Downeaster Busing This Week

Downeaster mid-day trains #681-683-684-686 will be busing from September 25th thru September 29th between Wells and Portland due to GRS/PAR trackwork.

Downeasters carried 33,410 passengers in August, a new monthly record for the second month in a row.

NNEPRA meeting this week to make schedule changes for weekday trains. Possible changes would benefit riders working in Boston, but the late night train #687 could become a "temporary" bus. Wait and see.

Dick H

I hope this does not drive passengers away

Aline, was the pun intended?

In any case, do we know the rationale between making the late night departure a bus? Is ridership that light? If it does happen, does that mean there is the possibility for another round trip?

There was a meeting of NNEPRA on Monday. As reported on another list, supposedly no decision was made on the new schedule. If the proposed schedule does take effect, it appears there will still be four round trips during the week, two inbound runs in the morning and two outbound trips at 5:00 and 6:30, with two roundtrips during mid-day for a total of eight trips.

It appears that the needed trackwork to implement the fifth round trip will not be completed during this construction season. Therefore, in order to have the late (687) trip out of Boston, it would be necessary for the 5:00PM trainset arriving in Portland at 7:30PM to turn and run back to Boston to be in position for an 11:00AM Boston departure. This would also have a benefit of a later last departure from Portland, allowing visitors to spend much more time in Portland. I do not know the ridership figures on the current #687 during the week. It probably depends on evening sporting or entertainment events in Boston. It is unlikely that Guilford will approve a fifth trip until the trackwork is completed.

Dick H

I don't know why; how many trains do they run between LJ and Rigby to cause interference?

Guilford currently runs two through frieghts each way per day between LJ and Rigby for a total of four. In addtion, the DOBO/BODO (gravel train) is currently running four nights a week between Dover and Boston. A "local" job called SP-1 (based at Wells) runs several days or nights, mostly between Wells and Rigby, but can go to Rockingham. Local LA-1 sometimes runs from Lawrence to Rockingham on on to Portsmouth. The schedules for SP-1 and LA-1 seem to vary from week to week.

Dick