56-624: The Downeaster is a 145-mile (233 km) passenger train service operated by Amtrak and managed by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA), an agency of the state of Maine . Named for the Down East region of Maine, the train operates five daily round trips between North Station in Boston , Massachusetts, and Brunswick, Maine , with ten intermediate stops. In fiscal 2024,
112-631: A Maine Turnpike exit. In October 2000, the Federal Railroad Administration designated a route from Boston to Portland and Auburn as one component of the Northern New England Corridor , a proposed high-speed rail project . Service to Brunswick was originally intended to begin within five years of the Downeaster' s 2001 launch, but was delayed by lack of funding and other obstacles. Ground
168-686: A control car ) runs on the southbound end of the train. In the coming years all equipment will be replaced with Amtrak Airo trainsets, the railroad's branding of its combination of Siemens Venture passenger cars and a Siemens Charger diesel-electric locomotive. The trainsets for the Downeaster will have six passenger cars, which will include a food service area and a mix of 2x2 Coach Class and 2x1 Business Class seating. All classes of service include complimentary WiFi, an electric outlet (120 V, 60 Hz AC) at each seat, reading lamps, fold-out tray tables. Reservations are required on all trains, tickets may be purchased online, from an agent at some stations,
224-431: A dining car or restaurant car to allow passengers to have a meal during the course of their journey. Trains travelling overnight may also have sleeping cars . Currently, much of travel on these distances of over 500 miles (800 km) is done by air in many countries but in others long-distance travel by rail is a popular or the only cheap way to travel long distances. One notable and growing long-distance train category
280-530: A bill in the Maine House that would direct MaineDOT to study the feasibility and cost of extending passenger rail to Bangor. The bill "died between houses" when legislators declined to appropriate the $ 300,000 cost from the highway fund. Dunphy and eight cosponsors reintroduced the bill in February 2017, but it also died in committee. In January 2021, Senator Joe Baldacci and seven cosponsors introduced
336-610: A bill similar to Dunphy's in the Maine Senate . This bill was passed unanimously through committee in May 2021, and in June 2021 was passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Janet Mills . The amended bill directs MaineDOT to study the propensity for new passenger rail or other transit between Portland and Bangor by January 1, 2023, but only if local municipalities provide 25% of the study's cost. In March 2021, Amtrak did not include
392-572: A fixed schedule and have priority over freight trains . Passenger trains may be made up of a number of passenger cars hauled by one or more locomotives, or may be made up of self-propelled railcars . Car design and the general safety of passenger trains have dramatically evolved over time, making travel by rail remarkably safe. Some passenger trains, both long-distance and short-distance, use bi-level (double-decker) cars to carry more passengers per train. Passenger trains hauled by locomotives are more expensive to operate than multiple units, but have
448-432: A group of volunteers founded TrainRiders/Northeast , a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing modern passenger rail service to Northern New England. In 1990, at the urging of Maine's congressional delegation, Amtrak estimated the cost of creating passenger rail service at about $ 50 million: $ 30 million for infrastructure improvements and another $ 20 million for equipment. The following year, Amtrak agreed to provide
504-602: A higher passenger capacity. Many prestigious passenger train services have been bestowed a special name , some of which have become famous in literature and fiction. The first occasion on which a railway locomotive pulled a train carrying passengers was in the United Kingdom in 1804, at Penydarren Ironworks in Wales , when 70 employees of the ironworks were transported 9 miles by an engine designed by Richard Trevithick . The first passenger train in regular service
560-756: A layover facility in Brunswick (built in 2016), 4 miles (6.4 km) of new passing track in Yarmouth (the Royal Junction Siding, built in 2018), a wye in Portland, and an island platform at Portland Transportation Center. In December 2016, NNEPRA hired VHB and WSP to produce a propensity report for the extension. Released in May 2018, the report forecast daily ridership of 250 to 330 given four round-trip trains per day, and 700 to 1,900 given 12 to 20 round-trip trains. The lower estimate alone
616-443: A ticketing machine at most stations, or, at a higher cost, from the conductor on the train. Some Downeaster trains carry volunteers, coordinated by Trainriders Northeast , to inform passengers about destinations, attractions, and transfers. Between December 2001 through 2005, annual ridership ranged from 250,000 to 300,000 passengers. In fiscal year 2011, ridership topped 500,000 for the first time. Ridership dropped sharply due to
