Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority

Downeaster Optimization Project 1

Downeaster Service
Optimization Project
FY2014 TIGER
Discretionary Grant Program


April 25, 2014


Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Patricia Quinn, Executive Director
75 West Commercial Street, Suite 104
Portland, Maine 04101-4631
Tel 207. 780.1 000 x105
patri ci a@nnepra. com
Application Narrative
Wells
Dover
Durham
Exeter
Haverhill
Woburn
Boston
Portland
Old Orchard Beach
Saco
MA
NH
ME
Exe e
Brunswick
Freeport
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 1
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
FY2014 TIGER Discretonary Grant Applicaton
Downeaster Service Optmizaton Project
Project Title: Downeaster Service Optmizaton Project
Project Locaton: Cumberland County, Maine; 1st Congressional District
Project Type: Capitol Project
Project Applicant: Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority,
POV DUNS #: 876964227
Project Period: Through Decmeber 31, 2017
Total Project Cost: $30,000,000
TIGER Funding Request: $14,000,000

Project Elements:
Royal Juncton Siding, Yarmouth, and Cumberland, Maine (Rural)
Portland Wye Track & Trail, Portland, Maine (Non-Rural)
Brunswick Layover, Brunswick, Maine (Rural)
Wells
Dover
Durham
Exeter
Haverhill
Woburn
Boston
Portland
Old Orchard Beach
Saco
MA
NH
ME
Exe e
Brunswick
Freeport
Table of Contents
Secton Page #
I. Project Descripton 2
II. Project Partes 9
III. Project Financing 10
IV. Project Alignment with Selecton Criteria 11
V. Beneft Cost Analysis 16
VI. Project Readiness & NEPA 17
VII. Federal Wage Certfcaton 20
VIII. Applicaton Atachments 20
Project Descripton:
The Downeaster Service Optmizaton Project (Project) includes three independent capitol project
elements which will allow the Amtrak Downeaster to efciently operate fve round-trips daily between
Brunswick, Maine and Boston, Massachusets, optmizing its frequency, fnancial efciency and
operatng performance. All elements are ready for development and can meet the obligaton date of
September 2016.
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 2
I. Project Descripton
Background
The Amtrak Downeaster began operatng daily service between Portland, ME and Boston, MA on
December 15, 2001 serving eight intermediate communites in three states, on its two and a half
hour journey along the 116-mile corridor. This state-supported Amtrak service, which resulted
from a citzens initatve to restore passenger rail to
Maine, is managed by the Northern New England
Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA). The Downeaster
carries more than half a million passengers annually
including commuters, business travelers, college
students traveling to and from school, youths
on educatonal trips, patents receiving medical
treatments, citzens who would not venture to
Boston by car, families atending sports and theatre
events, shoppers, visitors to Maine and more. The
Downeaster has proven itself to be much more than a train ride, however. To date, hundreds
of millions of dollars in public and private investment has occurred or is planned near statons,
creatng jobs and stmulatng the economy.
Maines long range plan for passenger rail indicated that signifcant mobility and economic benefts
would be realized if passenger service were expanded to include the communites of Freeport
and Brunswick, ME, located approximately 28 miles north of Portland. A $38.3 million High
Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Grant was awarded to NNEPRA in 2010 to upgrade track
infrastructure between Portland and Brunswick, and the Downeaster expanded two of its fve daily
round-trips to serve Freeport and Brunswick on November 1, 2012.
The response to the limited Downeaster service to Freeport and Brunswick has been
overwhelmingly positve, exceeding daily average ridership projectons by 50% in the frst
eighteen months of operaton and generatng millions of dollars in economic impact.
Municipalites, tourism organizatons, private businesses, developers and others along the entre
Downeaster corridor are encouraging NNEPRA to add more trips to meet growing demand.

