Amtrak Downeaster Discussion Thread

[gokeefe]

There was a nice writeup about the Downeaster in the Amtrak Employee Magazine, "ink".

The story was the cover feature for the month and had some interesting news on an e-ticketing pilot project that is being tested on the Downeaster for rollout on the rest of the Amtrak system.

Link to the story at the Downeastriders.us blog:

http://downeastriders.us/blog/

[gokeefe]

Does anyone think the Downeaster could potentially take out a small Mail and Express contract between Boston and Portland? Because the train is so reliable and has a simple routing it seems to me to be one of the better potential condidates in the Amtrak system for resumption of Mail and Express services. This would also be a nice way to expand revenue from the train for the State, NNERPA, and Amtrak.

I read thoroughly the thread disucssing this on the Amtrak forum.

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 46&t=40320

Many of the disadvantages and issues with the Mail on other parts of the Amtrak system do not seem to apply on the Downeaster.

[mwhite]

I don't think it is feasible. You would have a truck haul on both ends. Might as well load it in the truck and keep the wheels turning all the way to Portland.

[TomNelligan]

Amtrak is out of the mail-hauling business, and having lost money on its last serious attempt at promoting carload-volume mail and express traffic at the beginning of this decade, I very much doubt they'd be interested in trying it again. Additionally, these days the Postal Service moves most mail between regional distribution centers that are served by truck, not downtown to downtown as it did in the RPO era (the South Boston sorting facility adjacent to South Station is something of an exception; most regional centers are out in the suburbs, like the huge one in Waltham, Mass.). Finally, as noted above, the need to transload from truck to train and train to truck at each end would add delays and labor costs versus just trucking all the way.

[gokeefe]

FOR THE RECORD:

Boston globe article from SEP 3 2008. Article lists current speed limit as 5 mph. Full rehab of ties and tracks on both sides of bridge. Still no mention of projected completion date. Nice picture of the Downeaster crossing the bridge.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articl ... ge_delays/

Freeport Forecaster article on Freeport preparations for expansion of Downeaster:

http://www.theforecaster.net/story.php?storyid=16213

Associated Press article carried in the Newburyport News, in April:

http://www.newburyportnews.com/pubiz/et ... 21135.html

Associated Press article carried in the Portland Press Herald in July:

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story ... 4&ac=phnws

First mention I've ever seen of a possible sixth roundtrip. Fifth car add-on appears to be permanent. Ticket revenues appear to almost cover the cost of operations, obviously not including capital upgrades, however Transit Oriented Development, may in fact cover part of that cost as well.

To keep the Forum less clutterred I'm resolving to use this thread for Downeaster related items.

[trainhq]

The article shows that farebox recovery on the Downeaster is close to 80%. That is
excellent, far above the typical Amtrak numbers of about 50%. With an extra car
added on (assuming it gets filled up) the number could go even higher. Given
all of the extra side benefits of the service (less traffic on the road, more tourist $$,
transit oriented development) $1.5 million a year is an incredible bargain!

[gokeefe]

Both myself and MEC 407 have noticed this detail as well.

We're not sure what to make of it in some ways although it's clearly good news.

I did mention to MEC 407 in a PM that it's ironic that they are that close to breaking even on operations because if NH was funding the service they would be deeper in the hole, assuming Maine didn't cut back proportionately, which in this case they probably would.

I think the most interesting calculation right now is how many more passengers they have to carry in order to 'break even' and whether or not they already have the capacity to do so, especially on the most travelled departures already.

Adding a sixth roundtrip which apparently has already been discussed in some sort of preliminary fashion would add costs as well along with a potential increase in ridership. Without knowing exactly what the costs involved are and how much of NNERPA's budget is fixed cost overhead it's very difficult to say what's going to happen. I can say that in the past I've heard it right from Ms. Patricia Quinn that fuel prices affected ridership positively but also cost NNERPA more as well for fuel for trains.

There is the potential for the ideal situation to occur which is a drop in fuel prices combined with an increase in ridership at which point I think a 'break even' scenario becomes a more and more likely possibility. Also keep in mind that the extension to Freeport will involve greater costs with the challenges of getting new ridership. Is there bottled up demand in Brunswick and Freeport that the Downeaster can unleash? If yes, then this new section of the train has the potential to be very sucessful if not then we'll see, it maybe a longer term growth process than expected.

I still believe that the Freeport stop has the potential to soak up unused off-peak daytime capacity which in effect means gains in ridership for an increase in costs that is only associated with extension to Brunswick. There could also be an increase in off peak northbound ridership to Freeport. In essence the two could work together. Brunswick for peak commuters and Freeport for daytrippers. This combination together may help pay for the cost of service and support the extension. There are a lot of symmetries in play here that point towards a favorable outcome.

How sucessful Maine Eastern is in developing commuter service to Brunswick may play a big part in whether or not there are large numbers of new Maine based passengers for the Downeaster.

[gokeefe]

More information regarding the Downeaster's strong ridership numbers this past August.

http://downeastriders.us/blog/

[gokeefe]

Story describing the federal grant to improve the track approach to the Portland Transportation Center, northern Terminus of the Downeaster. The grant appears to the first track improvements to also begin work on the Brunswick extension.

Kennebec Journal article:

http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/033672.html

Trainriders Northeast Website USDOT announcement posting:

http://www.trainridersne.org/webpages/t ... 9-000F8513

[gokeefe]

Durham NH, Station Rededication:

Downeast Riders.us Blog:

http://downeastriders.us/blog/

What a big day for the Downeaster!

[FCM2829]

Does anyone know where the wye the federal grant is supposed to pay for is located? Is it the one under Veterans' Bridge? Or is ther some other wye somewhere else which will be pressed into service?

[MEC407]

I assumed they were talking about the wye under the bridge, one leg of which goes to Yard 8. I'm not aware of any other wyes in the immediate vicinity.

I also wasn't aware that Amtrak wasn't allowed to use that wye. PAR uses it on occasion... or at least they did in the recent past...

[atsf sp]

I'm just wondering, are there only two downeaster train sets since i've only seen cabbage cars 90220 and 90213.

[MEC407]

There is also 90214.

http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=418188

[BM6569]

So with the farebox recovery at around 80%, does this affect how much money the downeaster needs for funds. I take it that the farebox recovery number is how close tickets sales come to break even with the operating costs? What would happen if that figure reached 100%? Would that mean the downeaster could fund itself?