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#1732779896712672-1114: A train consisting of a single passenger car (carriage, coach) with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g. the Great Western Railway , used the term " railmotor ". If the railcar is able to pull a full train, it is more likely to be called a " motor coach " or a "motor car". The term "railcar" is sometimes also used as an alternative name for the small types of multiple unit that consist of more than one coach. Rapid transit trains are trains that operate in urban areas on exclusive rights-of-way in that pedestrians and road vehicles may not access them. Light rails are electrically powered urban passenger trains that run along an exclusive rights-of-way at ground level, raised structures, tunnels, or in streets. Light rail systems generally use lighter equipment that operate at slower speeds to allow for more flexibility in integrating systems into urban environments. Trams (also known as streetcars in North America) are
728-411: A type of passenger train that runs a tramway track on or alongside public urban streets, often including segments of right-of-way for passengers and vehicles. Heritage trains are often operated by volunteers, often railfans , as a tourist attraction or as a museum railway. Usually, the trains are formed from historic vehicles retired from national commercial operation that have retained or assumed
784-655: Is high-speed rail, which generally runs at speeds above 200 km/h (120 mph) and often operates on a dedicated track that is surveyed and prepared to accommodate high speeds. The first successful example of a high-speed passenger rail system was Japan's Shinkansen , colloquially known as the "bullet train", which commenced operation in October 1964. Other examples include Italy's LeFrecce , France's TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse, literally "high speed train"), Germany's ICE (Inter-City Express), and Spain's AVE (Alta Velocidad Española). In most cases, high-speed rail travel
840-569: Is lifted during MBTA service disruptions on the Lowell or Haverhill lines. The Downeaster is separated from the rest of Amtrak's system because there is no direct link between Boston's train stations . Downeaster passengers continuing from Boston can ride six stops on the MBTA Orange Line to Amtrak's Back Bay station, where they can make connections to Amtrak's Northeast Corridor services to New York and points south, as well as
896-572: Is the Portland Transportation Center , while Exeter is New Hampshire's busiest. As of 2013, operational costs were around $ 15 million annually, $ 5.6 million of which is covered by Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funding, $ 8.1 million in revenues, and $ 1.8 million in operating subsidy from the State of Maine. 58% of the overall ridership travels to or from the state of Maine. A 2008 study by
952-440: Is time- and cost-competitive with air travel when distances do not exceed 500 to 600 km (310 to 370 mi), as airport check-in and boarding procedures can add at least two hours to the overall transit time. Also, rail operating costs over these distances may be lower when the amount of jet fuel consumed by an airliner during takeoff and climbout is taken into consideration. Air travel becomes more cost-competitive as
1008-629: The Boston and Maine Railroad ; the part south of Wilmington Junction was once the mainline and a branch of the Boston and Lowell Railroad , and the rest was the mainline of the B&;M. The line north of Portland to Brunswick was once part of the Maine Central Railroad. If the Downeaster were to run solely on the Haverhill Line, it would conflict with the local commuter rail service on a largely single-tracked rail line, since
1064-501: The Budd Company in the mid-to-late 1970s. Most trains include an Amfleet club car which has a combination of Business Class seating with a Café (food service/lounge) and four Coach Class cars. Trains are pulled or pushed on the northbound end of the train by a GE Genesis diesel locomotive at speeds up to 79 mph (127 km/h). A second GE Genesis or a Non-Powered Control Unit (a former EMD F40PH locomotive converted into
1120-504: The Downeaster became the first Amtrak train to offer free Wi-Fi service and e-ticketing . In May 2014, NNEPRA agreed to add a station stop in Kennebunk, Maine . Like Old Orchard Beach , it would have been a seasonal stop, open from April to October. Initial plans called for a temporary platform to be erected in 2016, with a permanent platform constructed with $ 300,000 in town money and $ 800,000 in state money for 2017 or 2018. Part of
1176-566: The Downeaster carried 598,426 passengers, up 27.0% from the previous year. In 2024, the train earned ticket revenue of 13,051,548 up from 10,420,681 the year prior, for a farebox recovery of 50%. The Downeaster follows the route historically used by the Pine Tree and Flying Yankee trains that traveled from Bangor to Boston and were operated jointly by the Boston & Maine Railroad and Maine Central Railroad . Passenger operations between Portland and Boston ceased in 1965. In 1989,
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#17327798967121232-704: The Lakeshore Limited to Chicago . A proposed connection is strongly supported by U.S. Senator Ed Markey , former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis , and others who are pushing for the connection so the diesel engines that currently haul the Downeaster can be replaced by electrified ones . There have been various proposals to extend Downeaster service from Brunswick along the old Maine Central Railroad main line to Augusta , Waterville , and Bangor , which last saw passenger train service in 1961 at Bangor Union Station . In April 2015, Representative Michelle Dunphy and nine cosponsors introduced