Current Service Challenges
Despite its popularity, the current limited Brunswick service is cumbersome and inefcient,
requiring long equipment layovers in Brunswick, 28-mile dead-head moves, crew ground
transports, redundant mechanical support and uncompettve travel tmes. These challenges,
combined with constraints in track capacity, restrict ridership and revenue and prohibit the
expansion of additonal Downeaster frequencies to Brunswick. Maximum ridership/revenue
growth and cost efectveness can be achieved when improvements are made to facilitate the
operaton of all fve daily round-trips to operate between Brunswick and Boston daily.
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 3
Project Elements
The Downeaster Service Optmizaton Project includes three project elements with independent
utlity which will collectvely enable all fve Downeaster trains to serve Freeport and Brunswick.
This will improve fnancial and operatonal efciency of the Downeaster service, increase
connectvity and mobility, support public and private development initatves which create jobs
and generate tourism and contribute to the long term sustainability of the economy and the
environment.
The Project Elements include:
Brunswick Layover, an enclosed train layover facility at the
northern terminus in Brunswick;
Royal Juncton Siding, a four-mile passing siding to provide
capacity to support the operaton of fve daily round-trips
between Brunswick and Boston; and,
Portland Wye Track & Trail, a wye track in Portland to eliminate an unproductve and
tme consuming back-up move for Downeaster trains travelling between Portland and
Brunswick, which will be designed to include a fenced pedestrian and bike trail.
NNEPRA has secured approximately $12 million to construct a train layover facility in Brunswick,
the cornerstone of Downeaster service optmizaton improvements. The overnight servicing
of trains in Brunswick will eliminate the need for two daily 28-mile deadhead moves between
Brunswick and Portland and replace them with an additonal daily round-trip between
Brunswick and Boston. The conversion of these dead-head moves to a third round-trip revenue
run, is expected to generate 21,900 riders and more than $438,000 in tcket revenues annually.
The indoor facility will also eliminate the need for trains to idle outside in Brunswick during
daytme holdovers, plus improve service reliability, safety and efciency.
In additon to the long term operatonal, safety and mobility benefts associated with the Layover,
this project element is expected to generate $12.4 million in regional economic output and create
80 jobs resultng in $5.95 million in labor earnings during the constructon period.
NNEPRA has contracted with a design-build frm to construct the Brunswick layover. The facility
is in design phase, with commencement of constructon pending NEPA determinaton, currently
under review by the Federal Railroad Administraton.
This TIGER Grant applicaton seeks the additonal funding required to construct Royal Juncton
Siding and the Portland Wye Track and Trail to fully optmize the performance, beneft and
efciency of Downeaster service between Brunswick and Boston. The State of Maine has
commited $4 million in voter-approved Bond funding toward the constructon of Royal Juncton
Siding and the Portland Wye Track & Trail, leaving $14 million in project costs unfunded. These two
project elements will provide the track confguraton and capacity necessary to support additonal
and more efcient passenger train meets and growing freight movements. While each project
element has independent utlity, the maximum transportaton, fnancial and public beneft will be
realized when all three are completed.
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 4
Royal Juncton Siding
Yarmouth, Maine (Rural)
Current track capacity constraints between Portland and Brunswick limit the Downeaster to only
six one-way trips on that segment daily. Schedule string-lines indicate that if all fve round-trips
were operated between Brunswick and Boston daily, passenger train meets would take place
west of Royal Juncton, where the Brunswick Branch separates from the freight main line. The
constructon of a second main track, extending approximately four miles west from Royal Juncton,
will provide the capacity necessary to allow all fve daily
Downeaster round-trips to operate on that segment.
The two additonal round-trips are expected to generate
approximately 40,150 more Downeaster riders and
$843,000 in revenue annually, and reduce net system
operatng costs by $.55 per train mile.
Fully expanded service (fve round-trips daily) between
Brunswick and Boston will eliminate the need for crew
ground transport and redundant train servicing operatons
for trips which may begin in Brunswick but terminate in
Portland or vise versa. This will save labor and mechanical
costs while increasing mobility and supportng economic
growth in the region.
Pan Am Railways has provided engineering plans for a
passing siding at Royal Juncton and has agreed to permit
the operaton of fve daily round-trip Downeaster trains
between Portland and Brunswick upon its completon.
The new second track, or passing siding, will begin east of
CPF-185 (Royal Juncton) and extend 21,700 feet west to
a point approximately 1,000 feet east of MP- 189. Royal
Juncton Siding will mitgate freight and passenger train
conficts, allowing for reliable movement of both types of
rail trafc.
Royal Juncton Siding will be constructed as a double block passing siding to allow at-speed
meets of passenger trains, meaning that both passenger and freight trains can move through
Royal Juncton concurrently, and without confict. In additon to new track, which will require
upgrades to fve public grade crossings, one farm crossing and a bridge span, the new siding will
require communicaton and signal upgrades such as a new mainline control point (CP-Cemetery),
modifcaton of an existng control point (CPF -185), new mainline automatc signals and three
grade crossing AHCP conversions for double track.

Royal Siding Project Budget
Track Construction 3,321,975 $
Ties & disposal 175,000 $
Track Relocation 250,000 $
Prepare Subgrade 325,000 $
Surface & Alignment 130,000 $
Grade Crossing Upgrades 350,000 $
Turnouts & Crossovers 800,000 $
Bridge Deck 275,000 $
New Main Line Control Points 620,000 $
Modified Main Line Control Points 447,056 $
New Main Line Automatic Signals 341,391 $
AHCP Conversion for Double Track 389,578 $
7,425,000 $
Project Management 275,000 $
Contingency 300,000 $
Subtotal 575,000 $
Royal Siding Total 8,000,000 $
Portland Wye Project Budget
Track & Culverts 2,632,021 $
Retaining Walls & Fencing 470,000 $
Signals & Grade Crossings 3,750,000 $
Survey 50,000 $
Drainage Tie-In 50,000 $
Utility Relocation 50,000 $
Modifications to County Way 600,000 $
Pedestrian Trail 300,000 $
Subtotal 7,902,021 $

