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I rode the Downeaster from Portland to Boston this morning.
The good - beautiful scenery, following a snowstorm yesterday (think Currier and Ives Christmas card with frosted pine trees everywhere). Very friendly crew working the train.
The bad - too many stops (Greyhound has an express from Portland, ME, to Boston, MA ,as does Concord Trailways). Downeaster goes to North Station not South Station.
The Ugly - The $10 + tip it cost for a cross town taxi to South Station in miserable Boston traffic in order to continue the trip on another train. (I continued on to home on the LSL). Had I taken the Concord Trailways I could have taken an express bus from the Portand Transport Center (the same center that Amtrak uses) to South Station for a $2 price difference from Amtrak in the same amount of time.
Glad I can say I rode the "Downeaster" once - but doubt I will make a habit of using it again.
Dee
tarheelman Member # 6095
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Dee, have you thought about writing Amtrak (including a cc to Alex Kummant) about the need for fewer stops on this route? If Amtrak knew about the express buses, hopefully they'd realize that they need to make the 'Downeaster' an express in order to compete better with these buses.
George Harris Member # 2077
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Regardless of ridership, this is a political route and group of trains. Each locale has a loud contingent making sure they keep their stop, whether they ride the train or not. Same game was played 50 years ago when locals that really and truly nobody rode were discontinued. Quite frequently the only way discontinuance was permitted was the company adding multiple stops to the formerly fast trains - with fairly predicable results, I might add of loss of ridership from those trains as well.
DeeCT Member # 3241
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George -
You are right there are politics involved - especially in this case where part of the cost of these trains is subsidized by the State of Maine (and if I recall correctly New Hampshire).
The biggest problem is that cross town self transfer. Those familiar with Boston traffic will understand this is not a easy or pleasant undertaking.
Dee
notelvis Member # 3071
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It would be nice to at least have a shuttle bus (maybe complimentary for connecting Amtrak passengers) between the two Boston stations.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Of interest, there is an all rail route between North and South Stations and is regularly used to move equipment from North Station to the Maintenance Facility. The route is quite circuitous and involves a reverse movement; lest anyone start asking "why not", it's quite unreasonable and impractical to consider the carriage of passengers over such.
George Harris Member # 2077
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quote:Originally posted by DeeCT: You are right there are politics involved - especially in this case where part of the cost of these trains is subsidized by the State of Maine (and if I recall correctly New Hampshire).
If I recall correctly, New Hampshire puts nothing into the pot. The state has a very strong highway lobby that has so far prevented any form of funding for rail. (Happy to be corrected if I am wrong.)
tarheelman Member # 6095
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quote:Originally posted by George Harris: Regardless of ridership, this is a political route and group of trains. Each locale has a loud contingent making sure they keep their stop, whether they ride the train or not. Same game was played 50 years ago when locals that really and truly nobody rode were discontinued. Quite frequently the only way discontinuance was permitted was the company adding multiple stops to the formerly fast trains - with fairly predicable results, I might add of loss of ridership from those trains as well.
I hate being negative, but this kind of political lobbying has to stop if passenger rail is to become faster and more convenient---which it must do in order to attract more riders.
As George points out, political lobbying like this (over station stops that were lightly used) helped drive riders away from the fast express trains fifty years ago. IMO, passenger rail would've been better able to compete with the interstate highway system if the fast trains hadn't been forced to add stops at lightly used stations for political reasons.
RailfanladyMA Member # 6212
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To reply to some of the postings:
There is not enough demand for a special shuttle bus for Amtrak folks within Boston. There already is a direct subway line and city surface buses that go there. You can also just walk there as it is only a mile and I prefer to walk.
Amtrak (Maine) has partnership with the bus for ticket combination specials, tickets that can be used on both routes, and some low usage "runs" change to buses.
The train picks up most of its passengers on these "stops" (Maine, NH, Anderson) and therefore would not have express trains. For instance UNH is on the route.
The train has an advantage over the bus in that it is more roomy, one can get up and walk around, the restrooms are OK, and kids love being on the train (kids have room to squirm).
Have a great holiday everyone and lets greet 2008 in good spirits.
RailfanladyMA Member # 6212
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Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: You are correct. The Boston all rail equipment route is not direct and I believe has one way tracks in part.
I am old enough to remember when Atlantic Avenue had a railroad line running down the middle of the street. This is the area near the docks and the waterfront.
DeeCT Member # 3241
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"There is not enough demand for a special shuttle bus for Amtrak folks within Boston. There already is a direct subway line and city surface buses that go there. You can also just walk there as it is only a mile and I prefer to walk."
RailfanladyMA --
First- welcome to the forum.
I am unaware of any survey, study or similar undertaking that supports whether there would or would not be a demand for a shuttle. But it would seem that it would make sense.
I am senior citizen (from out-of-town) and find the Boston subway system to be confusing and not an answer when traveling with luggage. Walking a mile is also not an option both because of age and mobility problems.
I personally would love a shuttle bus and be willing to pay a reasonable price to use such. Included in my on-line confirmation for my recent trip from Portland, ME to Springfield, MA was information suggesting that if you were transferring from North Station to Back Bay Station that Amtrak recommended the use of the Orange? Line (subway) and that if you were transfering to South Station a taxi was recommended. I did hail a cab for the "self transfer" to South Station.
While I love train travel - Concord Trailways (and the LSL) just makes more sense for future trips. And there will be many future trips to and from Portland. The reason for the trip two weeks ago was to meet my first Great Grandchild. A baby girl who quickly stole my heart, just as her mother did 20 plus years ago.
Dee (Who is busy planning my next cross country trip - probably in June).
4021North Member # 4081
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quote:Originally posted by George Harris: the only way discontinuance was permitted was the company adding multiple stops to the formerly fast trains - with fairly predicable results...of loss of ridership from those trains...
People like that need to do some time on the ducking stool.
As for the political aspects of small station stops, I think the people who support them have honest intentions. They see the Downeaster as a local train service that their small communities need. Perhaps what is warranted here is a local train in addition to an express train with limited stops and faster schedules for those who are going long-distance.
tarheelman Member # 6095
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quote:Originally posted by 4021North: As for the political aspects of small station stops, I think the people who support them have honest intentions. They see the Downeaster as a local train service that their small communities need. Perhaps what is warranted here is a local train in addition to an express train with limited stops and faster schedules for those who are going long-distance.
You nailed it! That's exactly what's needed.
Unfortunately, getting the funding for a regional service so that the 'Downeaster' can become an express route would be difficult because of attitudes like those expressed by the columnist quoted in the "Downeaster in the CS Monitor redux" thread.
Liberty Limited Member # 4300
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I can't comment on the needs/merits/etc. of a shuttle bus between the two stations, but I can imagine something like this being particularly expensive in trying to meet the limited schedule of the Downeaster, as it would require excessive "deadhead" costs to accomodate people on a 10 minute trip.
Yes, an EXPRESS or LIMITED Downeaster would be nice thing, BUT given that it's running less than a half a dozen trips through an area, having one or two of the trains in each direction skip your stop represents a 20-40% drop in your service. And would the loss of ridership from these stops lead to enough of an increase in ridership from those wouldn't ride the train before because it took 10 minutes longer. If they add a 6th train, they might want to experiment with such a concept, though I would respect their desire not to do so in Maine, since they're footing much of the bill of the train.
Just as you list the need for a $10+ cab ride as the UGLY of the service, I'm sure someone in Old Orchard Beach or Saco would feel the same if they now had to drive miles further to access the train (or miss it altogether if they could not get a ride) because they opted to skip the stop to speed the ride for others.
posted ![[Frown]](frown.gif)