Amtrak Downeaster Discussion Thread

[MEC407]

Follow-up story on the siblings:

https://www.pressherald.com/2022/05/13/ ... and-drugs/

Terribly sad, for so many reasons.

We've really got to do more for people who are suffering and crying out for help, otherwise our train crews will continue to be traumatized by these horrific incidents.

[arthur d.]

Follow-up story on the siblings:

https://www.pressherald.com/2022/05/13/

Story behind what amounts to a paywall.

[MEC407]

Non-fatal crash in Portland this afternoon:

Police, fire and ambulance crews responded shortly after 4 p.m. to the crash site on Woodford Street, between Beacon Street and Forest Avenue, said police Lt. Robert Doherty.

The tan Ford Explorer, driven by an 88-year-old Portland resident, was heading east on Woodford Street toward Forest Avenue and the train was traveling north toward stops in Freeport and Brunswick.
. . .
The driver, who had no passengers, was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries and transported to a local hospital for further treatment, Doherty said.

https://www.pressherald.com/2022/05/14/ ... -portland/

[stevefol]

Completely anecdotal, but I've noticed the OTP of the Downeaster seems greatly improved since CSX became official owners of PanAm on 6/1. The number of early arrivals of the southbounds at WOB is something I'd not seen in a long time.

[swist]

I know OTP is tracked, but I don't know where to look for it. Hard numbers would be useful, as I haven't had the same experience. As a weekly rider, 10-15 min or more delays end-to-end seem typical. But I am on just one or two of the 70 trips per week, so my experience is hardly statistically significant.

[BandA]

Maybe the OTP is due to PAR employees being on their best behavior, or temporary suspension of projects while CSX gets their arms around things?

[MEC407]

Downeaster ridership is now very close to what it was in July 2019, before the pandemic, which is great news. Story from Maine Public Radio:

So far this month, Downeaster passenger trains are carrying 94% as many riders as in June 2019, before the pandemic.

The executive director of Maine's passenger rail authority, Patricia Quinn, says June will likely be the best month for ridership since the start of the pandemic.

Regarding the transition from Pan Am to CSX:

Quinn says there were some minor delays in the first few days of the month, but, overall, "it's going very well."

"Anytime there's a big transition, there's a learning curve. We've really found them to be very responsive. They've been very proactive. They've been trying to identify issues with the railroad and we're really very optimistic that this is going to be a good relationship going forward," she says.

Quinn says the minor delays were caused by some "miscommunications" involving CSX train dispatchers.

Full story at https://www.mainepublic.org/2022-06-29/ ... 019-levels

. . .

In other Downeaster news, NNEPRA has a job opening for a Marketing Manager:

https://jobs.chiefmarketer.com/job/mark ... 701/15648/

[sicariis]

With the warm weather this week, has anyone seen if CSX will be as restrictive as PAR with the heat restrictions?

[Bob Roberts]

With the warm weather this week, has anyone seen if CSX will be as restrictive as PAR with the heat restrictions?

I can speak on PAR’s restrictions but down in North Carolina CSX is much more speed restrictive when temperatures change than NS. Many folks say that is a result of CSX’s lax track maintenance.

[MEC407]

There are no heat-related speed restrictions mentioned on the Service Alerts section of the Downeaster web site.

Portland is predicted to have a high temperature of 88 degrees today and tomorrow.

Exeter NH is predicted to have a high temperature of 91 today and 93 tomorrow.

In the past, temperatures in that range would have resulted in speed restrictions on PAR.

[MEC407]

I emailed NNEPRA about this issue. Here is their response:

"Amtrak has indicated that CSX does have a different protocol [than Pan Am] for monitoring and implementing heat restrictions. Currently, there are no restrictions in speed."

[STrRedWolf]

I emailed NNEPRA about this issue. Here is their response:

"Amtrak has indicated that CSX does have a different protocol [than Pan Am] for monitoring and implementing heat restrictions. Currently, there are no restrictions in speed."

You can see this in action more with MARC service. Amtrak would slow down before CSX does, but CSX has put in heat orders in high (100+) degree temps.

[daybeers]

This is interesting, as in most of CSX's territory, they are quite conservative with issuing heat restrictions. Probably due to their cheapskate maintenance.

[MEC407]

CSX derailments caused by heat kinks that occurred in recent memory:

• the Amtrak Auto Train, operating on CSX rails, hit a heat kink and derailed, killing four people and injuring 106

• the Amtrak Capital Limited, operating on CSX rails, hit a heat kink and derailed, injuring 101 people

• a CSX freight train carrying tankers of yellow phosphorous hit a heat kink and derailed, causing 12,000 gallons of the chemical to escape and spontaneously ignite, producing a towering plume of acidic smoke. 565 people were treated for injuries and illnesses related to inhalation of the smoke

[STrRedWolf]

Were these on primary freight routes? I know on some lines that have heavy passenger (IE not Amtrak) usage, CSX will issue heat restrictions. On MARC's Brunswick and Camden lines, which are CSX lines, CSX has issued them in the past two days... enough that MARC had to cancel a round trip on the Camden line and adjust service.