Category: General News

Amtrak Downeaster Celebrates 10 Million Riders

PORTLAND, MAINE – The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA) announced that the Amtrak Downeaster celebrated a historic milestone—reaching 10 million riders since its inaugural trip in 2001, a result of a citizen initative started by Trainriders Northeast.

A special celebration took place on board Downeaster Train 686 between Brunswick, ME and Wells, ME on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.  NNEPRA staff handed out cookies and Golden Tickets (valid for a free round-trip on the Downeaster) to passengers to commemorate their part in this historic trip. The on-board celebration, special community partnerships, and an online giveaway have helped make the 10-millionth rider milestone truly memorable for all involved.

Taylor Auclair, NNEPRA

“Reaching 10 million riders is a significant accomplishment which speaks to the value the Amtrak Downeaster service provides to so many people and communities in our region and State,” said Patricia Quinn, Executive Director of NNEPRA. “The Downeaster is much more than just a train ride—it’s a lifeline for commuters, a resource for students, and an essential link to medical care and other important services. Families also rely on the Downeaster to attend events, explore Maine’s beautiful coastline, and visit loved ones.  We are proud to celebrate this achievement and look forward to continuing to serve our communities for many years to come.”

In addition to its significance for passengers, the Downeaster is a cornerstone of the regional economy. Passenger rail service supports jobs and promotes tourism, helping boost local economies in the cities and towns it serves.

NNEPRA is exploring opportunities to expand and enhance service to meet the growing needs of riders and communities in the years ahead. The Portland Station Relocation Project is a priority initiative which will reduce travel time, improve reliability, minimize conflicts with freight trains, reduce operating costs while increasing ridership and revenue and promoting car-free travel.

Special Travel Promotions put in place to Celebrate Downeaster Milestone

The Amtrak Downeaster is celebrating 10 Million Riders by offering special discounted fares for travel during January 2025. “If you already love the Downeaster, or if you’ve haven’t ridden yet, these $30 Round-Trip fares make January the perfect time to take the train!” said Taylor Auclair, NNEPRA Marketing Director.

The $30 round-trip ($15 one-way) fares apply to travel between Brunswick, ME and Boston, MA or any station in between.   The special fares are available for sale now and are valid for travel January 1, 2025 through January 31, 2025. Reservations for these discounted fares must be purchased 3 days in advance of travel. Reference promotion code v232.

For schedules, fares, and more information visit AmtrakDowneaster.com

– Taylor Auclair, Marketing Director, NNEPRA

NNEPRA Partners with the Maine Mariners

NNEPRA is proud to be the official T-Shirt Toss Sponsor of the Maine Mariners, this 2024-2025 season. Leveraging a ridership milestone, Marketing Director, Taylor Auclair has secured a partnership with Oak View Group, the official corporate management team of the Maine Mariners.

At all home games this season, Mariners fans can take their chances and try to catch an official co-branded T-shirt during the exciting T-shirt toss.

As NNEPRA counts down to welcoming the 10 millionth rider aboard, partnerships and opportunities to increase visibility and drive trial are at the forefront of Taylor’s strategy.

Season Pass holders can save 20% on all Amtrak Downeaster travel when they book using the promo code V227. Terms and conditions apply. Visit the Maine Mariners Season Pass Holder dashboard for more information.

“It is my hope that by building on the excitement and allowing everyone to be a part of this ridership milestone, we will reach far beyond our established riders and instead introduce new potential customers to our brand and outstanding service.”
– Taylor Auclair, Marketing Director

View All Partnerships

– Taylor Auclair, Marketing Director at NNEPRA

Operation Lifesaver Training

At NNEPRA, the safety of our passengers, employees, and communities remains our top priority. To reinforce our commitment to ensuring safe rail travel, NNEPRA is proud to announce that our staff has recently completed Operation Lifesaver volunteer training.

Operation Lifesaver is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing collisions, injuries, and fatalities on the nation’s railways. Its mission is to educate the public about rail safety through outreach programs and awareness campaigns.

Rail safety is a shared responsibility between railroad operators, local municipalities, and the public. Accidents at railroad crossings or near tracks can be devastating, but they are often preventable with the right education and awareness. By having NNEPRA staff trained, we can help ensure that our communities are aware of potential hazards and spread crucial information on how to stay safe around railroad tracks.

