Old Orchard Beach - Least Used Amtrak Station in Maine

[@MilesinTransit]

I'm anticipating a lot of comments asking about what counts as a least used station, so: -Seasonal stations (e.g., Old Orchard Beach, ME; Browning MT; formerly Port Kent, NY) are fair game. -Special events only stations (e.g., NY or NC State Fair) are NOT fair game - and funnily enough, both of those state fair examples got more ridership than their respective states' least used full time station in 2022!

[@J5586]

When are you doing Kansas City least used Amtrak station

[@detroitpeoplemover]

@@J5586 Kansas City isn't the least used station in Missouri, pretty sure it's Arcadia Valley. if you're talking about the state of Kansas, it's Hutchinson

[@J5586]

@@detroitpeoplemover ok and how about Missouri

[@J5586]

@@detroitpeoplemoverhow about Missouri

[@Unmannedperson]

What about the Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park Station (CNL) for California? That station is open to any train passing through year-round, but you HAVE to pre-book with a group of 20 or more. Does that qualify it as "special event" only since you have to be your own special event for the train to stop? FYI - the FY 2022 ridership was 470, the lowest Amtrak ridership station in the state. The next lowest is Pomona (POS) with 1,131.

[@jmckenzie962]

Ah, just two [REDACTED]s and a sentient black square enjoying a day at the beach with Miles

[@nod_neth]

Whoa! [REDACTED], [REDACTED], and [REDACTED] in a Miles video!

[@Leonard_Wilson]

My theory is that one of the characters is an alter ego of Jackson.

[@gabri_maybe]

Miles? You mean [REDACTED]?

[@Koopzilla24]

[REDACTED], [REDACTED], and [DATA EXPUNDGED]

[@nevango0690]

Are all your mates in witness protection or something

[@subparnaturedocumentary]

their secretly amtrack execs

[@GM-qt3bm]

any pixelation is just for modesty

[@Ralphie224]

if they can't show their face, why have them on...dont film their faces...this pixelation is not conducive to viewing...

[@abehellfish6926]

If you liked this video, youre gonna love Japanese television @@Ralphie224

[@thetrainguy1]

​@@Ralphie224 I agree. It's not very enjoyable.

[@jpfr624]

I have a theory: the outfit redaction individual isn’t actually a person, just some space Miles took like 3 hours to edit out, and I for one enjoy the hell out of it

[@subparnaturedocumentary]

going to a diner without jackson seems almost criminal, i must say old orchard beach really looks like wildwood branched out to new england which ironically you will also see a decent amount of people from quebec in.

[@DuckOfRubber]

Maybe Jackson was there and is just camera shy now.

[@subparnaturedocumentary]

@@DuckOfRubber possibly, but that pure energetic charisma that is Jackson would be hard to contain by pixelation alone

[@The-rp6do]

Breaking News: Maine has been acknowledged by Miles in Transit 😮😮

[@MilesinTransit]

I have a pretty old video where I ride the Downeaster up to Portland and go to Peaks Island!

[@mmrw]

@@MilesinTransitnot even that old (in my memory at least). Bro is not up on the miles in transit lore

[@SleepySeal121]

@@MilesinTransitPeaks Island is super nice! I recommend paying Shabig Island a visit sometime too. It’s small and there isn’t a ton to do, but it’s absolutely gorgeous. At least it was when I was a kid.

[@TrinityCourtStudios]

Hey Miles! I was the Assiatant **Redacted** on Amtrak 698 that day; in prior years they tried doing year round service to OOB, and they averaged like 3-5 people at best on a given day, so it wasn’t considered worth it. The towns size basically quadruples during the summer months. Most folks drive to saco to have a sheltered station to chill at while waiting for their train.

[@MilesinTransit]

Fair enough! Although 3-5 people per day is still better than other stations with relatively similar frequency of service like Holyoke!

