The Downeaster is a 141-mile passenger rail service that runs from Boston to Portland, Maine and on to Brunswick, carrying over 540,000 people per year. The service began in 2001 after years of track improvements and the establishment of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority in 1995. Expansion to Brunswick was completed in 2012, though service was delayed in 2011 after a fatal collision between a Downeaster train and a tractor-trailer.

1. PORTLAND, MAINE AMTRAK
DOWNEASTER

2. WHAT IS THE DOWNEASTER...
● 141 MILES OF TRACK
RUNNING FROM BOSTON
TO PORTLAND AND ON TO
BRUNSWICK THAT
CARRIES OVER 540,000
PEOPLE PER YEAR FROM
POINT A TO POINT B

3. HISTORY
1991 PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE ACT
●
1992 $5.4 MILLION RAIL BOND APPROVED
●
$60,000 GRANTED TO MAINE DOT FOR PORTLAND
●
TERMINAL
1993 $9.5 MILLION IN TRACK IMPROVEMENTS
●
1995 NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND PASSENGER RAIL
●
AUTHORITY(NNEPRA)
1999 SPEED LIMIT OF 79 MPH AGREED UPON
●
DECEMBER 15, 2001 START DATE OF SERVICE FROM
●
BOSTON TO PORTLAND

4. ● OCTOBER 2008 GROUND BROKEN FOR BRUNSWICK
STATION RETAIL IN ANTICIPATION OF RAIL EXTENSION
JANUARY 2010 NNEPRA RECIEVES $35 MILLION GRANT FOR
●
EXPANSION TO BRUNSWICK
SUMMER 2010 WORK BEGINS ON EXPANSION LINE
●
MAY 2012 COMPLETION OF TRACKS AND STATIONS IN
●
FREEPORT AND BRUNSWICK
NOVEMBER 1, 2012 SERVICE TO BRUNSWICK BEGINS
●

8. PROBLEMS:
JULY 2011: AMTRAK TRAIN TRAVELING 70 MPH
COLLIDES WITH TRACTOR-TRAILER CARRYING TRASH
KILLING THE DRIVER AND INJURYING 6 OTHERS ON
THE TRAIN. SERVICES WERE DELAYED UNTIL
INVESTIGATION AND CLEAN UP COULD BE
COMPLETED.