The Seacoast's "Pep Band for the Left" will ride the rails in support of the Downeaster, Amtrak's train service from Boston to Portland.

The Leftist Marching Band will perform on the platform at the Exeter train station on Wednesday, March 16 at 7:15 p.m., then hop aboard to take the party to Durham and on to Dover, celebrating all of N.H.'s stops. The appearance will conclude with a send-off from the Dover platform.

The point of the "moving" celebration, says band co-founder and drummer Dave Kellam, is to draw attention to a N.H. Executive Council vote on Wednesday, March 23 on a proposal that would dedicate $1.2 million in federal funds to rail service in the state. Currently, the state has not provided any significant financial support for the route construction or operations, though the state supports private bus transit and Park & Ride lots. The investment would add a fifth daily roundtrip and provide fiscal stability for the route, according to the group, which calculates that N.H. riders account for about 34 percent of Downeaster ridership.

The band's set list for the train celebration will include "Ticket to Ride" by the Beatles, a surf-style "I've Been Working on the Railroad," and a rendition of "Night Train" with special lyrics for the New Hampshire Executive Council. The price of the 24-minute ride from Exeter to Dover is $6. Tickets may be purchased at www.amtrak.com.