Design & Engineering 100,000 $
Project Management 350,000 $
Contingency 1,647,979 $
Subtotal 2,097,979 $
Portland Wye Total 10,000,000 $
Te Brunswick Branch separates from the freight
main line at Royal Junction and continues east
toward Freeport and Brunswick.
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 5
All work for this element will be performed by Pan Am Railways within their railroad right-of-way
with no additonal environmental impacts antcipated.
The short term economic impacts of this element include almost $9.8 million in regional economic
output during the constructon period, including the creaton of 59 jobs resultng in $4.45 million
in labor earnings.
ENHANCEMENTPROJECT
DOWNEASTER EXPANSION
PROJECTELEMENTS
PORTLAND WYE TRACK
BRUNSWICK LAYOVER FACILITY
ROYAL JUNCTION SIDING
BRUNSWICKLAYOVERFACILITY
ROYALJUNCTIONSIDING
PORTLAND WYE TRACK & TRAIL
PROJECT ELEMENTS
Brunswick Layover Facility
Royal Junction Siding
Portland Wye Track & Trail
Downeaster Service Optimization
Project Map
CONSULTANTS
PROJECT DENTFCATON
SSUE BLOCK
PROJECT NO.:
DESGNED BY:
DRAWN BY:
CHECKED BY:
APPROVED BY:
COPYRGHT:
SHEET TTLE
SEALS
A
B
C
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
D
STV Incorporated
321 Summer St., 7th Floor Boston, MA 02210
t 617.482.7298 f 617.482.1837 www.stvinc.com
ConsigIi Construction Co., Inc.
15 Franklin Street Portland, ME 04101
t 207.773.3000 f 207.773.2800 WWW.cors|g||.cor
Brunswick, ME
Northern New England
Passenger Rail Authority
Portland, ME
5/15/2012 8:43:32 AM
:\Proposals\2012\NNEPRA\Brunswick Layover Facility Design Build\REVT\Brunswick r12_A-3D0000(Recovery).rvt
LDC
JF
CAP
CAP
3D
PERSPECTVE
VEWS
A-901
Brunswick Layover Facility
PERSPECTVE VEWOF NORTH AND EAST ELEVATONS
PERSPECTVE VEWOF SOUTH AND EAST ELEVATONS
PERSPECTVE VEWOF NORTH AND WEST ELEVATONS
05.18.12 PROPOSAL
NOTE:
THESE DRAWNGS REPRESENT VOLUME OF THE DESGN BASS DOCUMENT AND ARE NOT NTENDED FOR CONSTUCTON
MARK DATE DESCRPTON BY
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 6
Portland Wye Track and Trail
Portland, Maine (Urban)
A Wye track, connectng the Mountain Branch (where the Portland Transportaton Center (PTC)
is located) in an eastbound directon to the Pan Am Railways freight main line, will improve safety,
and reduce travel tme by ten minutes while maximizing operatonal efciency and fexibility.
This will generate 8,030 additonal Downeaster riders annually and reduce net operatng costs.
The existng track and signal system confguraton cannot support a departure from the PTC to or
from Brunswick without a wasteful and tme consuming procedure involving stopping the train on
the main line while the train crew physically reverses the
directon of operaton of the train in coordinaton with the
Pan Am Railways train dispatcher. This awkward reversing
movement occurs with passengers on board, wastng tme
and ultmately resultng in a Portland to Brunswick travel
tme which is uncompettve with the driving tme. This
maneuver cannot contnue in the long term, partcularly
when service frequency increases and a new connectng
wye track is needed to join the freight main line and the
Mountain Branch.
Gannet Fleming Transit & Rail Systems (GFT&RS) has
been retained to design the 2,500 foot long wye track and
trail which will pass underneath the existng Fore River
Parkway bridge, connectng to the main line just east of Congress Street in Portland.
To further the public beneft of the investment,
the Wye is being designed to include a separated
and fenced pedestrian and bike trail, which will
connect Thompsons Point and the current Fore
River Parkway with downtown Portland. The City
of Portland has developed a vision for a shared
use pathway network that extends 6.8 miles (3.6
miles existng) along the perimeter of the Portland
peninsula the economic and social hub of the
city. The Libbytown Trail (1.2 miles) is one of three
remaining pathway segments needed to complete
this vision.
The Libbytown Trail will extend from the future
terminus of the Bayside Trail at Forest Avenue
along the old Union Branch Rail line to meet the
rail alignment proposed for the Portland Wye. The

Royal Siding Project Budget
Track Construction 3,321,975 $
Ties & disposal 175,000 $
Track Relocation 250,000 $
Prepare Subgrade 325,000 $
Surface & Alignment 130,000 $
Grade Crossing Upgrades 350,000 $
Turnouts & Crossovers 800,000 $
Bridge Deck 275,000 $
New Main Line Control Points 620,000 $
Modified Main Line Control Points 447,056 $
New Main Line Automatic Signals 341,391 $
AHCP Conversion for Double Track 389,578 $
7,425,000 $
Project Management 275,000 $
Contingency 300,000 $
Subtotal 575,000 $
Royal Siding Total 8,000,000 $
Portland Wye Project Budget
Track & Culverts 2,632,021 $
Retaining Walls & Fencing 470,000 $
Signals & Grade Crossings 3,750,000 $
Survey 50,000 $
Drainage Tie-In 50,000 $
Utility Relocation 50,000 $
Modifications to County Way 600,000 $
Pedestrian Trail 300,000 $
Subtotal 7,902,021 $

