Portland, ME (Amtrak Downeaster)

The Portland Downeaster Station was the original terminus of the line when it debuted on December 14, 2001. When the Downeaster was extended to Freeport and Brunswick on November 1, 2012 the station's location requires trains to preform a back-up move into the station since the switch off the main line into it isn't a wye yet (that will cause a change-in direction change but would save 15 minutes of travel time) but simply connects only to the Boston-bound track. Across from the station platform are also 3 siding tracks used for train layovers and overnights. This is also were the Downeaster Trainsets are normally serviced, not in Boston.

The station is located in the Southern Portland suburbs, in suburbia not anywhere near downtown, although there is local bus service into town. The station is shared with Concord Coach Lines, a local bus company that operates service to Boston and farther downeast into Maine (these departures can provide, and some are scheduled too provide thruway connections). Concord is definitely trying to be a step above Greyhound, other than Boston South Station all of its stops are separate, generally in the suburbs (like Portland's) to provide ample parking, unlike Greyhound's that are generally closer to Maine's Downtown. Interestingly, unlike on the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak fairs are cheaper if not the same as Concord's.

The station amenities consist of a quite large parking lot and a decent sized combined waiting area for bus and rail passengers, along with ticket counters for both services. The bus bays are on the side of the building opposite the main parking lot entrance. The Amtrak platforms require a short-walk through an enclosed at ground level passageway, that's only opened to ticketed passengers when their train is called (a rail fan's nightmare). The platform is short and can accommodate two cars in its high-level portion towards its mid-section with ramps down at either end to low-level portions. The ramp down to track level at the front end of the platform is open to passengers because this is where the Cabbage stops (that leads all Boston-bound trips in push mode with the P42 at the opposite end of the train) and passengers carrying bikes (their only handled to Boston, here and Brunswick) pass them up to a conductor. The middle of the platform has a modern blue wavy canopy structure with white supports.
Photos 1-20 taken on 23 August, 2009; 21-30 on 10 August, 2013; 31-40: 3 August, 2014

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The sign at the entrance to the Parking lot at the transportation center.

A closer view of the sign.

Approaching a kiss-and-ride area at the entrance to the bus station.

A close-up of the Downeaster logo on the one entrance in the middle of the enclosed walkway that leads to the train platform

A wider view of the Downeaster station entrance

Cars parked across from the passageway that leads from the waiting area to the rail platforms

Looking form the parking lot to the train tracks, with the end of the canopy walkway with it's canopy alongside the platform

The canopy alongside the platform at Portland, ME

Another view of the parking lot with the new walkway and the older station building/bus station

The view of down the walkway between the station and platform

Looking down the passageway by the doors the lead down to the platform

The map of the Amtrak System hanging on the wall of the station building at Portland, ME

The plaque from the Downeaster Inaugural Run on December 14, 2001

The only food service in the Portland Station, it includes a complimentary coffee stop with morning coffee

The waiting area in the combined train/bus station, a line of people line up for the next bus to Boston.

The train tickets counter in the Portland Station.

Another portion of the waiting area in Portland, two sides of doors one says To Trains and To Buses

Looking down the platform at Portland, it has an artistic looking curved canopy

Another view down the canopied platform at Portland, with its blue roof

An ADA ramp down and off the platform at Portland to its low-level platform.

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