Downeaster (train)

Downeaster
File:Amtrak downeaster herald.jpg
Overview
Status	Currently Operating 5 round-trip trains daily
Owner	Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Locale	New England
Termini	Boston, Massachusetts Portland, Maine
Stations	10
Service
Type	Inter-city rail
System	Amtrak
Services	Pan Am Railways, MBTA Commuter Rail
Operator(s)	Amtrak
History
Opened	December 15, 2001
Technical
Line length	116 miles (187 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Operating speed	79 MPH (max)
Route map Template:Infobox rdt

The Downeaster is a 116-mile (187 km) passenger train route operated by Amtrak, connecting North Station in Boston, Massachusetts, to Portland, Maine. In fiscal year 2006, it was Amtrak's fastest growing service, with ridership up 22.9% from the previous year. . In FY07, the service's ridership increased nearly 8%. In FY08, with the addition of a fifth round-trip, ridership increased by 28% — 12% more than projected. FY08 ticket revenue was $6,076,517, an increase of 33% over FY07 and 14% more than projected.

Route

The Downeaster runs northeast from Boston's North Station through southeastern New Hampshire into southern Maine, terminating at Portland.

Amtrak uses the MBTA’s Lowell Line from North Station to Wilmington, the Wildcat Branch to Wilmington Junction, and the Haverhill/Reading Line to Haverhill Station. From there to Portland, it uses Pan Am Railways trackage. These were all part of the Boston and Maine Railroad - the part south of Wilmington Junction was once the main line and a branch of the Boston and Lowell Railroad, and the rest was the main line of the B&M.

If the Downeaster were to run solely on the Haverhill line it would conflict with the local commuter rail, as the Downeaster runs express from Woburn to Haverhill. The use of the Wildcat Branch to cross between the Lowell and Haverhill lines allows the Downeaster to pass a Haverhill train.

Connections

No direct transfer exists between North Station and Boston's South Station, which serves Amtrak trains heading south and west (see North-South Rail Link). Connecting passengers can use the Orange Line to Back Bay Station or take a taxi to South Station.

From Portland to Bangor, Concord Coach Lines operates Thruway Motorcoach service, scheduled to connect to the Downeaster, and treated as one continuous route for ticketing purposes. Some Thruway buses run from Portland to South Station, making a direct connection with Amtrak's other services.

History

See also: Portland (Maine) Union Station

The route of the Downeaster is similar to the route historically used by the Pine Tree, which was a joint Boston & Maine / Maine Central train from Boston to Bangor. The primary difference is that a motorcoach (bus) carries passengers for the Portland-Bangor leg of the trip.

Finances

As of December 2007, operating the Downeaster costs $13.5 million per year, of which $6 million is covered by fares paid by passengers. The federal government provides $6 million per year through 2008, and Maine $1.5 million per year; after that, Maine will have to take over paying the entire shortfall if service is to continue. Massachusetts and New Hampshire do not contribute even though the train stops in those states.

Expansion and development

File:Amtrak Downeaster Connections.jpg

Map of Current and Proposed Downeaster service and local connections.

A proposed expansion would see service continued along Maine's Atlantic coastline from Portland to Brunswick. A study by the Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology suggests that the extension, combined with commercial developments along the "Downeaster Corridor," could generate several billion dollars in construction investments plus $55 million annually in tax revenue for the state of Maine.

Ground was broken for the Brunswick Amtrak station on October 18, 2008. This project is a retail development centered around a new train station with future service south on the Amtrak Downeaster and north to Rockland on Maine Eastern Railroad. It will include shops, condominiums, and office space.

The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority is currently waiting for approval on a $35 million loan from the federal government. If the loan is approved, Pan Am Railways will immediately begin work on the rail line from Portland to Brunswick. It is the hope of the Authority to have passenger rail service to Brunswick by the year 2010.

Gallery

• 
  A southbound Downeaster at Ocean Park, Maine, as viewed from the cab of a northbound train.
• 
  A Downeaster cab/baggage unit at Saco, Maine.
• 
  A southbound Downeaster crossing Scarborough Marsh in Scarborough, Maine.
• 
  A southbound Downeaster at Rigby Yard in South Portland, Maine.

External links

• Amtrak - Routes - Northeast - Downeaster
• The Downeaster official web site
• Downeastriders.us - A passenger's guide to Downeaster travel
• TrainRiders Northeast - A non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to bringing modern and efficient passenger rail service to Northern New England.