Amtrak's Downeaster Train Takes Its First Run

A few hundred people gathered at North Station, ready to be the first passengers in 30 years to ride a train from Boston to Maine. Maine Governor Angus King, standing with Maine Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, got things going, when he christened the Downeaster with a bottle of Champaign.
23 12 you guys set? On 3. one two three (boom) yeah???it broke it broke?

Amtrak officials were enthusiastic that the train to Maine was running again. Amtrak?s Acting Chairman, former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, said it would boost the areas it passed through, though he couldn?t resist poking fun at New Hampshire, since the Seacoast benefits from service without having to pay for it.
07 boston is going to benefit enormously? Maine is going to benefit enormously. New England is going to benefit enormously. New Hampshire is going to have rail service. At long last new Hampshire is being dragged into the 21st century. (ahhhhhhh) 07 21

Most everyone who took the initial ride of the Downeaster was pleased with it. They were happy with its smooth ride, and excited that it included amenities like electricity for computers, clean restrooms, and decent food. But there was also a serious, defiant tone to the initial run. In his remarks, Maine Governor King talked about how the recent terrorist attacks should prove to a Congress that?s been reluctant to fund railroads that modern rail service is important to the whole nation?s security.
08 06 we learned an awful lot of things on sept 11th. One of the things we learned is we need alternative modes of transportation. We need to get people around the country, we need to get people between cities. We need a system that is, frankly, more difficult to disrupt. And, the idea of abandoning Amtrak at this moment would be a public policy mistake of colossal dimensions, colossal. (cheers to 41)

The group that began the process to bring Amtrak service to Northern New England has kept its eye on the prize for a decade. Wayne Davis, founder and president of Train Riders Northeast, says he got discouraged over the years, but couldn?t let go of idea he thought made sense.
28 01 ?never did I think it wouldn?t happen. Its time for it to happen. It took longer than any of us anticipated, but, it could have taken longer.

Turnouts at the first few stations seemed to validate the early visions of those who worked to make the Downeaster a reality. At Haverill, Massachusetts, hundreds of 4th graders in engineer caps showed their enthusiam for the train, by chanting its name at the top of their lungs.
51 11 chants downeaster downeaster, downeaster downeaster downeaster downeaster downeaster

If this enthusiasm keeps up, the Downeaster will be a smashing success.