Amtrak Downeaster Discussion Thread

[jhdeasy]

That being said, a nice photo opportunity is afoot. If all goes according to plan, 3 private cars are supposed to travel on the Downeaster on Monday from POR to BON. The cars will make their way to BOS, hook up with the Lake Shore to ALB and make their way south.

Perhaps JDHeasy can provide the additional details that currently escape me!

I rarely read this particular topic thread in the Amtrak forum. I have yet to ride the Downeaster route either in MOUNT VERNON or as an Amtrak passenger. However, I may have the opportunity to ride the Downeaster route while visiting Boston on July 30 through August 3. I believe any private cars operating in the consist of Downeaster trains are required to have the 27 pin MU trainline, for push-pull service, and I never installed that particular capability in MOUNT VERNON.

As markhb and Dick H have correctly pointed out, ALEXANDER HAMILTON, PINE and MAGNOLIA are moving from Maine Eastern back to Morristown & Erie Railway in preparation for their use in the Lehigh Limited special train from Hoboken NJ to Bethlehem PA and return on Saturday, August 24th. I have leased MOUNT VERNON to the railroad for that excursion.

The reason the cars are being routed BOS - ALB - NYP is because Amtrak routinely will not handle private cars on any trains between BOS and NYP in either direction; they have denied all requests for switching PVs in/out of trains 66/67 at NYP for the past few years, claiming non-availability of switch crews at that time of night. They will approve PV moves on 66/67 between BOS and WAS or NPN in either direction, but that routing requires too many extra deadhead miles when all you want is a move between Boston and New York.

[Arlington]

That being said, a nice photo opportunity is afoot. If all goes according to plan, 3 private cars {ALEXANDER HAMILTON, PINE and MAGNOLIA} are supposed to travel on the Downeaster on Monday from POR to BON. The cars will make their way to BOS, hook up with the Lake Shore to ALB and make their way south.

Any idea which DE they'll be attached to? Your choices are: 680, 682, 684, 686, or 688

[PT1101]

From what I heard today, I may go with "None of the above." Based upon crew availability, they may try to run the consist as is, instead of on the back of a revenue train. A couple of the locomotives attached to the cars have some fairly serious tractive effort issues. The impression I got was that they'd rather run the equipment to Boston by itself if at all possible. The latest, greatest plan has the equipment departing Portland sometime Monday. Stay tuned. I hope this helps.

[ThirdRail7]

That being said, a nice photo opportunity is afoot. If all goes according to plan, 3 private cars {ALEXANDER HAMILTON, PINE and MAGNOLIA} are supposed to travel on the Downeaster on Monday from POR to BON. The cars will make their way to BOS, hook up with the Lake Shore to ALB and make their way south.

Any idea which DE they'll be attached to? Your choices are: 680, 682, 684, 686, or 688 [/quote]

They were trying to get them out with the equipment swap that needs to occur. I think they've abandoned that plan and are shooting for 686. Things can change though.

I rarely read this particular topic thread in the Amtrak forum. I have yet to ride the Downeaster route either in MOUNT VERNON or as an Amtrak passenger. However, I may have the opportunity to ride the Downeaster route while visiting Boston on July 30 through August 3. I believe any private cars operating in the consist of Downeaster trains are required to have the 27 pin MU trainline, for push-pull service, and I never installed that particular capability in MOUNT VERNON.

As markhb and Dick H have correctly pointed out, ALEXANDER HAMILTON, PINE and MAGNOLIA are moving from Maine Eastern back to Morristown & Erie Railway in preparation for their use in the Lehigh Limited special train from Hoboken NJ to Bethlehem PA and return on Saturday, August 24th. I have leased MOUNT VERNON to the railroad for that excursion.

The reason the cars are being routed BOS - ALB - NYP is because Amtrak routinely will not handle private cars on any trains between BOS and NYP in either direction; they have denied all requests for switching PVs in/out of trains 66/67 at NYP for the past few years, claiming non-availability of switch crews at that time of night. They will approve PV moves on 66/67 between BOS and WAS or NPN in either direction, but that routing requires too many extra deadhead miles when all you want is a move between Boston and New York.

You couldn't have picked a better time to visit! I've never been to BON, so I am interested in how they intend to ship these on a push pull train. I suppose when they land in SSYD, they'll most likely take it to Hudson for the hand off to NJT. Thank you for the information, JHDeasy.

[Dick H]

The three cars from the Maine Eastern, ALEXANDERHAMILTON, PINE AND MAGNOLIA were on the rear
of #696 today (Mon 7/8), along with locos 135 and 190.

[ThirdRail7]

The three cars from the Maine Eastern, ALEXANDERHAMILTON, PINE AND MAGNOLIA were on the rear
of #696 today (Mon 7/8), along with locos 135 and 190.

Did anyone film 686 today? I'm still interested in knowing if they assigned a rider or used an EOT since they had a cabbage.