Design & Engineering 100,000 $
Project Management 350,000 $
Contingency 1,647,979 $
Subtotal 2,097,979 $
Portland Wye Total 10,000,000 $
Te new Wye Track alignment identifed will improve moves
between Portland Station and Brunswick.
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 7
frst phase of the Libbytown Trail proposed to be constructed as part of this Project (0.25 miles)
will run parallel to the new wye track from Congress Street to the existng Fore River Parkway
Trail. This short segment has high independent utlity and is one of the most critcal links in the
Libbytown Trail.
This segment will complement strategic transportaton initatves within the Libbytown
neighborhood and will provide increased accessibility from several nearby neighborhoods to:
The Fore River Parkway Trail and the Portland Transportaton Center;
The new Thompsons Point/Forefront Development;
The future West Commercial Street Trail to the Portland Waterfront and downtown; and,
The Veterans Bridge pathway to South Portland.
The majority of track and trail can be constructed on land owned by the Maine Department
of Transportaton (MaineDOT) and can be aligned beneath the existng Fore River Parkway
overpass without signifcant impacts to existng embankment slopes. The balance of property
required will be purchased as necessary. The
City of Portland, the Cumberland County
Commissioners and Pan Am Railways support
the constructon of the wye and adjoining trail.
Private investors are currently redeveloping
Thompsons Point into a mixed use
entertainment and business complex and
the City of Portland plans to expand local
transit connectons to the existng Portland
Transportaton Center. The frequency, ease
and appeal of Downeaster and pedestrian
access to this $100 million complex is
important to this critcal redevelopment plan.
The long-term benefts of the Wye Track & Trail
include improved operatonal efciency, safety,
tme savings and cost recovery in additon to
an increase in passengers. Short-term impacts
include $12.4 million in regional economic
output during the constructon period, and the
creaton of 70 jobs resultng in $5.87 million in
labor earnings.
Forefront at Tompsons Point, Portland, Maine
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 8
Project Results
In total, the Downeaster Service Optmizaton Project will result in tangible results and benefts
which will have a signifcant positve impact on Downeaster service in the predominantly rural
areas between Portland and Brunswick and the entre operaton between Brunswick and Boston.

Collectvely, by 2017, the Project improvements will:
Improve the fnancial and operatonal efciency of the Downeaster.
Increases Downeaster ridership by 97,667 riders;
Reduces Downeaster travel tme between Portland and Brunswick by ten minutes (20%),
making it compettve with automobile drive tme;
Increases cost recovery 10%;
Reduces net operatng costs per passenger mile 15%;
Reduces net operatng costs per train mile by 23%;
Improves reliability of passenger and freight trains by reducing delays due to confictng
movements; and,
Eliminates the need for multple daily 28-mile deadhead train movements through 37
grade crossings.
Stmulate the economy.
Creates more than 218 short-term
constructon jobs;
Generates $34.6 million in near-term
regional economic actvity (output);
Generates $1.7 million annually in new
tourism spending in Maine; and,
Contributes to the success of more than
$150 million in private transportaton-
related development projects between
Brunswick and Portland.
Preserve the Environment.
Diverts more than 7 million passenger
miles from the regions road network
annually;
Reduces annual Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) by nearly 1.9 million miles;
Reduces 46,694 tons of emissions; and,
Reduces fuel consumpton by 4.66 million gallons annually.
Te TIGER Project goal is to operate fve round-trips between
Brunswick and Boston. Tis will maximize the efciency of
the operation, increase ridership and revenues, reduce
operating costs and maximize opportunities for connections
to Mid Coast Maine and improve regional mobility.
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 9
II. Project Partes
About NNEPRA
The Northern New England Passenger Rail
Authority (NNEPRA) is the lead agency for
this Project. NNEPRA is a State of Maine
public transportaton authority created in
1995 to develop and provide passenger rail
service between Maine and Boston. NNEPRA
manages the $15 million annual budget and
holds a 20-year agreement with Amtrak to
operate the Downeaster rail service between
Brunswick and Boston. NNEPRA is also party
to operatng and capital agreements with host railroads. NNEPRA has signifcant experience
managing constructon projects within guidelines and specifcatons required by federal funding
partners.
To assure the contnued maintenance
of the rail line, NNEPRA, through an
agreement with Pan Am Railways, funds
annual Capital Maintenance Projects,
beyond routne maintenance, to address
infrastructure needs that could impact
Downeaster performance.

