Downeaster expansion in trouble

Looks like Downeaster expansion's in trouble, at least to Freeport. I think
they may add a fifth train on the existing run for commuters, but Freeport
may be a ways off.


Downeaster forced to dip into expansion fund


By JOSHUA L. WEINSTEIN, Portland Press Herald Writer


Overly optimistic ridership estimates have left Amtrak's Downeaster passenger service needing $1.7 million more in federal subsidies. Rail officials plan to take the money from a fund earmarked to extend the train service from Portland to Brunswick.

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Somewhat of a shame, but again, not a total loss. At least they're still considering their options.

This past weekend would have been almost perfect for us to take the Downeaster except for one detail.... only one daily trip to Boston from Albany. (the fact that it would arrive at a different station was another issue.)

Seeing how much work is going into "The Widening" it's nice to see that Maine is still working on alternative methods of getting people into and out of the state. They at least realize that the highway is the single perfect solution.

Personally, I agree with the logic. The Boston to Portland segment must be stabilized before any expansion is done. Once the ridership is there, expanding the line will make sense.

Isn't it just wonderful that the state of Maine already spent $25 million in rehabbing the Rockland branch.... for nothing. If those responsible were in the real world of private industry, they'd be out on their butts long ago... but then again, private industry wouldn't have allowed such a boondoggle in the first place.

Hmm...were it up to private industry, what kind of transportation network would we have in that case?

Cowford wrote: If those responsible were in the real world of private industry, they'd be out on their butts long ago... but then again, private industry wouldn't have allowed such a boondoggle in the first place.

It's been my experience, in my 20+ years of employment in "Private Industry" (Including stints at several Fortune 500 companies) that there are plenty of boondoggles in private business. They just know how to hide it better

And sometimes they don't. Which reminds me of a quote from Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.).

When the Enron scandal was still very much in the news, back in July 2002, here's what Mica told AP's Mike Branom. "People are concerned about corporate scandals, but that was investor money. Even more scandalous is Amtrak's inability to account for billions of taxpayer dollars." Uh, sure, congressman, whatever.

As Mr. Noah has suggested, maybe for now the money could be better spent in strengthening the Boston-Portland segment, which could mean investing in further legal action against the Guilford organization over the currently imposed 59 mph speed limit. (The recent FRA ruling upholding a 79 mph speed in places has not yet been implemented and I've seen nothing that indicates that it will be anytime soon.) While the rush hour trains to and from Boston are very well patronized, hardly anyone rides the midday runs, and as long as the train takes a lot longer than off-peak driving (2 hr 45 min versus about 2 hours in the absence of summer and foliage season weekend traffic jams) I imagine ridership will remain stable, not growing. Fifty years ago the Boston & Maine ran Boston-Portland in two hours (I'm looking at the October 1956 timetable at the moment), and it would be nice if the current service at least matched what was routine in the middle of the last century.

Boston to Portland in two hours translates to an average speed of 52½ mph. Not terribly fast even by today's standards.

For me it's all about the intermediate spots. It is much faster if someone is going to an intermediate location that isn't Portland. Going out of North I find that it is a faster, nicer ride to go vis North station to go to Dover or Wells and much faster than bus and/or taxi. (never mind Saco or O.O.B. which has no bus serviec from Boston and). Even if the run is an hour and forty minutes to Dover it often beats the bus there. Granted eighty miles in an Hour and forty minutes isn't amazing time, but there are certain times of the day that it won't happen any faster.
I think what has to happen is that the intermediate stations on the line need to be given more encouragement to take the train rather than focusing on the full-run. It's going Portland-Dover. Boston-Wells etc. that should be where the run is doing a better job of service than the full run Boston- Portland. I don't see a lot of the intermediate service, although my preferred train is the late night train which brings that down a lot.
That should be the goal for Downeaster right now, encourage more intermediate and shorter trips. Then once that gets going then think about Lewiston and Freeport.

Considering that it is making stops along the way.


Granted, 79mph will help some, but I wouldn't noc 52.5mph either.

I've done the drive from Boston to Portland a few times, and it takes a little under two hours if one averages about 70-75mph on the highway and doesn't hit the tolls at a peak time. I have yet to do the entire drive without stopping at all for gas/food/bathroom/etc.

When comparing average speed of bus / train /car, it's important to remember some other things. In a bus or train, you don't have to stop for 15 minutes for the bathroom. If you want a bite to eat or a beer, the train is the only way to go.

Finally, my wife said it best after taking the Lake Shore Limited from Boston to Rochester, NY and back. "That went by really fast!". It took longer than driving, but it went by faster. Interesting, n'est-ce pas?

Yes I agree with Veteran if left to private ownership what sort of transportation would we enjoy? The answer is very little. After all Amtrak was created because not only did private ownership fail in the operation of passenger services, but so did public policy that allowed it to happen meanwhile giving billions to air and highways. That's where the problem lies.

The cavalier attitude of the Mica's, Istooks, and McCains of this world will only ensure that we rail passengers are second class citizens when it comes to travel. Of course Guilford Transportation's Mr. Fink is no prize and if ever there was a poster child for nationalization of the railways he's it.

Anyway, that's what this battle is all about. Everytime a train or rail passengers make a gain those interested in preserving the fly/drive status quo immediately go into their attack mode talking about "free enterprise" and other assorted rubbish in order to create a smoke screen and not discuss the real issues at hand.