We encourage all of our passengers and local residents to learn more about rail safety and get involved in spreading the word. 👉 Take the rail safety pledge today! Together, we can make our railways safer for all.

Stay Safe, Travel Smart.

– Natalie Bogart, Deputy Director, NNEPRA

FRA Site Visit- NNEPRA Highlights Progress

NNEPRA’s Project Manager, Jim Russell recently hosted a site visit with representatives from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in Wells, Maine and at the Brunswick Layover Facility.

The Wells Area Improvement Project is designed to increase operational efficiency and safety for both freight and passenger services. During the site visit, Jim guided the FRA team through various upgrades, which included enhanced signaling systems, improved track layouts, and the integration of state-of-the-art technologies.

Brunswick Layover Facility: A Key Component

The Brunswick Layover Facility is another critical element of our project portfolio. Jim took the FRA representatives on a tour of the facility, highlighting the features that allow for efficient train servicing and crew changes.

This visit provided an opportunity for the NNEPRA Team to showcase our progress and discuss next steps with Ryan Bartlett, FRA; Andrew Peternith, FRA; and Chris Murray, Volpe.

Staff Training & Development – NNEPRA Remains Active

Training and professional development is essential for delivering the highest quality passenger rail service. Recently, the NNEPRA team participated in a variety of valuable training sessions offered by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and the National Transit Institute (NTI). Here’s a recap!

Financial Management Oversight Training, FTA Volpe Center, Boston, MA

Emily Bedard, Senior Accountant; Olivia Richmond, Finance Associate; Natalie Bogart, Deputy Director; and Patricia Quinn, Executive Director, participated in the FTA’s Financial Management Oversight Training in August 2024. This training is crucial for ensuring that NNEPRA adheres to federal guidelines and best practices in financial management.

Procurement Training, NTI Roux Institute, Portland, ME & FTA Volpe Center, Boston, MA

Catherine Davidson, Grant and Compliance Manager and Belle Askinasi, Office Administrator attended both the National Transit Institute (NTI) Procurement Class and the FTA Procurement System Review in August. These invaluable trainings strengthen NNEPRA’s understanding of the procurement processes and provide valuable insights into effective procurement strategies.

Rail Program Delivery Workshop, FRA Washington, D.C.

Catherine Davidson, Grant and Compliance Manager had the exciting opportunity to attend the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Rail Program Delivery Workshop in Washington, D.C. This workshop was a fantastic platform for learning, collaboration, and sharing best practices in rail program delivery.

– Natalie Bogart, Deputy Director, NNEPRA

WTS Maine Chapter Annual Meeting

Deputy Director, Natalie Bogart, and Grant and Compliance Manager, Catherine Davidson, represented NNEPRA at this year’s WTS Maine Chapter Annual Meeting. It was an inspiring event featuring keynote speaker Nuria Fernandez, who shared her insights on leadership and empowering women in the transportation sector.

Thank you to WTS Maine for hosting, and to Nuria Fernandez for her motivating words! Events like these highlight the importance of collaboration and mentorship.

Nuria Fernandez
Nuria Fernandez
Group Meeting

ABOUT: WTS International was founded in 1977 by a group of pioneering women in transportation who realized that women’s careers would benefit from professional development, encouragement and recognition to support their advancement in transportation professions. After more than 40 years of growth and development, WTS is an international organization with more than 6500 members (including women and men) and 79 chapters. WTS is connected to a network of 40,000 transportation professionals.  Join today.

Click to Join

– Taylor Belanger, Marketing Director, NNEPRA

Rail Safety Week | #SeeTracksThinkTrain

September 23-29, 2024 marks the official week of train and track safety awareness promoted by Operation Lifesaver. NNEPRA is proud to work with Operation Lifesaver to continuously promote train safety messaging internally, and on our owned channels.

Together we can stop track tragedies.

We encourage our community to take the pledge (13 and up) and spread the word about train and track safety.

Click here for the Kids Safety Pledge.

Click here for the Pre-K Safety Pledge.

NNEPRA will welcome the Operation Lifesaver staff to the office in October to conduct our regular staff training and certifications.