[@YoungThos]

This would be the most used station in Maine if it were part of a hypothetical Montreal to Boston route (as Old Orchard is the nearest and most popular seaside resort for Montrealers)

[@dirty_herc]

came here to post this and bothered reading the comments for once

[@counterfit5]

I suppose, but going through Maine to get between Boston and Montréal would be a weird choice

[@moishglukovsky]

“Hey, Miles, I’d LOVE to be in your video!” “Awesome!” “But I don’t want to be seen in any of it.” “All righty then.”

[@LouisChang-le7xo]

"This individual requested that not only his face be redacted, but also his entire body, lest he be potentially recognized from his outfit" bros on the run

[@gniktrebor]

I’m over here like “full body redacted could easily have been holding the camera and saved Miles an ass ton of censoring time.”

[@adnamamedia]

nooo don't cut out the "boring" stuff, that's exactly why we watch & subscribed 😭 😭

[@MilesinTransit]

Yeah, except everyone hates Redacted, so I think ten straight minutes of Redacted talking would turn a lot of people off! ;)

[@LouisChang-le7xo]

@@MilesinTransit We're all foamers tho

[@MilesinTransit]

Do I actually need to put this unfiltered monologue on Patreon??

[@gniktrebor]

@@MilesinTransitI’d sub to the Patreon for that monologue. I mean and also for all the non KZbin content you’ve probably got on there. Aside from redacted’s cadence it was actually sounding interesting and then *jump cut no reference* wha?

[@adnamamedia]

@@MilesinTransitwe love boring history lessons about defunct railroad companies!

[@C_B_Hubbs]

I live in VT and OOB was always my family's summer beach vacation destination. We always drove over there and back, stayed at a beachside motel or campground. But I'd like to try riding the train there.

[@nicholas_scott]

I like when you question of the water rapids are being harnessed for energy.... and directly behind you is a large, hard to miss, hydroelectric dam! There also used to be a giant wind-turbine right at that spot, but that was a whole debacle. Only produced 5% of promised power. The town eventually took the loss and tore it down. OOB is mostly a ghost town outside of summer.

[@girl_with_armor]

5:07 actually!! Not only is Maine a popular destination for quebecois tourists due to its proximity, Biddeford Maine is one of the most french speaking towns in the U.S. roughly 46% of the population speaks french as their first language

[@thesteamdieselandelectricr3299]

Thanks for reviewing the station miles. Part of my family actually lives around old Orchard Beach Maine and I’ve been to that station many times over the years and the Saco station as well. Keep up the good work with the least used Amtrak videos.

[@cosakita6120]

Thank you for saying "Saco" right. You're now an honorary Mainer. Also fun fact! The reason the historical signs were translated to French is because Biddeford / Saco historically had a large French-Canadian population working in the textile mills.

[@Ralphie224]

a few years ago i went to Old Orchard Beach in the middle of August......and went for a swim..its right on the ocean.....and the water was SO cold i lasted about 3 minutes in the water....

[@BenTheDuck]

Finally this series is back

[@willnewberry9605]

Neat video! My grandparents used to live just up the road from Old Orchard Beach and I used to visit all the time. This video brought back some fond memories. Thank you for sharing.

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks!

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Maine facts: The Downeaster is named for the Down East region of Maine, a name that traces back to sailing terminology! In the warm months most suitable for sailing, the prevailing winds along the coast of New England and Canada blow from the southwest, meaning ships have to sail downwind to go east. As such, the northeastern stretches were said to be "Down East" in relation to cities to the west, such as Boston. The term "Down East" led to the name of a type of sailing ship developed in Maine in the late 19th century called the Downeaster. Downeasters were a modification of an earlier clipper, with new lines and rigging enabling them to carry substantially more cargo. These were used to transport wheat and other goods from California to European markets. It could make the trip between San Francisco and Liverpool in 100 days, despite rounding Cape Horn and crossing the equator twice. Downeaster also refers to a type of power fishing vessel, as described in Billy Joel's “Downeaster Alexa.” Maine's famous Acadia National Park became the first national park east of the Mississippi in 1919 after being re-designated from a national monument in 1916. First it was called Sieur de Monts National Monument, then Lafayette National Park, and finally renamed to Acadia in 1929. Maine has a desert outside Freeport! It's not technically classified as a desert, as it receives an abundance of precipitation every year, however it's still very interesting! Basically as the glaciers in Maine started to melt, by about 13,500 years ago, the glaciers' retreat reached the Freeport area, where the land that would comprise the future Desert of Maine began to emerge from below the sea. At some point after the Desert area emerged, it became a sink for wind-blown sand, around 12,500 years ago. Then plants stabilized the sand deposit within a hundred years and became a forest. But farming eventually exposed the sand. It became a farm in 1821 when it was purchased by the Tuttle family. Like other Maine farmers, the Tuttles' methods of farming gradually depleted the soil of essential nutrients, and overgrazing produced widespread erosion of the topsoil, exposing a deposit of aeolian sand that was lying underneath. Eventually the entire farm became barren, the Tuttles abandoned the land in 1890, and in 1925, Henry Goldrup purchased the land and developed it into a tourist attraction

[@davidsaunders6700]

Thank you, Miles. I have never been to ME, NH, RI or VT, so am planning a trip and this was very useful information.

[@TomWalsh1]

Biddeford is another great little city! My partner went to med school at UNE and we gained a real appreciation for the culinary scene and the very friendly people there.

[@Plywood]

Thank you for pointing out The Palace Diner, really enjoyed it on my trip up to the Portland area!

[@Rubberneck1965]

My two cents, having now watched every video in full on the channel, is seeing your entire party as censored and blurred is a drag. The best fun comes from moments of people together, and this inside joke has run its course. You have dozens of friends to join you on these trips. Pick literally any of them who will join you without obfuscating themselves.

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks for the feedback, seriously!

[@Rubberneck1965]

@@MilesinTransit No prob Miles. I tried to word it in a way that didnt sound like angry internet troll person, and I think it was received the way it was intended, so thats good. Informative videos are great, but the ones with you having fun with other people are all the best imo. The great races, the long diner vids, you and Jackson playing music, you and Aleena, you and your parents, Nathan Jeremy the list goes on.

[@winterwatson6437]

i like the silly blurs. whenever they appear i know i can come to the silly comments for a silly laugh 😘

[@brentbraniff]

I literally laughed out loud when you blurred the person on the roller coaster. That's dedication to preserving someone's identity and absurd comedy. Top dollar on that!! I'm also amazed that people would rather take a chance on being cut in half by a billion ton train than wait for 10 minutes for it to go safely by. Or that they don't want to be recognized, even by the clothes they wear, but they will take a chance with a moving train.....or maybe I'm just a huge wimp when it comes to moving heavy moving objects.... Humans.....go figure....

[@psychorabbitt]

I feel like they specifically DIDN'T make it Biddeford, Old Orchard Beach, Saco for the very reason to which Miles alluded.

[@williamchristian8389]

Oh Miles, you have done it again.!! thank you so much!!!

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks!

[@_Katmai]

You pronounced Exeter correctly! I rode the Downester june/July of 2002, its first summer (It started in the fall of 2001) as the only interstate commuter in NH from Dover to Exeter for the summer school program at that "really fancy school." love the Downeaster!

[@MilesinTransit]

How do other people pronounce it?? I do have the benefit of being from the region in this case, but if I go anywhere else I butcher all the town names...

[@_Katmai]

@@MilesinTransit Eggseter, its super annoying!!

[@connorblack99]

Holy fuck, what a blast from the past. Biddeford is looking nice! Been a minute since I’ve been up there.

[@Bogxx11]

Your right that towel selection is fantastic

[@KC3YCU]

My Maine man, the Maine thing is to keep the Maine thing the Maine thing

[@TheFinnGamer]

Miles learning so much video object tracking

[@JamesTerrebonne0194]

Its also likely in French because Maine has a fairly sizeable Acadian minority population (second to Louisiana) and so there's a large chunk of French speakers.

[@animationfiend5499]

Most of them lived up in the north of Maine though. The majority of Maine’s French speaking population comes from after the Acadians were driven out by the British. Immigrants from Quebec immigrated to work in mills, like the ones in Biddeford. The mills are basically all abandoned now, or have been recently converted into commercial space. However, for the signs being in French, in Biddo it’s probably because of the aforementioned French population from Quebec (though the Quebec tourism helps too). If you see signs in French in Old Orchard, it’s for tourism 100%.

[@tofoo1]

Alot of french-canadians come down to OOB in the summer. And use our hannaford

[@winterwatson6437]

12:36 the most beautiful shot of the video ❣️

[@SimerCCC]

The OOB pier used to be bubble the length, but it got ripped off in a storm.

[@DCAflyer123]

I went to Old Orchard Beach last year while I was in the Portland area for the weekend! I absolutely loved my time there and I didn't know that the amusement park area was there when I first went! I even got to trainspot one of the Northbound Downeastern Trains heading to Brunswick, The views of the ocean were incredible too! I didn't even know that Old Orchard Beach was the least used amtrak station in Maine until I saw this video and I'll keep some of these facts about the station in mind if I'm ever there again 🙂🙂

[@rachelquist439]

My friends and I went to OOB for the 4th of July and therefore had to watch this video afterwards to compare experiences. We were fortunate enough to get inside the visitor center, which was air conditioned and clean but had minimal seating. Inside, a very nice city worker informed us she did NOT work for the train and this was NOT a train station, but still helpfully told us the Amtrak was running 5 minutes late.

[@zachfila]

Babe wake up miles in transit just dropped

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Poutine was created in the 1950s in the Centre-du-Québec region, which include Drummondville, Victoriaville, and Bécancour. This region is known as the breadbasket of Quebec as it's big on agriculture like poultry and more importantly, the dairy industry. Hence having plenty of cheese curds! The Apparently Kid from the Wayne County Fair in Pennsylvania would be very proud of how many times you said "apparently" in this one! Old Orchard Beach reminds me of all the times my dad would take me on day trips to Jersey Shore places like Seaside Heights, Long Branch, and Asbury Park...good times. No visit to a boardwalk is complete without funnel cake! Yup Exeter, NH is home to Phillips Exeter Academy which is one of the oldest boarding schools in the US as it was established in 1781. Exeter was named after the cathedral city of the same name in Devon, South West England. The Exeter in Devon in turn comes from the Old English Escanceaster, Escan being a river now known as the River Exe (from a Brittonic name meaning "water" or "full of fish"), and 'ceaster' meaning fortified town, like other English town names ending in "cester", "caster" or "chester" like Colchester and Leicester. The Exeter, NH area was originally known by the Abenaki as "M’Squamskook" or "Falls at the Place of the Salmon", and would later become known as "Squamscott", hence the Squamscott River in downtown Exeter. Dover is of course named after the famous one in Kent, England, and Kent's Dover in turn derives from the Brythonic word for "waters" (dwfr in Middle Welsh). NH's official motto of "Live Free or Die" was adopted from a toast written by General John Stark, New Hampshire's most famous soldier of the American Revolution, on July 31, 1809. Poor health forced Stark to decline an invitation to an anniversary reunion of the Battle of Bennington. Instead, he sent his toast by letter, stating "Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils." By the time Stark wrote this, Vivre Libre ou Mourir ("Live free or die") was a popular motto of the French Revolution

[@theconezy]

There was a fight with NH over alcohol sales while the train us traveling through the state.

[@MilesinTransit]

That'd be hilarious if you just couldn't buy alcohol for a little stretch in the middle there.

[@thefareplayer2254]

Ahhhhhh yes, Quebecois Myrtle Beach!

