Baby Downeaster

So just about an hour ago, I saw a Downeaster creeping North up the Haverhill line through Wakefield. (I was trying to catch one of those loud beeping trains the locals are complaining about). This train was going pretty slow which seemed odd, but not as odd as the train's length. One locomotive, one passenger car. That's it. Anyone know what was going on with this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juV3c3T6J78

Probably the equipment transfer job. Not sure what their current schedule/practice is, but back when I commuted by train (about 6 years ago), one of the afternoon/evening arrivals from Maine would have any equipment being transferred out of DE service tacked on the back. At North Station, the transfer crew would cut it off, head over the Grand Junction, and into Amtrak's yard facility on the southside to exchange for anything going back into DE service. Sometimes they would tack on to the late northbound DE, but often if they got done quickly they might just head back to Maine solo. I believe in the past, they might also use it to keep their qualifications up on the Western Route, though with the frequent track outages for the GLX that's probably not an issue these days for the Amtrak crews.

Typically 686 used to bring the extra crew/equipment for the transfer move and it was very common to go back as a stand-alone, but occasionally it got added back to 689. Not sure what COVID schedules and crew availability have done to this move, but there's a chance it was made with 688.

When coming back from the Grand Junction it is a straight move to go back the Haverhill Line which is why it is common for that route to be used for . To get over to the Lowell you either have to go into North Station (which turns the equipment and wouldn't work for the consist you described) or come out towards the Haverhill and shove back toward the station in front of BS&G to then switch to the Lowell Line.

Maximum speed by Wakefield station is only 15mph which explains why they might have been crawling.

Is that speed restriction just due to track condition or is it something to do with the crossing/beeping situation in Wakefield these days?

Been there forever, probably has to do with the station stop, the crossings nearby and the old signal system in the area. It's likely to keep gates from lowering and staying down at Broadway or Prospect Street while a train is stopped in the station.