Additonal Project Partners
NNEPRA has contracted with professional
partners to develop and execute the
various elements of this Project. Consigli
Constructon has been selected as the
design/build constructon frm, and Parsons
Brinckerhof is providing engineering
support for the Brunswick Layover Facility.
Pan Am Railways has designed the Royal
Juncton Siding and is fnalizing the signal
design for the Portland Wye Track & Trail.
MaineDOT has contracted Gannet Fleming
to provide engineering / NEPA support for
the Portland Wye Track & Trail. The Wye
Track & Trail has been designed with input
from Amtrak, the Cumberland County
Commissioners and the City of Portland.
NNEPRA Project Management
Experience:

1999 2001: $70m FTA funded Passenger Rail
Project required to upgrade track between Plaistow,
NH and Portland, ME to support the operaton of
the Downeaster was managed by NNEPRA. The
Project included the rehabilitaton of 78 miles of
track, upgrades to 31 public grade crossings, and the
constructon of 7 passenger platorms in Maine and
New Hampshire.
2004: $1m project to remove clay under the track
bed in Kennebunk, ME to increase speeds.
2006-2007: $6m capacity project to support an
additonal Downeaster frequency.
2009-2011: $1.3m Portland Area Infrastructure
Improvement Project partnership with the FRA.

2010-2014: $38.35m Downeaster Expansion Project,
funded with an ARRA/HSIPR Grant, is substantally
complete and service to Brunswick began in 2012.
Remaining elements are scheduled to be completed
in 2014. NNEPRA has met all requirements of the
FRA/USDOT in the management and reportng of
these funds.
NNEPRA Staf
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 10
III. Project Financing
NNEPRA, in cooperaton with the MaineDOT, has secured 53% of the funding required to complete
the Downeaster Service Optmizaton Project, including all funding for the Brunswick Layover
Facility.
NNEPRA has submited applicatons for funding to construct Royal Juncton Siding and Portland
Wye Track & Trail elements of the Program in previous rounds of TIGER Grants, and contnues to
make progress toward the development of these priority projects. Since the last submission in
June 2013, Maine voters approved a transportaton bond package which includes $4 million to be
contributed toward the constructon of Royal Juncton Siding and the Portland Wye Track & Trail.
In additon, MaineDOT has contributed approximately $250,000 toward the civil and track design
for the Portland Wye. Pan Am Railways has begun fnalizing the signal design.
Each project element has independent utlity and will result in a distnct service improvement.
While the transportaton and economic benefts are optmized upon completon of all three
elements, each is a critcal building block toward achieving Downeaster service optmizaton goals.

Project Investment Required
Brunswick Layover (Funded) 12,000,000 $
Royal Siding 8,000,000 $
Portland Wye and Trail 10,000,000 $
Optimization Project Total 30,000,000 $ 100%
Project Funding Available
Funding Secured for Layover 12,000,000 $ 40%
MaineDOT Bond Funding for Royal/Wye 4,000,000 $ 13%
Project Funding Available 16,000,000 $ 53%
Project Funding Remaining
TIGER 6 Grant Request 14,000,000 $ 47%
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 11
IV. Project Alignment with Selecton Criteria
The Downeaster has enjoyed more than a decade of growing ridership between Portland
and Boston. The expansion of two daily round-trips to Freeport and Brunswick in 2012 are
exceeding expectatons, but operate inefciently and do not provide the level of service required
to meet the growing demand in the region. The Project Elements described will independently
and cummulatvely resolve those challenges and address all TIGER Program selecton criteria.
Long Term Outcomes
State of Good Repair
Completon of the project elements will provide
essental mobility optons for residents, and improve
the overall reliability of Downeaster passenger trains
while supportng and enhancing Maines freight rail
infrastructure as well.
Economic Compettveness
Connectvity to urban economic centers (Portland and
Boston) is critcal to Maines compettveness. Maine
enjoys an image of being charming yet, rural, cold,
snowy, and remote. The lack of transportaton optons
is a detriment to atractng workers, residents and
investors from other locatons. Fully expanded service
will provide more frequent, efcient, and reliable
passenger rail service that will increase mobility to and
within Maine. Additonal service to Brunswick and
Freeport specifcally is expected to generate many new
tourists, contributng to the Maine economy without
adding to the burden of additonal trafc. A robust
Downeaster service will help atract new businesses
and workers to support the development of Brunswick
Landing, site of the former Brunswick Naval Air Staton
(BNAS).
This Project will also protect and enhance the movement of freight goods supportng Maines
northern industries and will improve the exposure of and access to the public/private
development projects currently occurring or planned along the corridor. All of these initatves
will create jobs and stmulate the regional economy.
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 12
Livability
This Project not only delivers transportaton benefts, but will preserve the quality of life treasured
so much in Maine and further the livability principles developed by the US Department of
Transportaton with the departments of Housing and Urban Development and the Environmental
Protecton Agency.
Additonal round-trips and
reduced travel tme will result in
more frequent and cost efectve
transportaton optons for residents,
business owners and visitors.
Downeaster staton communites
have emerged into mult-modal
transportaton hubs, increasing
availability of and access to many
modes of public transportaton. Fully expanded
Downeaster service will help support local transit
services as well, improving connectvity and
increasing optons for all residents.
Project improvements will enhance revitalizaton
eforts. Brunswick Landing, the site of the
former Brunswick Naval Air Staton, is being
redeveloped to include both businesses and
educatonal insttutons. Developers are investng
more than $100 million in Portlands Forefront at
Thompsons Point project to transform the area
from a defunct industrial site into a world-class
business, residental and entertainment complex.
The availability of tme compettve, frequent and
reliable passenger rail service is a critcal aspect of
each of these developments.
Fully expanded Downeaster service will enhance the access to and appeal of afordable
housing, partcularly in Brunswick where hundreds of homes became vacant as a result
of the closing of BNAS.
Faster, more frequent Downeaster service will increase the economic competveness
of the region by providing beter access to tourism hubs including Freeport, mid-coast
Maine and downtown Portland as well as business centers such as Brunswick Landing
and the Forefront at Thompsons Point. The Project improvements will also protect
the reliability of freight rail movement and improve freight access to potental industrial
sites on the Mountain Branch.
Te Downeaster is a favorite among college
students. Bowdoin College is located next to
Brunswick Station. Increased frequency will
enable more students to take advantage of
Downeaster service.
Downtown Brunswick, Maine is within walking
distance of the Brunswick Train Station.
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 13
Project improvements have been developed cooperatvely with the communites and
complement transportaton and strategic development policies. This project has
the support of the municipalites and the improved service will help leverage private
development in Portland, Freeport and Brunswick.
Improved connectvity will increase the value of communites and neighborhoods served
by the Downeaster by encouraging new development and providing more transportaton
optons.
Environmental Sustainability
Fully expanded Downeaster service will enhance the
sustainability of the region, increasing the efciency of
the rail corridor to provide mobility while concurrently
reducing fuel consumpton and protectng the
environment. Further, increased service will divert 3.2
million passenger miles from the highways along the
Brunswick to Boston corridor, reducing the consumpton of
4.66 million gallons of fuel annually.