[Dick H]

Here's a video of #686 with the ME cars at the MBTA Anderson Station.
Thanks to T. J. Duval for the video, the link for which was posted on the
GRS/PAR Sightings Group. Reportedly there was an extra crew on board
to take the ME cars and the two extra locos to Southhampton St. and
bring back other equipment to Portland. With a loco on the rear, no EOT
was required.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeySAesoqE8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dick H]

For some unknown reason, only two of the three Maine Eastern cars made
it on to #449 today. Thanks to John Rezuke and the GRS/PAR Yahoo group
for the video and link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH4gKygM ... a-6Tl4axzA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

[MEC407]

From The Forecaster:

For the first time in more than a year, operators of the Amtrak Downeaster met with an advisory group on Tuesday to discuss the layover and maintenance facility planned in Brunswick.
. . .
There were times of tension during the two-hour meeting held at the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority headquarters on Commercial Street, when members of a neighborhood group questioned claims and demanded more information from rail officials.

But members of the Brunswick West Neighborhood Coalition and rails officials also expressed a desire to continue working together.

Read more at: http://www.theforecaster.net/news/print ... bru/166680" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[gokeefe]

From The Forecaster:

For the first time in more than a year, operators of the Amtrak Downeaster met with an advisory group on Tuesday to discuss the layover and maintenance facility planned in Brunswick.
. . .
There were times of tension during the two-hour meeting held at the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority headquarters on Commercial Street, when members of a neighborhood group questioned claims and demanded more information from rail officials.

But members of the Brunswick West Neighborhood Coalition and rails officials also expressed a desire to continue working together.

Read more at: http://www.theforecaster.net/news/print ... bru/166680" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I interpret this as a pretty clear signal from NNEPRA that they believe the outcome of the environmental review will be favorable ("Finding of No Significant Impact"). I feel particularly strong about it in this case as they are planning another meeting soon.

[ThirdRail7]

Reportedly there was an extra crew on board
to take the ME cars and the two extra locos to Southhampton St. and
bring back other equipment to Portland. With a loco on the rear, no EOT
was required.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeySAesoqE8[&" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;#91;

As long as a member of the extra crew is stationed on the engine, nothing else is needed. That train took a bit of a hit. I don't recall Pan Am imposing heat restrictions. Perhaps it was too much of a consist for a sandwiched P-42.

For some unknown reason, only two of the three Maine Eastern cars made
it on to #449 today. Thanks to John Rezuke and the GRS/PAR Yahoo group
for the video and link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH4gKygM ... a-6Tl4axzA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

They shopped one in BOS. It went out the next day, which worked out since they shopped another one in ALB the next day. They finally met up and were supposed to operate to NY and NJT on the 11th.

[MEC407]

News video from Portland's ABC affiliate, WMTW-8, looking back at what happened two years ago today:

http://www.wmtw.com/news/maine/York-Cou ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MEC407]

From the Bangor Daily News:

A Freeport Town Council discussion on train noise Tuesday night was briefly interrupted by train noise.

Then, shortly after the clang and whistle of the 9:40 p.m. train subsided, the council voted 6-1 to implement railroad quiet zones in town.

In 30 days or less, trains will no longer blow their horns while approaching eight downtown railroad crossings.

Read more at: http://bangordailynews.com/2013/07/17/n ... crossings/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[gokeefe]

I'm not surprised by this decision in the least. I am a little surprised that the crossings fall below the thresholds for requiring safety improvements but in general that makes sense as the village tourist district is all on one side of the tracks. Also worth remembering that these thresholds are created federally with places much larger than Freeport in mind.

At least for now Freeport will be able to have their quiet zones with little to no additional investments. Given PARs actions in Brunswick I have no concerns that should the thresholds be exceeded later the quiet zones will be cancelled by the railroad. Hopefully people in Freeport have examined the likely service schedule increases by NNEPRA to determine whether or not they will likely be facing this same decision again later on.

[Hamhock]

Correct, they've done this before in Biddeford-Saco.

Here's my post from 2004, reposted here for posterity:

A couple years ago, I had the scanner on and heard the dispatchers talking about "the passenger train" being in the Saco (Maine) industrial park, with fire and rescue on the way. Needless to say, my first thought was that a switch had been misaligned and that the Downeaster was probably in the Saco River! Needless to say, I had to pick my jaw up off the floor.

Here's what actually happened: a Downeaster trainset took a little trip to the industrial park for a fire/EMT training session. What makes this bizarre is that the Saco Industrial Park is at the end of Guilford's Saco Industrial Branch -- an ancient remnant of the defunct Eastern Railroad. This branch has a 5 MPH speed limit and hadn't seen a passenger train since the 1940s. Guilford only uses it once a week at the most. It crosses several busy streets at grade, with no lights/bells/gates. On this particular day, it was snowing like crazy and the roads were extremely icey. A lot of drivers had to swerve to avoid skidding into the train as it crossed busy North St.

I found photos that someone took of this in 2003:

http://photos.greatrails.net/showpic/?2 ... 415939.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://photos.greatrails.net/showpic/?2 ... 515997.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://photos.greatrails.net/showpic/?2 ... 216121.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://photos.greatrails.net/showpic/?2 ... 116244.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://photos.greatrails.net/showpic/?2 ... 815849.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;: