Downeaster Trackwork & Upgrades

One day at a time ...

Article today in BDN about expanding the number of trips that will terminate in Brunswick. Upon completion of a new bypass near Cumberland, the Downeaster will have 5 trips a day to Brunswick. The bypass will allow better flow on the line per the article.

Track laying at Royal Siding is just past SR-9 heading north. New approach signals at SR-9 crossing on modern stainless steel tower. Configured as two stacks of bi-directional double headed triple aspect target signals. Very robust configuration that will undoubtedly support increased capacity and flexibility.

Cumberland is again looking at quiet zones and upgraded crossings :

https://www.pressherald.com/2018/09/16/ ... iet-zones/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Article mentions "an increase in passenger and freight traffic" but I don't know what they mean by that aside from the new DE runs obviously. Is there actually an uptick in freight traffic between Rigby and Danville?

Some indications that RUPO/PORU is running more frequently than usual.

Not impressed with the construction/interim train/bus schedule so far.
1) First time I went southbound (last Monday 9/24), bus from Wells arrived in Dover only to wait 45 min for the train. In the meantime some Pan-Am Passenger! train went through northbound????

2) Friday (9/28) northbound 685 arrives in Dover with apparently insufficient bus capacity for the hop to Wells Another 45 min delay.

3) The interim schedule has just been extended from Oct 7 to Oct 14. So it looks to me like it's taking 3 weeks to or more fix the tracks between Wells and Dover. That's all of about 15 miles! Everything else seems to be open.

I'm making good use of the Concord Coach Bus.

What work are they doing on the Portland Division? The speed restrictions are pretty horrific.

15,000 new ties between Dover and Wells.

http://amtrakdowneaster.com/construction" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope PAR gets the work done and surfaced before the first HARD freeze hit.

Should be. Will also eliminate the long standing slow orders in Saco on the station approach.

PAR unloaded at least one truck load of ties between the Dover station
and the Cocheco River Bridge last week. Also, there has been a daily
work permit between CPF244 and MP 248 all last week. There has been
a 30 MPH speed restriction in that area for most of September. Looks
like they are addressing that issue, along with the big tie job from Dover
to Wells.

Some of the interim schedules posted at stations show Oct 7 as the end of this construction period, but the latest ones linked to from the Downeaster website now show Oct 14.

The conductors on train 686 yesterday thought it was still Oct 7.

Is this being dragged out? I ride regularly and not only is the shuttle bus getting old, but more importantly there is no midday northbound train (was 683) in the interim schedule.

George?

I had an unconfirmed report that the first two weeks scheduled work ran into the middle of the third week.
So that would fit right in to the need for an additional week overall to complete the project as planned.

News to me. I would say generally that the website tends to be the most up to date source of information.

Amtrak.com is showing #683 and #684 cancelled for T-W-T, October 9-10-11.
Could be the three days they were "unofficially" reported to be "running behind.