Safety
A layover in Brunswick will eliminate the need to deadhead trains 28 miles and through 37 grade
crossings each way between Brunswick and Portland just to service trains. The eliminaton of the
back-up move in Portland, additonal track capacity and a layover facility will all contribute to the
safety of the operaton. Increased train frequency will increase the diversion of highway trafc
to rail and will reduce the overall vehicle miles travelled in the region contributng to a decline in
roadway accidents.
Job Creaton & Near-Term Economic Actvity
In the short term, more than 200 jobs will be created or retained in associaton with the
constructon of the Project elements, generatng $34.6 million in economic actvity including $16.2
million in labor earnings.
The associated improvements will direct
permanent jobs to areas of the state which are
more economically challenged such as Brunswick,
while supportng new opportunites in more urban
areas such as Portland. The result is a net increase
of several hundred jobs to the State. Increased
tourism will also create or sustain jobs, and result in
additonal sales tax revenues.
In the past two years, a once barren Brownfeld site
located between downtown Brunswick and Bowdoin
College has been transformed into the bustling
Pan Am crews avoid lay-ofs by working through the winter on the
Downeaster Expansion project.
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 14
Brunswick Staton. The complex includes restaurants, medical
ofces, retail shops, a visitors center and a 52-room hotel along
with the train staton adjacent to the train platorm.
The success of the project has exceeded expectatons as this
area has become a transportaton hub providing local and
intercity bus services, rental cars and excursion train service to
mid-coast Maine. Municipal ofces are relocatng to the site
and plans are already underway to create further development
in associaton with Downeaster service.
Tourism is among Maines largest industries, contributng $10
billion in sales, 45% of total tax revenues and sustaining 140,000
jobs. Freeport is one of Maines most popular tourist areas
atractng more than 3.5 million visitors who spend $300 million
annually. Freeport Village Staton, a 120,000 square foot state-
of-the-art shopping complex located between L.L. Bean and
the Freeport train platorm, opened in May 2009. The thriving
mult-level complex is home to more than 20 retail businesses
and the Nordica Theatre which opened in November 2011.
This added atracton has further enhanced the appeal of
travelling to Freeport by train and increased the economic potental for tourism development.
The Forefront at Thompsons Point will
transform the defunct industrial area
surrounding the Downeasters Portland Staton.
This mixed use commercial and entertainment
complex will include a sport and concert arena,
conference center, a full service hotel, ofce
space, restaurants, parking garage and a nature
trail. The City of Portland designated the
area as a Transit TIF district and plans to work
cooperatvely with the developers, the State
and others to redevelop the existng Portland
Transportaton Center and layover facility into
a new expanded mult-modal transportaton
center adjacent to the train tracks which will
include intercity and local transit busses, rental
cars, bicycle rentals and a water taxi as well as
an expanded Downeaster train staton.
Te sports and entertainment arena is the cornerstone of the
Forefront at Tompsons Point development project. It will serve as
home of the Red Claws, Portlands NBA Development team and
provide a venue for conferences and concerts.
More than 125 people are employed by the
businesses at Brunswick Station.
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 15
Innovaton
The Downeaster service has always been a model for
creatvity and innovaton. On-board WiFi was available more
than three years before a natonal soluton was introduced by
Amtrak, and the Downeaster was the frst route in the naton
to test and introduce Amtraks new e-Ticketng technology.
The spirit of innovaton contnues in this Project with the
incorporaton of a fenced pedestrian and bike trail into the
design of the Portland Wye track & Trail.
Partnership
Developing, sustaining and growing partnerships with and between transportaton providers,
communites, planning agencies, development groups and other stakeholders is one of NNEPRAs
core principles. NNEPRA communicates regularly with these groups and will contnue to partner
with all communites and stakeholder groups along the corridor to inspire new opportunites for
the region. Additonally, specifc stakeholder groups have been established to collaborate on
specifc Project components.
The full expansion of Downeaster service enjoys broad support because it builds upon the success
of the existng Downeaster service, the success of the limited service currently ofered to Freeport
and Brunswick and an appreciaton for its current and potental impact on the regional economy.
The following individuals and enttes provided leters of support for the previous submissions of
the Downeaster Service Optmizaton Project, and are again included in this request:
Te Downeaster was the frst Amtrak route to
introduce e-Ticketing.

