Amtrak Downeaster Discussion Thread

[gokeefe]

George, when would you suggest these theoretical 6th starts begin their journeys from BRU and BON?

Southbound about one hour later than 680.

Northbound the problem is right at 4 to 4:10p. Too many trip pairs get stuck waiting for 685 northbound. An earlier northbound would support clearing out BON prior to the evening rush. It would be a nearly ideal option for large group travel returning after a day in Boston at the aquarium or the science museum and for "early rush" commuters heading home after a shortened day at work.

[twropr]

On Tuesday June 11 Downeaster #688's P42 #37 died while he train in the station at Wells.
Does anyone know how the train got to Boston? Train was in Wells for 2 hrs 9 min so if an engine or trainset was sent from North Station there must have been a fairly quick reaction.
Andy

[gokeefe]

Could have been the spare out of Portland/Brunswick. Couple on to the end and push using trainline controls ...

[gokeefe]

Interesting problem to have ...

Per the above linked video news segment from WMTW-8 apparently NNEPRA is considering a fare increase to relieve overcrowding.

The sixth roundtrip can't come soon enough ...

[PT1101]

Regarding 688 of June 11...The locomotive stopped running going through Arundel. Luckily they had enough momentum to clear the single track at CPF 226 so that 685 could continue east. Several attempts were made to restart the engine. Amtrak Mechanical forces, Road Foremen and others all offered suggestions, but to no avail. Low battery voltage was determined to be the major issue. Just as spare equipment which had been sent down from Portland arrived at Wells, the engineer of 688 was able to restart the locomotive. After attaching the equipment from Portland and performing the required safety tests, the train left Wells "considerably" late. According to the app, they arrived into Boston just in time to turn for their 11:25pm departure as 1689.

[markhb]

Interesting problem to have ...

Per the above linked video news segment from WMTW-8 apparently NNEPRA is considering a fare increase to relieve overcrowding.

The sixth roundtrip can't come soon enough ...

I believe that's what's in the document I linked to at the bottom of the prior page . It's the monthly pass fares they're discussing raising, not the individual trips.

[twropr]

Does anyone know the limits within which the work described below (from an FRA press release announcing a CRSI award to Maine) will take place:
Modernizes 75 miles of Pan Am Railway mainline track in central Maine, including replacing 37 miles of rail, upgrading 25 switches, upgrading 47 public and 42 private, at-grade rail crossings, extending and upgrading an existing siding, replacing signal systems and replacing bridge deck timbers on eight rail bridges.
Andy

[east point]

We suspect raising the multi trip fares will not relieve the overcrowding. There appears to be too much demand for seats at these trip times. Its either another train or more cars on present train(s). Either option has major costs increases that NNERR probably cannot get access to.. Since New Hampshire or MASS does not provide any financial support the only possible solution would be to make all fares at least the minimum amount of the last Maine station's fare ? Now how that would fly in the courts ? ?

[gokeefe]

Does anyone know the limits within which the work described below (from an FRA press release announcing a CRSI award to Maine) will take place[?]

Royal Junction to Waterville. Given that Royal Junction has just been rebuilt it seems fair to assume that there won't be too much switch and signal work at that end.

I'm interested to see what happens at Leeds Junction.

[gokeefe]

Does anyone know the limits within which the work described below (from an FRA press release announcing a CRSI award to Maine) will take place[?]

Royal Junction to Waterville. Given that Royal Junction has just been rebuilt it seems fair to assume that there won't be too much switch and signal work at that end.

I'm interested to see what happens at Leeds Junction.

[Dick H]

DE ridership from/to Haverhill for FY16 and FY17 was 44,510 and 44,827 was just about equal to Saco-Biddeford.
The Haverhill numbers are probably higher this year, given the sell outs of 680 and 685. Weekday morning
traffic travel times from the NH State Line to Downtown Boston are often in the one hour range or more.
The major overhaul of the Tobin Bridge is a major factor. Whether a modest increase in the monthly pass
costs to/from Haverhill will solve the problem remains to be seen. I think NNEPRA used to keep one spare
coach and one spare café at Portland, before the opening of the Brunswick facility. If they still do have a
spare coach in the mix, put it on #680 for a month, to see if it is worth the extra expense. There are some
extra coaches in the mix for a day or two or more for the swap out of equipment at Southampton Street,
as there will be two or three coaches on the equipment move, while still having the twelve coaches for the
three train sets running as usual.

[jonnhrr]

DE travel time from Haverhill to North Station is 50 minutes. MBTA takes 65 minutes on most local trains, a few minutes faster on the expresses that run via the Wildcat. Interesting that people will go to the trouble and expense of taking Amtrak to save 13-15 min.

Haverhill is MBTA territory and really should be served with more MBTA service, perhaps an express that only stops at Anderson like the Amtraks do would take pressure off of the DE as well as bring the travel time closer to the DE. But MBTA probably doesn't have the equipment to add more service.

[ThinkNarrow]

DE travel time from Haverhill to North Station is 50 minutes. MBTA takes 65 minutes on most local trains, a few minutes faster on the expresses that run via the Wildcat. Interesting that people will go to the trouble and expense of taking Amtrak to save 13-15 min.

The Downeaster is more comfortable. I don't know if coffee and snacks are still available that late in the trip, but if so would be an additional enticement.
.

[gokeefe]

They most certainly are. Cafe service doesn't shutdown until somewhere around Woburn +/-.

[markhb]

DE travel time from Haverhill to North Station is 50 minutes. MBTA takes 65 minutes on most local trains, a few minutes faster on the expresses that run via the Wildcat. Interesting that people will go to the trouble and expense of taking Amtrak to save 13-15 min.

The Downeaster is more comfortable. I don't know if coffee and snacks are still available that late in the trip, but if so would be an additional enticement.

And until this upcoming rate increase, the Downeaster monthly pass between Haverhill and Boston is actually cheaper than the T's. I also remember some years ago when there was trouble with the T's trains, and the Downeaster carried some people for them... and one passenger tweeted out "THE BAR IS OPEN!!!" so I would definitely say the cafe can be a draw in some instances.