Amtrak Downeaster Discussion Thread

[MEC407]

Is the Downeaster's route is sufficiently scenic to make using the Dome worthwhile in the fall?

The Boston-Portland route isn't unattractive, but I'm not sure if I would call it scenic. There are a few nice spots here and there, but there is no breathtaking splendor like you'd find on some of the long distance routes in other parts of the country.

I have no idea what the dome car tickets would cost, but if they're a lot more than regular coach tickets, I think you'd probably have a lot of customers getting off the train and saying "I paid extra for THAT?"

The Rockland Branch might be pretty enough to warrant a dome car, but that's beyond the scope of the question.

Dome cars seem to offer more of a benefit in mountainous areas, where they allow passengers to see vistas that they simply wouldn't be able to see in a regular car. In the non-mountainous areas (such as Boston-Portland-Rockland), they would give you a better view than you'd otherwise have, but I don't know if that would be enough to justify the cost for the average non-railfan.

[Adams_Umass_Boston]

For the Downeaster, would there be any clearance issues?

[TomNelligan]

For the Downeaster, would there be any clearance issues?

Yes, because Downeaster trainsets are serviced at Amtrak's Southampton Street yard, and to get there from the B&M side via the Grand Junction Branch they have to pass through the Prudential/Back Bay Station tunnel, which won't fit a dome car.

But in any case I'd agree with Mr. 407 that the route really isn't scenic enough to justify one. Scarborough marsh is nice, but most of the route is close-in trees, trees, and more trees with no grand views.

[Dick H]

Downeasters are a "Reservations Required" service.
(Page 47, System Timetable, Spring-Summer 2010)

Two or three years ago, the figure of $17,000 per month
was floating around for the charge by Amtrak for an extra
coach. I do not know what the current rate might be. At
one time Amtrak was fairly short on coaches, with many
parked at the shops in Beech Grove IN and Bear DE. However,
these shops have been rebuilding many coaches and other
equipment with TIGER grants. In fact, there is currently
at least one coach in DE service with TIGER rebuild decals

[MEC407]

Downeaster #686 had an interesting consist this afternoon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm-ELlN-Sj8

[Rockingham Racer]

Obviously getting all geared up for Brunswick service

[Dick H]

Probably the "extra stuff" is headed to Southampton St. for service
or swap out. Hopefully, both train sets will have at least five cars
for the weekend, with the RBBB circus at the Fleet. Should be busy
on the DE's.

[markhb]

AmtrakDowneaster.com has a new construction update available, and this time it's actually readable. The third load of rail was dropped last week...

Approximately 4.2 track miles of rail was dropped just West of Sligo Rd. in Yarmouth, through Cumberland and ending at Field’s Rd. in Falmouth. The fourth and final CWR delivery train is expected in about a month.

Is that last load supposed to take them all the way to the Mountain Division junction? If so, it must be quite a load because from what I can tell, they have roughly 7 miles to go from Field's Rd. to the MD. Did any of the other rail trains carry 7 miles worth at once?

I checked Regulations.gov today; no resolution on the square-nut waiver request yet.

[Arlington]

I don't know where to ask this:

What are the rules for a Downeaster when it pulls through a low-level MBTA station (like West Medford). If it knows an "other direction" commuter train has just discharged, are their any special safeguards for pax who might not see the Downeaster coming (hidden by their own train). On Friday, at about 6pm, a southbound Downeaster crossed paths with MBTA pax who had just alighted from a Northbound commuter train.

Some pax from the north end of the East platform were crossing the live tracks (parking is mostly west and there's no fence between the tracks) crunching in the ballast and hopping over the rails Others were crossing at the designated crossing a little further south. For many, their view of the oncoming Downeaster would have been blocked by the MBTA train pulling out. I saw it all from the west platform. The Downeaster sounded its horn as it saw to particularly heedless crossers not far in front, but the Downeaster never stopped.

A guy at the crossing, who actually had seen the train and chosen to cross (too close for my comfort) shook his finger at the driver of the downeaster, saying to me "they have to stop and let anyone cross before they pull through the station like this". I asked: how's a driver supposed to know smart people (non-crossers) from dumb people (crossers) from where he is? The guy's response is "they can't, that's why he shoulda stopped."

I'm thinking: what good is being "in the right" if you're also dead?

What are the rules?

[george matthews]

A guy at the crossing, who actually had seen the train and chosen to cross (too close for my comfort) shook his finger at the driver of the downeaster, saying to me "they have to stop and let anyone cross before they pull through the station like this". I asked: how's a driver supposed to know smart people (non-crossers) from dumb people (crossers) from where he is? The guy's response is "they can't, that's why he shoulda stopped."

That's why this sort of crossing is being replaced by bridges and subways. People can't be trusted to use common sense. Clearly, he vaguely thought (if that is the right word) that a train is a sort of bus.

[djlong]

...and the engineer is supposed to see the person crossing 2 miles in advance so he can slow the train down in time AND take all the time to get back to speed?

Did he not realize that there are CROSSING GATES that say NOT YOUR TURN - IT'S THE TRAIN'S TURN?

[Dick H]

If the people were "crunching the ballast and hoping over the rails",
they are clearly trespassing. They are clearly stupid, also. Time
for the MBTA to send their police there to address the situation.
It was not stated whether the designated "crossing" has any gates
or lights and bells. If there are gates there and/or the signals were
operating, they should not be crossing there until the crossing
protection ceases to operate.

[TomNelligan]

It was not stated whether the designated "crossing" has any gates or lights and bells.

The MBTA West Medford station is located at a grade crossing that not only has bells, lights, and gates, but also a crossing watchman during the busiest hours. The watchman's main purpose is to shoo people off the tracks as necessary, since rush hour auto traffic backs up and people sometimes stop right on the crossing. But he's not a police officer and I'm not sure what he can do about idiots who cross over the rails at the north end of the platform rather than via the public grade crossing at the south end.

[Arlington]

If the people were "crunching the ballast and hoping over the rails",
they are clearly trespassing. They are clearly stupid, also. Time
for the MBTA to send their police there to address the situation.
It was not stated whether the designated "crossing" has any gates
or lights and bells. If there are gates there and/or the signals were
operating, they should not be crossing there until the crossing
protection ceases to operate.

Yes, the trespassers were pretty blatant/hopeless, I have no doubt they're in the wrong.

And my gut/rule-of-thumb approach to trains is that they always have the right of way because they have the least opportunity for evasive action or braking. The way I learned it (not from a rule book) any possible conflicting vehicle or person has a duty to get out of the way because they're the only ones who *can* get out of the way.

The finger-wagger was crossing at the designated, paved crossing in the middle of the station, which is about halfway between the trespassers at the north end, and the gated crossing of Route 60 at the south end, where the human guard is also located (I believe it is staffed during all operating hours). THe crossing of route 60 is complete with pedestrian gates, but the station's crossing is just an asphalt-and-rubber affair.

So the finger wagger can't be dismissed as a trespasser, but is there a rule that proves he's wrong?

[ST214]

Sounds like the fence needs to be extended further north.

It was not stated whether the designated "crossing" has any gates or lights and bells.

The MBTA West Medford station is located at a grade crossing that not only has bells, lights, and gates, but also a crossing watchman during the busiest hours. The watchman's main purpose is to shoo people off the tracks as necessary, since rush hour auto traffic backs up and people sometimes stop right on the crossing. But he's not a police officer and I'm not sure what he can do about idiots who cross over the rails at the north end of the platform rather than via the public grade crossing at the south end.