Maine Department of Transportation JHR Development, Brunswick Station
Amtrak LL Bean
Biddeford, ME ( City of ) Maine Development Foundation
Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce Maine Eastern Railroad
Brunswick Downtown Asociation Maine State Chamber of Commerce
Dover, NH ( City of ) Old Orchard Beach (Town of)
Dover, NH Chamber of Commerce Rockland, ME (Town of)
Durham, NH (Town of ) Saco, ME ( City of )
Freeport USA Thompsons Point Development Company, Inc.
Freeport, ME (Town of) TrainRiders Northeast
Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau University of New Hampshire, Durham
Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau Wells, ME (Town of)
Wells Chamber of Commerce
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 16
V. Beneft Cost Analysis
A beneft-cost analysis (BCA) was conducted by Parsons Brinckerhof for the June 2013 submission
of a TIGER Grant Applicaton for the Downeaster Service Optmizaton Project and is included with
this request as well. The BCA was completed in accordance with the methodology recommended
by the U.S. DOT in the Federal Register (77 Fed. Reg. 4863) and conducted for a 30 year analysis
period.

Costs
The overall capital cost of the project is expected to be $25 million in undiscounted 2011
dollars. Operatons and maintenance costs are projected to increase annually by $866,097 (in
undiscounted 2011 dollars) compared with the no
build scenario. Over the 30 year period these costs
accumulate to $25.6 million in 2011 dollars, or $16.4
million when discounted at 3%. This is an average of
$545,700 per year on a 3% discounted basis.
Benefts
The project creates benefts of $101.1 million in 2011 dollars ($55.9
million when discounted at 3%). It does so, generally by decreasing
travel tmes and shifing trips previously taken by automobile to train.
At a 3% discount rate the Project yields a beneft-cost rato of 1.39
over a 30 year period.
Benefts by Category for Downeaster Service Optmizaton
Project, Cumulatve 2014-2043
Over the entre analysis period, the Project exhibits decreases in both VMT and in VHT. Given
the distributon, the project benefts are antcipated to exceed its costs (at a 3% discount rate)
between 2032 and 2033.
Substantal additonal secondary
benefts such as economic output
associated with constructon material
and labor payments, tourism spending
and impacts resultng from associated
private developments are not factored
into the calculaton but contribute
signifcantly to the Project value.
Discount
Rate
Net Present Value
2011 $ millions disc.
Economic
Rate
of Return
Benefit Cost
Ratio
3 % $ 15.70 6.0% 1.39
7 % -$3.30 -- 0.90
Scenario
2011$
thousands
Discount rate
3%
Economic
Competitiveness
$49,320
Safety $4,790
Environmental $1,789
State of Good Repair $9
Total $55,900

Discount
Rate
Net Present Value
2011 $ millions disc.
Economic
Rate
of Return
Benefit Cost
Ratio
3 % $ 15.70 6.0% 1.39
7 % -$3.30 -- 0.90
Scenario
2011$
thousands
Discount rate
3%
Economic
Competitiveness
$49,320
Safety $4,790
Environmental $1,789
State of Good Repair $9
Total $55,900

Discount
Rate
Net Present Value
2011 $ millions disc.
Economic
Rate
of Return
Benefit Cost
Ratio
3 % $ 15.70 6.0% 1.39
7 % -$3.30 -- 0.90
Scenario
2011$
thousands
Discount rate
3%
Economic
Competitiveness
$49,320
Safety $4,790
Environmental $1,789
State of Good Repair $9
Total $55,900