Additional resources and educational materials can be found on their website.

– Taylor Auclair, Marketing Director at NNEPRA

Amtrak Downeaster Breaks Previous Ridership & Ticket Revenue Record in FY24

The Amtrak Downeaster transported 598,426 passengers in fiscal year 2024 (July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024), beating the previous best record set in Fiscal Year 2018 by 47,388 passengers. 

With the recent surge in ridership on the Amtrak Downeaster, we’re seeing tangible benefits for our station communities. Although Boston is the primary destination for Downeaster riders, increased passenger traffic to Maine and within Maine has bolstered local businesses. As we continue to grow, we’re proud to play a key role in enhancing the economic vitality and connectivity of the communities we serve. – Patricia Quinn, NNEPRA’s Executive Director

NNEPRA also reported record high ticket revenue of $13,051,548, $2.63M more than the previous best in Fiscal Year 2023.

NNEPRA reports that improved reliability and new marketing efforts contributed to the ridership surge and more repeat riders.  Amtrak Customer Satisfaction scores the Downeaster among the best in the nation for overall customer satisfaction, cleanliness, and friendliness of personnel.   

– Natalie Bogart, Deputy Director at NNEPRA

Advancing Rail Safety with Positive Train Control

On June 26th, Amtrak and the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA) gathered with state, local, and federal officials at Freeport Station to discuss the installation and impact of Positive Train Control (PTC) between Haverhill, MA and Brunswick, ME on over 100 miles of track.

What is Positive Train Control?

Positive Train Control (PTC) is an advanced system designed to automatically stop or slow down a train before certain types of accidents occur and is intended to prevent:

  • Train-to-train collisions
  • Derailments caused by excessive speed
  • Unauthorized train movements on tracks undergoing maintenance
  • Movement of trains through misaligned track switches

Timeline

Scheduled to be completed in Spring 2026,  Positive Train Control (PTC) also creates opportunities for potential increases in Downeaster frequencies.

For additional details and updates, please follow NNEPRA on LinkedIn and the Downeaster on social channels and subscribe to our newsletter.

Group Photo

– Natalie Bogart, Deputy Director at NNEPRA

In Our Station Communities – NNEPRA Remains Active

Spring brings new opportunities for our station communities to engage with residents and visitors. NNEPRA remains committed to supporting and sustaining efforts put forth by small businesses, chamber groups, tourism partners, and rail advocacy members through sponsorships, tabling, and participating in local events. View our recent list of major engagements below.

Governor’s Conference on Tourism

April 24th & 25th – Holiday Inn By The Bay – Portland, Maine

At this year’s conference, NNEPRA was proud to watch Wayne Davis, of TrainRiders Northeast, receive the 2024 WelcomeME Award. His dedication to bringing passenger rail to Maine was the catalyst for the development of the Amtrak Downeaster.

TrainRiders Northeast 35th Annual Meeting

April 30th – Harraseeket Inn – Freeport, Maine

Supporting the TrainRiders Northeast Annual Meeting as Platinum Sponsors, the NNEPRA team, along with partners at Amtrak and MaineDOT, gathered to celebrate the growth of passenger rail in Maine and along the Northeast Corridor.

Flying Colors – Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine Art Auction Benefit

May 10th – Portland, Maine

NNEPRA partnered with Downeaster Travel Packages to donate a curated travel package to the CMTM’s Art Auction Benefit event. The CMTM continues to bring inclusive opportunities for all children and families to experience, learn, test, and grow within their expertly designed exhibits and hands-on experiential workshops, classes, and performances.

Downtown Worker Appreciation Day

May 25th – Portland, Maine

NNEPRA, alongside transportation partners serving the greater Portland region, b2b solutions, and b2c businesses, gathered to give back to Portland’s Downtown Workforce. With a two-hour lunch window and the location set in Monument Square, hundreds of staff, residents, and visitors poured into the city center to shake off the winter blues and get ready for a busy season in Portland, Maine.

Photo: Egide Foxworth and Portland Downtown
Photo: Egide Foxworth and Portland Downtown
Photo: Egide Foxworth and Portland Downtown

– Taylor Belanger, Marketing Director, NNEPRA