Up at 6 as I just couldn’t sleep.
We bought breakfast rolls of hanger steak, egg and Vermont cheese from the Ohno Cafe around the corner and ate them in the flat. Hung around and chilled before it was time to catch Amtrak.
We then drove to Dennys for a coffee and ended up eating a second breakfast… Well, I didn’t have any lunch.
The Amtrak was running 20 minutes late but there is only one platform in Brunswick so we beat our connection, the Maine Eastern, to it. We were in business class with our complimentary drink.
This is the Downeaster:
Business class:
At Brunswick:
We soon arrived at Brunswick and got on the Maine Eastern. The motive power is two ex-New Haven FL9s. Rapido have just announced them so great timing.
This is our coach on the way out:
The turnaround:
The Maine Eastern runs through Bath and Wiscasset to Rockland. It was incredibly beautiful scenery with causeways, lift bridges and piled sections.
Bath:
Wiscasset:
This is the coach on the way back:
Man versus tree:
I think the train won!
There was some doubt because of the delays setting off whether we’d make the Amtrak connection on the way back. The train just moves off the platform and sits in a siding all day so it won’t be late. However, the Maine Eastern did us proud and we arrived on time.
We Amtraked back to Portland and the train was fully sold out. 70 got on at Brunswick but there were going to be 225 on by Wells. It’s the end of the July 4th weekend.
We got back to the flat around 7 and walked down Fore Street for a meal. I had lobster Caesar salad. Nice. Early night and I slept like a log.