$55,908
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 17
VI. Project Readiness and NEPA
Project Schedule
The Downeaster Service Optmizaton Project can move forward almost immediately upon
notfcaton of award. NNEPRA is prepared to begin procurement and some constructon within
calendar year 2014 and expects that constructon of all project elements can be completed by
the end of 2017.
Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
File Application
Project Award
Obligate Grant
Final Design & Permitting
Portland Wye N
Brunswick Layover N
Royal Junction Siding N
Right of Way, Utilities and Local & County Coordination
Portland Wye
Brunswick Layover
Royal Junction Siding
Issue Bid Request for Contracted Services
Portland Wye
Brunswick Layover
Royal Junction Siding
Award Bids for Contracted Services
Portland Wye
Brunswick Layover
Royal Junction Siding
Procure materials
Portland Wye
Brunswick Layover
Royal Junction Siding
Construction
Portland Wye
Brunswick Layover
Royal Junction Siding
Grant Closeout
2,600 4,160 13,000 19,240 19,240 26,000 23,400 15,600 13,000 15,600 10,400 7,800 7,800 7,800 1,560
####
Schedule Chart Legend: Active Project included in STIP/TIP N NEPA Determinations complete
# Jobs 5 8 25 37 37 50 45 30 25 30 20 15 15 15 3 360
Jobs x 40hrs x 13 weeks 2,600 4,160 13,000 19,240 19,240 26,000 23,400 15,600 13,000 15,600 10,400 7,800 7,800 7,800 1,560
Wye 2 2 5 5 10 15 20 20 15 15 15 3 127
Layover 25 35 35 35 25 130
Royal 10 15 20 10 10 65
2014 2015 2016 2017
Job Hours Created
*
*
*
*
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 18
Preliminary Engineering
The full expansion of Downeaster service requires the completon of three project elements
designed to meet the needs of an improved Downeaster operatng plan. Varying degrees of
preliminary engineering has been completed on each element to date and constructon can begin
within months of funding approval.
The Brunswick Layover Facility is funded, and is not contngent upon TIGER fnancing. A
design-build frm has been selected to construct the Brunswick Layover facility. Final
design is underway and constructon is expected to begin immediately upon a favorable
NEPA determinaton from the FRA.
Pan Am Railways has completed preliminary design of track and signal confguratons to
complete the Royal Juncton Siding and procurements could begin in Summer 2015.
A preliminary alignment and design has been developed for the Portland Wye Track
& Trail which has been endorsed by Pan Am Railways, the Maine Department of
Transportaton, the City of Portland, the Cumberland County Commissioners and
Amtrak. Final civil and track design is underway by Gannet Fleming and Pan Am
Railways is in the process of completng signal design.
NEPA Status
The NNEPRA and the FRA prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Downeaster
Portland North Expansion Project, for which the FRA issued a Finding of No Signifcant Impact
(FONSI) in July 2009. The EA evaluated the overall program of improvements necessary to extend
Downeaster Service from Portland to Brunswick.
The Project elements detailed in this applicaton are within the study area that was previously
analyzed for the Portland North Expansion Project, and are integral parts of Portland North
Expansion Project and the program of current Federally supported actons which, when considered
individually and collectvely, would not result in a signifcant adverse impact to the natural and
human environment.
The specifc project elements under this applicaton have undergone subsequent additonal
environmental evaluaton in accordance with NEPA:
NNEPRA has initated an EA, with FRA as lead agency, to evaluate the Brunswick Layover
Facility.
A Categorical Exclusion worksheet has been completed and will be submited to FRA for
the Royal Juncton Siding.
A Categorical Exclusion worksheet has been completed and will be submited to FRA for
the Portland Wye Track & Trail.
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 19
Other environmental actons needed:
Drainage improvements for the Royal Juncton Siding and Portland Wye Track & Trail qualify for the
State of Maine, Permit-by-Rule (PBR) issued by the Maine Department of Environmental Protecton
in accordance with Chapter 305 of the Natural Resources Protecton Act (NRPA). The PBR is
issued for placement and maintenance of outall pipes and ditches in or adjacent to wetlands and
water bodies that should not signifcantly afect the environment, if carried out according to the
standards contained in the regulatons. The NRPA permit consttutes the state permit and the 401
Water Quality Certfcaton. The PBR notfcaton form must be submited to the DEP at least 14
days prior to constructon. The drainage improvements would qualify for the New England District
of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Programmatc General Permit (PGP) process, which
expedites review of minimal impact work in waters and wetlands within the State of Maine. The
PGP process has two levels: Category 1, Non-reportng, and Category 2, Reportng. Regardless of
the category, the drainage improvements would qualify for authorizaton from the USACE and is
typically issued in less than 60 days.
Legislatve Approval
The extension of Downeaster service to Freeport and Brunswick has long been a part of Maines
transportaton strategy. Goal #4 of the Maine State Rail Plan (draf December 2010) is to
Implement capacity improvements in the Boston-Portland-Brunswick corridor to enable added
frequency, increased speed and reliability. Maines 123rd Legislature passed a Joint Resoluton
in Support of the Expansion of Downeaster Rail Service. One month later, the Governor signed
into law the Rail Improvement Act (23 MRSA secton 4210-B, subsecton 7), to create a
dedicated funding mechanism to support passenger rail. NNEPRA and MaineDOT entered into
a Memorandum of Understanding in August 2010 which states that the frst priority for those
funds is to provide the required non-federal match for the extension of rail service to Brunswick,
Maine and to pay capital and operatng costs of the Downeaster service as set forth in the budget
as approved by MaineDOT or as otherwise approved by MaineDOT on an as-needed basis. This
Project will clearly improve the operatonal efciency, transportaton impacts and public benefts
of the Downeaster service.
Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority
Downeaster Service Optimization Project 20
Applicaton Atachments
Preliminary Engineering Documentaton Beneft Cost Analysis
Legislatve Approvals NEPA Documentaton
Leters of Support
To view atachments; click HERE or visit: htp://www.amtrakdowneaster.com/tger-6-grant-applicaton