Amtrak Downeaster Discussion Thread

[gokeefe]

About two to three years out +/-. You can see this in the NNEPRA Board briefing materials on the public website.

[markhb]

Speaking of the NNEPRA website, they stealth-released the full Phase 2 deliverable for the Lewiston-Auburn service study (warning: PDF). The project committee recommendations in the final chapter are:

• Move the project into an economic evaluation;
• Develop a plan to relocate the Portland Transportation Center (PTC);
• Develop a robust first-mile, last-mile connections and mobility as a service in both the Lewiston-Auburn and Portland areas;
• Eliminate options that require an Ocean Gateway Station;
• Identify potential commitments for both capital and O&M funding; and
• Engage the FTA as the federal funding agency and discuss next steps relative to NEPA documentation for the project.

The project team had left one Ocean Gateway option on the table (PAR from downtown Lewiston to Danville Jct., SLR from there to the East End) but it definitely didn't score well in the evaluations. It also blows the "it could be done for $20 million or so" estimates for an SLR-based service out of the water.

[Rockingham Racer]

Although I would like to see some service, the proposal seems like overkill to me. I don't see the demand for so many trips between the two cities.

If this is a "Maine project", how about a service that runs through Portland and down to Wells to benefit more of the public in Maine? Maybe a wild thought, but it popped up immediately as I was reading this. Not everyone commutes to Portland from the north, I assume. Even then, I am not sure there is demand for commuting, if I read the study correctly.

[markhb]

I think this document and the earlier Propensity Analysis essentially take the full view of "here's what would need to happen, here's what it would likely cost, and here's how many people it would serve." The full project page with links to everything is here; for the commuter-style service they are discussing, the propensity analysis came up with a ridership of 600-800 daily trips in the near term (I presume one-way), growing to 700-1900 in the long term. So, now at least they have a solid study to evaluate costs v benefits.

[MEC407]

The B&M Kennebunk station is back on the market again:

https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/histor ... the-market

[gokeefe]

West Falmouth floated as a possible stop with interest from NNEPRA ...

https://www.pressherald.com/2019/07/10/ ... owneaster/

[markhb]

West Falmouth floated as a possible stop with interest from NNEPRA ...

https://www.pressherald.com/2019/07/10/ ... owneaster/

But how, I wonder? There's a pretty decent height difference between that parking lot and the tracks, and behind the shopping center is all stream.

[gokeefe]

Height difference isn't necessarily a problem if you're assuming an elevator and stair tower down to a platform. Just guessing but there's a nice section of tangent track east of the shopping center and parking lot. I was really impressed with the property owner's interest.

[Hux]

Although I would like to see some service, the proposal seems like overkill to me. I don't see the demand for so many trips between the two cities.

If this is a "Maine project", how about a service that runs through Portland and down to Wells to benefit more of the public in Maine? Maybe a wild thought, but it popped up immediately as I was reading this. Not everyone commutes to Portland from the north, I assume. Even then, I am not sure there is demand for commuting, if I read the study correctly.

Well, given the housing boom going on in Wells I'd imagine there is/will be an increase in Portland bound commuters that would take the train.

[markhb]

I don't have the links handy, but NNEPRA has added "Portland Station Improvements" and. "Portland - Westbrook Shuttle" as projects on their site.

[jonnhrr]

I don't have the links handy, but NNEPRA has added "Portland Station Improvements" and. "Portland - Westbrook Shuttle" as projects on their site.

The Portland Station Improvements is pretty vague at this point. I assume this includes the possibility of moving the station to a location along the Pan Am main to eliminate the backup move.

NNERPA is exploring alternatives which will improve Downeaster connectivity to and within the greater Portland region by reducing overall travel time, reducing bottlenecks and improving transit connectivity to the Downeaster in Portland.

Additional information will be provided when it’s available.

The Portland - Westbrook shuttle sounds intriguing but locating the Portland end at the Harbor View Memorial Park seems to me to be too far from where all the "good stuff" is in the Old Port including the hotels, restaurants, and the Ferry Terminal. Also the significant construction required such as a new bridge for Commercial Street and taking land away from the park will probably be issues.

[gokeefe]

Apparently it didn't make it into this thread but NNEPRA is now considering a possible infill station at West Falmouth (there's a news article out there). For what it's worth this has been a possibility that has been "out there" for quite some time. The recent completion of the L/A study may (or may not) play a part in this. I'm guessing not but the public timing was interesting. It's not uncommon for multiple proposals to be under consideration at the same time.

That being said I do think this really blows apart any potential for a station site north of Congress Street in Portland. Even more curiously it would seem to open the door to South Portland ...

I also missed markhb's earlier post which noted that NNEPRA believes they will have a consultant report before Labor Day with regards to station siting decisions. That's a lot of moving parts coming together all at once to get a decision. Very very interesting times.

[markhb]

Apparently it didn't make it into this thread but NNEPRA is now considering a possible infill station at West Falmouth (there's a news article out there). For what it's worth this has been a possibility that has been "out there" for quite some time. The recent completion of the L/A study may (or may not) play a part in this. I'm guessing not but the public timing was interesting. It's not uncommon for multiple proposals to be under consideration at the same time.

West Falmouth floated as a possible stop with interest from NNEPRA ...

https://www.pressherald.com/2019/07/10/ ... owneaster/

The documents related to the Westbrook shuttle are intriguing; the Rail-with-Trail one (pg. 23) seems to suggest a Portland station in the area of Mercy Hospital's existing employee parking lot, as others have suggested here (but then where do they put their employees if they expand the hospital as planned). The Westbrook Shuttle concept calls for one near "Angelo's Acre" or Harbor View Park, which would mean new track on the north side of Commercial (where the Freedom Train sat in 1975).

[gokeefe]

Haha ... I checked and must have missed it. Thank you! I will have to take a look at the Westbrook Shuttle docs.

[bostontrainguy]

Reading the report and the part about the needs and challenges to double tracking the Pan Am line, I was thinking directional running up the SLR and down the Pan Am is an obvious option never discussed.