1288-703: The MBTA 's Lowell Line from Boston's North Station to Wilmington , the Wildcat Branch to Wilmington Junction , and the Haverhill Line to the Massachusetts–New Hampshire state line. From there to just short of Brunswick, it uses CSX Transportation's former Pan Am Railways Freight Main Line. The last mile of track in Brunswick is owned by MaineDOT . Lines south of Portland were once part of
1344-720: The United States began in the 1830s and became popular in the 1850s and '60s. The first electric passenger train was exhibited at the Berlin Industrial Exposition 1879 . The first successful commercial electric passenger train, the Gross-Lichterfelde Tramway , ran a year later in Lichterfelde . Long-distance trains travel between many cities or regions of a country, and sometimes cross several countries. They often have
1400-818: The "core product" of Boston-Portland service instead. Legal challenges to the facility ended in January 2016. In 2017 and 2018, NNEPRA constructed a 4-mile (6 km) passing track, the Royal Junction siding, on the 30-mile (48 km) single-track section of line between Portland and Brunswick to enable an increase from three to five daily round trips to Brunswick. The increase to five weekday round trips between Boston and Brunswick (with four Brunswick round trips and one Portland round trip on weekends) took place on November 12, 2018. All five weekend round trips began running to Brunswick on May 20, 2019. The Downeaster ' s ridership, finances, and performance suffered in
1456-580: The Amtrak train makes no stops between Woburn and Haverhill . By using the Wildcat Branch to cross between the Lowell and Haverhill lines, the Downeaster can pass a Haverhill train. Passengers are generally prohibited from purchasing Downeaster tickets to ride between Woburn and Boston, a route served by MBTA commuter trains; this keeps seats free for longer-distance passengers. This restriction
1512-696: The COVID-19 pandemic, but was back up to 516,723 in fiscal year 2023. Ridership was 598,426 in fiscal year 2024 – 4% higher than the previous record in 2019. The line's busiest station is North Station in Boston. Due in part to the route's success, North Station was the 23rd busiest Amtrak station in the country in fiscal year 2018, and the fifth busiest in New England (behind South Station, Providence , New Haven Union and Back Bay). The busiest station in Maine
1568-612: The Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology suggested that the Brunswick 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. In 2013, the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority estimated that the Downeaster has an annual economic impact of $ 12 million from visitors to Maine, and directly or indirectly employs 200 people. The Downeaster uses
1624-555: The MBTA several years earlier.) In November 2023, Amtrak and CSX reached a construction agreement under which Amtrak will contribute over $ 50 million and CSX will perform the work. As of June 2024, the PTC installation is expected to be complete in 2026. Most Downeaster trains consist of five cars hauled by a locomotive . The passenger cars are the Amfleet I series passenger cars built by
1680-421: The Portland station. The Portland Transportation Center is on a branch line, which adds 15 minutes to travel time for trains to or from Brunswick. Other concerns with the current station include limited parking and its location on Thompson's Point. A new location could put the station on the main line, move it closer to downtown, and improve vehicular and pedestrian access. In 2021, a MaineDOT study endorsed moving
1736-399: The character, appearance, and operating practices of railways in their time. Sometimes lines that operate in isolation also provide transport facilities for local people. Much of the equipment used on these trains' systems is original or at least aims to replicate both the look and the operating practices of historic/former railways companies. Passenger rail is one of the modes of travel with
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1792-873: The conventional rail infrastructure to support trains that can operate safely at higher speeds. Many cities and their surrounding areas are served by commuter trains (also known as suburban trains), which serve commuters who live outside of the city they work in, or vice versa. More specifically, in the United States commuter rail service is defined as, "short-haul rail passenger transportation in metropolitan and suburban areas usually having reduced fare, multiple ride, and commuter tickets and morning and evening peak period operations". Trains are very efficient for transporting large numbers of people at once, compared to road transport. While automobiles may be delayed by traffic congestion , trains operate on dedicated rights-of-way which allow them to bypass such congestion. With
1848-508: The end of 1994, total appropriations for infrastructure had reached $ 38.6 million. In 1995, Governor Angus King and Commissioner of Transportation John Melrose ordered the creation of a passenger rail authority. TrainRiders/Northeast, led by Chairman Wayne Davis, worked with the state Chamber of Commerce and industry, Maine DOT, and others to convince the legislature to create the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority in August. Service
