The shopping train is just one more step toward the realization of full passenger rail service in the Midcoast region. The ultimate target is the day when one can board a train in Rockland, Bath or Brunswick and be in Portland or Boston in short order.

The November 24 (eastbound) Rockland shopping train will start in Brunswick, and pick up passengers in Bath and Wiscasset, before arriving at the historic downtown Rockland train station one block from Main Street.

The (westbound) Bath/Brunswick shopping train will begin on the same day in Rockland, and will pick up passengers in Wiscasset on its way to the beautifully restored downtown Bath train station; as well as to the shopping districts at Cooks Corner and Maine Street in downtown Brunswick.

Seating on the shopping trains is limited and reservations are strongly advised.

Maine Eastern will also operate Polar Express and Candy Cane Express series trains in November and December, before laying the train up for the winter.

For specific schedule information about the shopping trains and holiday theme trains, call 596-6725, or 1-866-ME RAILS.