(The Associated Press circulated the following article by David Sharp on December 12.)
PORTLAND, Me. — Amtrak’s Downeaster has bounced back from a drop in passengers last year with a 15 percent increase in ridership through November, a boost spurred in part by high gas prices over the summer, officials say.
The solid performance, including ridership records set in September, October and November, caps a year in which the Portland-to-Boston train became faster, made plans to add a fifth daily round trip and won Amtrak’s top honor for customer service.
“The Downeaster is back. We’re coming into our own,” said Patricia Douglas, executive director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority.
The rebound that began last spring is a far cry from last year’s difficulties when the train failed to meet revenue projections and ridership plummeted.
Last year’s problems mounted with a 10-day suspension of service during the Democratic National Convention in Boston in July. A month later, a bridge collapsed onto the tracks in Kenne- bunk, creating further problems for the service.
Ridership began creeping upward again in May, and the number of passengers surged as gas prices spiked at more than $3.50 a gallon over the summer.
Since then, gas prices have dropped. But ridership has remained high.
With a month to go in 2005, the number of passengers already has surpassed last year’s levels. From January to November, 267,958 people rode the Downeaster, compared with 248,571 for all of 2004. Revenues have eclipsed last year’s levels, as well, at $3.47 million.
“Despite the obstacles we had last year, we’ve been able to rebound not just to meet expectations, but to exceed expectations,” Douglas said.
The train, which celebrates its fourth anniversary this week, has matured to the point that it’s no longer a novelty used simply for weekend trips to Boston. The number of midweek commuters now rivals passengers on weekend trains, she said.
It’s a common sight to see dozens of commuters gazing down into glowing laptop computer screens, conducting business on their cell phones and checking their schedules on Treos or Blackberries as the Downeaster hurtles toward Boston.
Wayne Davis, a rail advocate, counted 72 laptop computers on a recent day on the early train from Portland to Boston.
One of those laptop users is Scarborough resident Charlie Summers, regional administrator of the Small Business Administration in Boston.
“To take the train, it just improves your whole state of mind and your physical presence. You’re able to work, you’re able to think, you’re able to relax,” he said. “Having this train really gives Maine more options, which I think is critical.”
Bill Lord uses his laptop to review his students’ work at Boston University.
For Lord, the train helps him maintain both productivity and a quality of life. Each night, he returns on the train to his Kennebunkport home overlooking a saltwater marsh. “You can live the lifestyle you want to live in Maine while bringing back Boston dollars,” he said.
Last month, New Hampshire announced it would spend $1.6 million in federal money on a new side track, paving the way for a fifth daily round-trip run. Adding an additional daily run will boost annual revenues by about 30 percent, Douglas said.
The current fiscal year’s target for ticket revenues is $3.87 million, Douglas said. The remainder of the $10.4 million annual budget comes from taxpayers through grants. There are no plans to make the train service fully self-sufficient, she said.
In 2005, the Downeaster was tops among Amtrak trains in its annual survey of passengers. The train was second place for on-time performance.
The train’s success has fulfilled the vision of Davis, founder of TrainRiders Northeast, a group that pushed for the passenger rail service. When others talked of nostalgia, Davis tried to steer the discussion toward utility.
“This is everybody’s dream: A train that works, is functional and is not a novelty. It’s not a tourist train. It’s good, reliable transportation,” he said.
Along the way, Downeaster riders have made new friends. After all, it’s not all work and no play for commuters. Many now socialize and trade e-mails.
“The great thing about it is you can do you work. You can read. You can argue with your friends. I’ll have my dinner on the train tonight from the cafe car. It’s a rolling social event, without question,” Lord said.