1904-685: The equipment at no charge to the State of Maine. Earlier in that same year, the Maine Legislature adopted its first citizen-initiated bill, the "Passenger Rail Service Act", which was endorsed by the Maine DOT and signed by the governor. In 1992, Maine voters approved a $ 5.4 million rail bond for right-of-way improvements, and $ 60,000 was granted to the Maine DOT to design a Portland intermodal terminal. Later that year, Congress approved $ 25.5 million for more right-of-way improvements, and 1993 saw an additional $ 9.5 million in track improvements. By
1960-613: The facility in 2013, with construction slated to run from summer 2013 until late 2014, but local opposition delayed the project. Neighbors of the planned location demanded further environmental studies, saying they believe the facility would hurt nearby areas. State politicians became involved; Governor Paul LePage , concerned about job creation at Brunswick Landing , suggested alternate locations in eastern Brunswick. Several Democratic state legislators asked NNEPRA to build in an existing rail yard in South Portland , and to focus on
2016-548: The first half of 2015 because of an exceptionally brutal winter and a subsequent large-scale tie replacement project funded by the NNEPRA. During its fiscal year 2015 (July 2014 to June 2015), Amtrak cancelled 488, or 13 percent, of its scheduled Downeaster trains. The trains that ran saw an on-time percentage of 30%, less than half the national average of 71%; during the tie replacement, none ran on time in May and 8% in June. Ridership dropped 18.2% (nearly 100,000 fewer riders) from
2072-471: The following year, start-up was delayed again when Guilford refused to allow Amtrak to test track modulus or run trains faster than 59 miles per hour (95 km/h). The Downeaster made its first run on December 15, 2001. In August 2007, top speeds were increased from 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) to 79 miles per hour (127 km/h), cutting 20 minutes from trips between Portland and Boston. The first expansion of Downeaster service came that month, when
2128-595: The former Boston & Maine depot building, used for passenger service from 1873 to 1965, was to be leased for use as a waiting area. On October 9, 2018, the Kennebunk Board of Selectmen cancelled the station project over concerns about the suitability of the site. In November 2021 it was announced a stop in Kennebunk was back on the table, although not likely a priority ahead of other expansions and improvements. In 2019, NNEPRA officials began looking into moving
2184-411: The furthest points of the journey. This practice allows less populous communities to be served in the most cost-effective way, at the expense of a longer journey time for those wishing to travel to the terminus station. Higher-speed rail services operate at top speeds that are higher than conventional inter-city trains but below high-speed rail services. These services are provided after improvements to
2240-445: The improvements made it possible to increase from four to five daily round trips from Portland to Boston. Amtrak plans to eventually add one or two round trips between Portland and Boston, bringing the daily total to six or seven. In 2009, NNEPRA unsuccessfully applied for federal stimulus money to increase train speeds—enough to cut 10 to 12 minutes off travel time—and increase the number of daily round trips from five to seven. In 2011,
2296-414: The number of direct rides to Boston versus transfers. The construction costs were placed at $ 107 million to $ 234 million, with annual operating costs of $ 3.5 to $ 9.4 million and a farebox recovery ratio of 15 to 27%. In April 2013, NNEPRA announced that a plan for revived Portland-Lewiston–Auburn passenger rail would be released later in the year. New infrastructure needed for the route was said to include
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2352-474: The platforms in Brunswick and Freeport were declared complete. Service began on November 1, 2012, with two daily services to and from Boston. The extension to Brunswick led to the construction of an enclosed layover facility there, just west of the station; trains had been stored outdoors in Portland. The facility opened in November 2016, permitting a third daily Brunswick–Boston trip. NNEPRA announced plans for
2408-506: The previous fiscal year. The Downeaster resumed its full schedule on August 1, 2015, following the completion of the track repairs. By December 2015, the Downeaster was up to a monthly on-time percentage of 86%, well above the national average. In April 2020, the Downeaster was suspended as part of Amtrak service reductions during the COVID-19 pandemic . A single round trip resumed between Boston and Brunswick on June 15, 2020. Service
2464-728: The project a "money pit." Portland stepped in to cover the remaining cost. "Amtrak Connects Us" 15-year expansion vision, released in March 2021, did not include the route to Lewiston–Auburn. Passenger train A passenger train is a train used to transport people along a railroad line. These trains may consist of unpowered passenger railroad cars (also known as coaches or carriages) hauled by one or more locomotives, or may be self-propelled; self propelled passenger trains are known as multiple units or railcars . Passenger trains stop at stations or depots , where passengers may board and disembark. In most cases, passenger trains operate on
