Amtrak Downeaster Discussion Thread

MEC407 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 7:47 am From the Portland Press Herald:

Portland Press Herald wrote:A vehicle drove into the path of an oncoming Amtrak train after the driver was leaving the parking lot at Bruno’s Restaurant on Allen Avenue, Portland police said on Friday.

The vehicle reportedly bypassed the flashing lights and crossing gates, police said.

The vehicle was then struck on the passenger’s side by the train. The vehicle was pushed into the restaurant’s parking lot, where it collided with three other vehicles that were parked.

The man was examined by paramedics at the scene and drove himself to the hospital.

Source: https://www.pressherald.com/2023/01/14/ ... -portland/

Commentary: His car got hit by a train, the train pushed his car into three other cars, and the police allowed him to drive this same car to the hospital???

There's a lot more info here in the article, and would give us a reasonable explanation.

Bruno's is an Italian Restaurant with an attached bar. They were called after 6pm on a Thursday... after happy hour, if they follow the 4:30p-6p custom. So we can make a reasonable assumption that the guy was drunk.

Therefore: Drunk, hit by a train, hit two other cars, was checked out by paramedics and allowed to drive to a hospital?!?

WTF Portland?!? What's the oximiter readings? I bet he was over the legal limit and should of been arrested for drunk driving!

You're not missing much; there were only two or three more lines than what I quoted, and no photos.

The train must have been southbound, then. A car turning into the crossing from Bruno's would surely have been struck on the driver's side by a northbound train.

Another trespasser fatality happened this morning, and it was in Biddeford, which appears to hold the record for most trespasser fatalities of any community in Maine or New Hampshire:

Portland Press Herald wrote:A 27-year-old woman died early Tuesday morning when she was hit by an Amtrak Downeaster train traveling south through Biddeford.
. . .
Amtrak train 680 was traveling from Brunswick to Haverhill, Massachusetts. The company is working with local law enforcement to investigate the incident.

Main Street in Biddeford was blocked for several hours Tuesday morning as authorities investigated. Amtrak canceled two trains and additional delays were expected.

Source: https://www.pressherald.com/2023/02/07/ ... -incident/

Today's 691 came through with 90213 trailing and it had a BIG old dent on the hood. Wonder if that was the one from the aforementioned Bruno's accident.

Amtrak now running daily to Bangor as shown on Bangor Live Train cam. Using Siemens 4629 with Amtrak Midwest Logo on locomotive.

That's Bangor, Michigan, not Bangor, Maine...

April 1 is early this year?

jwhite07 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 24, 2023 11:58 am April 1 is early this year?

I dunno. Folks are still waiting on the eastern part of the Sunset Limited to re-open on Feb 30th.

The "nose job" on the 90213 was the result of being struck by dozens of trees between Saco and Kennebunk during one of the storms a month or so ago. Train 680 played battering ram / snow plow that day. While the nose may look worse for wear (ie, dent and duct tape around the headlight housing) it actually improved things. The headlights now are aimed at the track, instead of lighting up the night sky.

Liquor Sales will now be prohibited whilst the train is in New Hampshire.

https://www.pressherald.com/2023/03/06/ ... hampshire/

Is this same restriction imposed on The Vermonter? It also transits NH between Bellows Falls, VT and Windsor, VT including 1 stop in Claremont, NH.

Some personal thoughts on the matter:

• It took the commission 21 YEARS to notice that alcohol is served onboard the Downeaster? It's not exactly secret information. It's actually one of the train's biggest selling points. This doesn't reflect well on the commission's ability to effectively and efficiently regulate the industry.

• How did they find out, anyway? Did they receive a complaint? Did a commissioner recently ride the train for the first time?

• There was a King of the Hill episode in which the Hill family traveled aboard a murder-mystery train, and because of gerrymandering, the entire route of the train was in a county that prohibited liquor sales, thus ruining Peggy Hill's birthday and making everyone miserable. To cope with the sad situation, Mr. & Mrs. Hill participated in marital activities in the train's restroom.