Amtrak Downeaster Discussion Thread

[Rockingham Racer]

When the sixth round trip is added, anyone care to speculate as to where in the schedule will the trains be put?

[Arborwayfan]

I always wondered about the weekend schedule, because I thought Maine would want to be bringing in people from Mass to spend money in Maine more than it wanted to send people from Maine to spend money in Mass. Boston-centered schedule makes sense on weekdays if it encourages people to live someplace like Wells and commute into Mass.

[markhb]

When the sixth round trip is added, anyone care to speculate as to where in the schedule will the trains be put?

Going by the current summer schedule, and making the assumption that they still want to introduce the morning short turn at Wells to provide NB commuter service to Portland as a priority over an additional Boston R/T, I would say a 5 Am departure from Brunswick, arriving at Wells c. 6:30, taking 15 minutes (a pure guess on my part) to do the brake test and anything else required to switch the control end, leaving Wells at 6:45 for an arrival at Portland at 7:30 Am.

For a full R/T to Boston, I would think a mid-afternoon departure between 686 and 688, arriving in Boston in time for events at 7 Pm, returning maybe 9 Pm? But that would be heavily dependent on available slots at BON.

[Rockingham Racer]

With the MBTA's new regional schedule, I would say there's plenty of slots in North Station.

[gokeefe]

What's the status down there? How much are they back to running?

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[Gilbert B Norman]

Mr. O'Keefe, lest we forget, Portland, even if geographically South of you, is "up there"; for, as a Fairfield Navy Cadet, if I were to sail up your way on a Broad Reach with the prevailing SW wind, I'm sailing "down there"

[Rockingham Racer]

What's the status down there? How much are they back to running?

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Here's the link to the T's schedule. https://www.mbta.com/schedules/commuter-rail

[BM6569]

NNEPRA and Maine DOT are now participating without comment in the CSX purchase of PAR as of today's filing.

[Arlington]

Over in the CP/Rockland Branch thread it expects a new owner and new small operator.

Does that make the risks of Rockland extension easier to manage? It’d be nice if more than just VA, CO, and IL/MI took advantage of the Biden plan

[MEC407]

Not a new owner, just a new operator. The state will continue to own the Rockland Branch.

[gokeefe]

Mr. O'Keefe, lest we forget, Portland, even if geographically South of you, is "up there"; for, as a Fairfield Navy Cadet, if I were to sail up your way on a Broad Reach with the prevailing SW wind, I'm sailing "down there"

Hence "down east" ...

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[Pensyfan19]

Amtrak could go to Bangor soon!

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... r-service/

Maine legislators are considering two bills to study expanded passenger rail service in the state, while some residents would like to see state-owned rail corridors used for recreational trails. Currently, Maine’s only rail service, the Downeaster to Boston, terminates at Brunswick. WMTW-TV reports sponsors hope to have 90% of the state’s residents live within an hour of rail service. One of the two bills would study an extension about 20 miles northwest to Lewiston and Auburn; the other would provide analysis of an extension about 110 miles north and east to Augusta and Bangor. Lines exist on both routes but would require upgrades and the construction of stations and platforms.

[Arborwayfan]

What particular advantage does being an hour from a train station have? How many people in Ellsworth who have a car would drive to Bangor to take the train to Augusta or Portland? Would that really be a big benefit? And with the same money, or less money, couldn't they have a nice long-distance bus, with connections to rail trunk lines, stop within 10 mins of 90% of the population of Maine?

On a short-ish route like these would be, when is a less-frequent train better than a more-frequent bus?

Trains have an advantage when hundreds of people want to to the same place at the same time. Is that ever true between Portland and Bangor?

I love to ride trains, and when I do I start by driving an hour and a half, but most other people in Terre Haute either think I'm nuts or just never thought of going over into Illinois to get a train someplace.

[Ridgefielder]

What particular advantage does being an hour from a train station have? How many people in Ellsworth who have a car would drive to Bangor to take the train to Augusta or Portland? Would that really be a big benefit? And with the same money, or less money, couldn't they have a nice long-distance bus, with connections to rail trunk lines, stop within 10 mins of 90% of the population of Maine?

Bangor to Ellsworth is closer to 35 mins, not an hour, unless there is absolutely horrific traffic on 1A.

Are people going to drive from Ellsworth to Bangor to catch a train to Augusta, 1hr40mins by road? Probably not. But to Portland, a 2hr40min drive? Quite possibly. Or Boston, a 4hr drive that can easily be 5 with traffic? Definitely.

[MEC407]

Yeah, I can't picture anyone driving from MDI/Ellsworth to Bangor to take the train to Augusta or Lewiston-Auburn, and probably not a huge number of people would do that to get to Portland, but people would definitely do it to get to Boston.

Likewise, I could envision people from Greater Boston and southeast NH taking the train to Bangor and either renting a car or taking a shuttle to get to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.