2520-500: The proposed extension corridor was recommended instead. Some politicians, including Baldacci and Auburn mayor Jason Levesque, stated that they would continue to pursue a rail extension. In 1960, the Maine Central Railroad ended passenger train service between Portland and Lewiston–Auburn , Maine's second-largest metropolitan area. Two existing rail lines have been identified as candidates for restored service along
2576-475: The route to Bangor in its "Amtrak Connects Us" 15-year expansion vision. Local stakeholders stated that they had not signed off on the plan, and that the omission does not preclude future service. In April 2023, the results of the studies ordered in 2021 were published. MaineDOT concluded that a rail extension was not feasible, citing high capital costs and projected operating subsidies and limited projected ridership. Augmenting existing intercity bus service along
2632-418: The route: the private Pan Am Railways line (expected to merge with CSX ) and the state-owned St. Lawrence and Atlantic line. An August 2011 feasibility study by MaineDOT examined a Portland-to- Auburn service, which would take 40 minutes and consist of eight daily round trips. There would be a bus connection from Auburn to downtown Lewiston. The report estimated 30,000 to 46,000 riders per year, depending on
2688-522: The same trackage (though not simultaneously), as well as producing a more comfortable ride for passengers. "Inter-city" is a general term for any rail service that uses trains with limited stops to provide fast long-distance travel. Inter-city services can be divided into three major groups: The distinction between the three types of inter-city rail service may be unclear; trains can run as InterCity services between major cities, then revert to an express (or even regional) train service to reach communities at
2744-596: The station to a location near the original location of Portland's Union Station . NNERPA plans to extend an existing 2-mile (3.2 km) siding in Wells by 6 miles (9.7 km), which will allow an additional daily Brunswick-Wells round trip. Wells station will get a second platform and a footbridge. In February 2020, NNERPA was awarded a $ 16.9 million federal grant for the project. In July 2019, local officials proposed an infill station in West Falmouth next to
2800-729: The travel distance increases because the fuel accounts for less of the overall operating cost of the airliner. Some high-speed rail systems employ tilting technology to improve stability in curves. Examples of tilting trains are the Advanced Passenger Train (APT), the Pendolino , the N700 Series Shinkansen , Amtrak 's Acela and the Spanish Talgo . Tilting is a dynamic form of superelevation , allowing both low- and high-speed traffic to use
2856-399: The use of bilevel cars , which are tall enough to have two levels of seating, commuter rail services can haul as many as 150 commuters per train car, and over 1,000 per train: much more than the capacity of automobiles and buses. In British and Australian usage, a "railcar" is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term is usually used in reference to
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#17327798967122912-675: Was a horse drawn train on the Swansea and Mumbles Railway which opened in 1807. In 1808, Trevithick ran a passenger-carrying exhibition train called Catch Me Who Can on a small loop of track in London. The exhibition, which ran for two weeks, charged passengers for rides. The first steam train carrying passengers on a public railway was hauled by Locomotion No. 1 on the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825 , traveling at speeds up to 15 miles per hour. Travel by passenger trains in
2968-627: Was broken in October 2008 for the Brunswick Maine Street Station , a retail development that included shops, condominiums, an inn, and office space. In January 2010, NNEPRA received a $ 35 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for track and signal upgrades for the Portland-Brunswick line. Pan Am Railways began work on the line in summer 2010, and on May 14, 2012,
3024-588: Was increased to four daily round trips in July 2020; the full five round trips resumed on May 3, 2021. On June 24–27, 2021, Downeaster trains stopped at Falmouth Country Club to serve attendees of the Live and Work in Maine Open . Design work for positive train control (PTC) over the section of the route between Haverhill and Brunswick was completed in March 2023. (The Boston–Haverhill section had PTC installed by
3080-582: Was initially expected to start in the 1990s. Negotiations between NNEPRA, Amtrak, and Guilford Industries (now Pan Am Railways ) began in 1996, but began to fail over many factors, including equipment weight and speed limits. In December 1998, a speed limit of 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) was agreed upon; the following year, the Federal Surface Transportation Board approved a limit of 79 miles per hour (127 km/h). Most right-of-way improvements were complete in 2000, but
3136-510: Was said to position Lewiston–Auburn as the third-busiest station of the Downeaster . In June 2021, the Maine Legislature passed a bill directing MaineDOT to conduct an "economic evaluation study" building on the 2018 study, positioning the project for new federal funding expected from the Biden agenda . The state required municipalities to fund 10% of the $ 200,000 cost. Lewiston officials approved $ 10,000, but Auburn's city council refused, calling
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