Happy Birthday Downeaster

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Superliner Diner

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Yesterday was one year since the Downeaster began revenue service between Boston North Station and Portland, ME. Ridership has far exceeded expectations, even though the line remains isolated from the rest of the Amtrak system, with nothing more than subway connections between North Station and the other two Boston stations served by Amtrak.
 
The Downeaster has definitely done well for itself. The Downeaster has a few advantages over other start up routes though. Because the Downeaster has such short run times it makes it possible for them to market to the weekend getaway crowd, or the business traveler. Other start up routes face problems the Downeaster didn't though. For example, the FEC line has the potential to be strong, or it could be a flop. Then there is the K-Card. The K-Card has seen passengers on their manifest from numbers as low as 20-50 ONB on a regular basis. As you all know by now the K-Card (and the mother Cardinal) are slated for the axe. The Downeaster has been a lucky one though, now if they could just get the connection from South Station to North Station is, life would be good.
 
battalion51 said:
The Downeaster has definitely done well for itself. The Downeaster has a few advantages over other start up routes though. Because the Downeaster has such short run times it makes it possible for them to market to the weekend getaway crowd, or the business traveler. Other start up routes face problems the Downeaster didn't though. For example, the FEC line has the potential to be strong, or it could be a flop. Then there is the K-Card. The K-Card has seen passengers on their manifest from numbers as low as 20-50 ONB on a regular basis. As you all know by now the K-Card (and the mother Cardinal) are slated for the axe. The Downeaster has been a lucky one though, now if they could just get the connection from South Station to North Station is, life would be good.
Battalion,

The K-Card has been much worse than that. There were days that the train carried zero passengers. In fact, it was unnecessary on those days for the train to come into Louisville, so it just tied up in Jeffersonville, where it lays over during the day anyhow.

I am not sure about the parent Cardinal train being on the chopping block. As I observed the two times I took that train, it caters to smaller markets along the way, rather than end-to-end business which would be more inclined to take the more direct Capitol Limited. The majority of its passengers are going Washington-Huntington, or Cincinnati-Chicago, as two examples.

I do feel that as long as it runs with single-level equipment, the Cardinal will lose ridership. Passengers are used to Superliners on that route. But as you know, single-level equipment has not hurt ridership on the Silver Service trains, because that's all people are used to.

Regarding the Downeaster, yes the fact that it is just 2-1/2 hours end-to-end allows it to run multiple times a day. Given a choice of travel times, passengers are attracted to this service.

There is no excuse that after one year, there is still no bus connection in place between South and North Stations. The National Association of Railroad Passengers is working on a plan with Amtrak and the MBTA to print a voucher along with Amtrak tickets (probably on Amtrak ticket stock) that would be accepted as fare on the Orange Line between Back Bay Station and North Station for connecting passengers. Right now, the MBTA has not yet approved this plan, but the tickets may still be printed with a useless voucher, with a note saying that passengers are responsible for making their own connections between the stations in Boston.
 
You make some very strong points Diner. I agree, the loss of Superliners has hurt these routes. Keep in mind though the Cardinal only has had Superliners a few years out of its Amtrak life, however its sensible that people are used to those. Hopefully under Gunn, the superliners can be restored. As for the K-Card, until it regains sleepers/superliners, it won't do too well. As suggested, it should run on a day schedule until the Superliners/Sleepers can be restored, and the route extended. After all, I believe it could be the next Floridian if it lives.

As for BOS-BON, I agree its unfortunate that the only link is via taxi, walking, or MBTA from Back Bay. Hopefully someone, will think to use either a bus or make it part of the "Big Dig"
 
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