Amtrak Downeaster Discussion Thread

[markhb]

Mr. Junkie, could you get a photo of that engine to share here, or would that be too great a risk you'd be "standing in front of The Judge" (well, a certified letter) to hear your "sentence"?

Getting a photo may not be hard, they were moving her to the dead line last night as I was leaving. The challenge for me is moving it from my phone to the computer to the the website. Computers are not my thing, I just make big stuff stop and go.

If you have Gmail on your phone and your computer, you can mail it to yourself. That tends to be a simple option.

[BandA]

That looks like significant damage to that Amfleet?

[CN9634]

Update presentation from 2 days ago on the station relocation that covers 3 sites, picks a preferred site, and has a rendering of what it could look like. Comment period is open until August 27th so make yourself heard.

https://www.nnepra.com/project/portland ... elocation/?

[bostontrainguy]

Got to chose Site 3 option. This is a no-brainer.

[MEC407]

I was a little bit surprised to see how much importance they are placing on the continued use of the Portland layover area (I can't quite bring myself to use their terminology, "layover facility," since there's no actual structure involved).

With all the time and money they sunk into the Brunswick layover facility, why would the Portland one still be so important after the Portland station is moved onto the mainline?

[MBTAVideoClips]

Witnessed MEC 507 strike Portland ME station canopy Aug 15 2024 5:53 PM. Had cars that were too wide. Crew of 507 didn't seem to notice either, the railroad only found out after the arrival of Amtrak 685 at 6:20 PM. Damage to the canopy seems bad, especially on the northern end where a part of it snapped off and was pushed up. Concrete around the poles also damaged, cracked, displaced, etc.

[theMainer]

I was a little bit surprised to see how much importance they are placing on the continued use of the Portland layover area (I can't quite bring myself to use their terminology, "layover facility," since there's no actual structure involved).

With all the time and money they sunk into the Brunswick layover facility, why would the Portland one still be so important after the Portland station is moved onto the mainline?

Brunswick can only support 3 trainsets and lacks a proper yard. Portland is used to store whatever is lying around but isn't in active use. This normally is just a Rescue Train and sometimes cars waiting to be tacked on and sent to Southampton St.

[MEC407]

So they spent all that time and money and political capital on the Brunswick facility and didn't design it to adequately meet their needs?

[RandallW]

Given the stated concerns about enabling morning trips into Portland from the south, and preferring a station that enables east/west transit in the NNPRA briefing, it seems there may be consideration that not all trains should go to Brunswick regardless of layover facilities there.

Looking at maps and satellite imagery, it does look like there wasn't space for more in the Brunswick facility without additional property acquisition costs that probably would have driven the cost (real and political) of that facility up significantly.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Off topic I guess, but when searching for more regarding Mr. Video Clip's report, I came across this:

https://portlandmainehistory.blogspot.c ... maine.html

Incidentally, the cars you see to the right in the photo, built later '30's and with many others of like design on the New Haven, McNuisance sold to the Long Island; just ask him; the only good passenger railcar was a Budd RDC.

[Ryanontherails]

What is the East-West Rail that they are talking about? Westbrook to Commercial Street (which is now even more difficult because new buildings have been built on the proposed ROW for that)? I like Option 3 the best, but it's a shame MaineDOT is tearing the Mountain Division up for a bike path; it would allow travel to places like Sebago Lake, Fryeburg, and North Conway. Also, why is the crossover in the middle of the proposed station if they do want to allow trains to use the Mountain Branch?

[CN9634]

Parking will be a massive issue, unless they are willing to shuttle overflow from the exist PTC lot. I would have planned a parking garage or something likewise, although maybe Mercy will let them do something on their side since that lot is basically never used.

[BandA]

Obviously site 1 & site 2 are straw men. Where will they put the future garage? This is a major station, should they not leave space in the overhead bridge for say a freight bypass track in-between, and/or a third station track?

What is ME east-west rail? Is it Mountain Division or Lewiston-Auburn?

The VHB company has their finger in every project in New England it seems.

[STrRedWolf]

Update on 108. It's in the shops now and turns out one of the mechanics is also in the same Telegram group I'm in. He's looking at it now. Says the turbo looks fine, so the shop thinks that the engine had a stuck injector or a dropped valve, flooding the exhaust and melting the fiberglass roof. No real burn damage.

[Railjunkie]

Mr. Junkie, could you get a photo of that engine to share here, or would that be too great a risk you'd be "standing in front of The Judge" (well, a certified letter) to hear your "sentence"?

Mr Norman

As of yesterday the 108 was in the shop and I am not wondering in there looking to take a photo or two, it is all newer foreman and I don't know a lot of them. If she was outside easy enough before work. The only true cosmetic damage is to the roof and very upper edge. Looks like they pulled the panel to vent the fire. Basically at the exhaust stack. I included a stock photo to give an idea where I am talking about. If its in the shop, depending on where it sits in the line of repair and the damage isn't any further than a turbo she could be back in service before the end of September. Of course if I run into the right GF I can get updates on the 108 and cabbage car that has been sitting here for a while.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/HeritageUnits/Images/41215.jpg