[@PaulFisher]

this is not fair; Old Orchard Beach is not the most depressing place on earth

[@SimerCCC]

I live near Bangor and have seen that train when mini golfing in OOB.

[@sethward4922]

I’m going to Old Orchard Beach this summer. I’m taking the Downeaster down. Great video

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks, have a great trip!

[@SamCyanide]

Used to go on vacations here as a kid. I've wanted to go back for a while. Maybe this is the way to do it

[@terryaltherr2481]

I loved watching this since it reminded me of when I went to Old Orchard Beach with my dad and aunt in -I think- 2009. I remember doing some of the rides and I think I went strolling on the beach though I remember that I liked it a lot.

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

Wait I’ve actually unironically used this station for a legitimate reason. A few years ago we took the Downeaster with the ocean view dome car, and honestly had a blast at old orchard

[@MilesinTransit]

Oh yeah, that was so awesome when the dome car was on there.

[@JohnLumagui]

Wow. Least used station; cool, rare diner; banger French Toast; bonus intercity bus action; bad beach pizza... that's nearly a Miles in Transit bingo. All that was missing was a bathroom review and getting an Amtrak upgrade via a POOR BID.

[@gkjsooley]

it 's always a good day when Miles posts a new vid (especially one with bonus diner content). Those are the old Boston & Maine tracks. The B&M was chartered in 1835 and purchased by the Guilford Rail System in 1983. Guilford changed its name to Pan Am in 2006. I took the Downeaster from Wells to North Station in summer 2004 - the "cabbage'" was part of that consist. Cheers from Ottawa! PS - Schools are not out in Québec yet, so it will be a couple of weeks before the Montrélais start arriving at their fave northeastern US vacation spots (Lake George NY area and the beaches south of Portland ME). PPS - Did I hear the "I Remember the Rockaways" tune?

[@MilesinTransit]

Yup, that's the "I Remember the Rockaways" instrumental!

[@dijitwo]

Hey that's where I live! It's a cool place. Actually pretty neat in the winter too.

[@horriblyawesomegamer]

Growing up, OOB was our go to beach vacation (from central MA). Watching this video was an intense nostalgia blast, great video!

[@aeremthirteen2771]

As a Mainer, youre only slightly more tolerable than the French Canadians who invade every year XD (but you all love our campgrounds too) 😂

[@brianhubert8418]

That's cool that Old Orchard Beach has Amtrak service like that and it looks like the Downeaster is really well used. As a roller coaster enthusiast along with being a passenger rail love/urbanist its sad to me that more amusement and theme parks don't have better transit access. That diner was really cool too. Did that Amfleet you guys were riding on the way back have a flat spot!!

[@ck4426]

I absolutely love your least used Amtrak station videos!!! The teacup dinosaurs were too much and I love the foamy stuff😂I hope you will continue this series on obscure Amtrak!!!

[@SwC3ATN]

Apparently the Lost World Jurassic Park Arcade game at 11:30 is extremely rare so if I ever go I’ll check this place out

[@MilesinTransit]

Really?? That's awesome, I had no idea!

[@naty8445]

If you liked the Palace Diner you should get a bagel from Rose Foods next time you end up in Portland. It is run by one of the same new yawk chefs who started Palace, he's in there quite a bit. Really nice guy, really good food.

[@SleepySeal121]

Hey, Mainer here! You know any other good restaurants or local places? I’m trying to find new restaurants, cafes, bars, etc to check out!

[@davidsixtwo]

I've been waiting for this one

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

The Old Orchard Beach area was first officially settled in 1657 by Thomas Rogers, who dubbed it "The Garden By The Sea". The town takes its name from Rogers' abandoned apple orchard. Rogers' family left the area and relocated in Kittery, Maine after the indigenous attacked and destroyed the Rogers' homestead. The namesake orchard survived for approximately 150 years as a beacon of land to sailors. By the early 19th-century, the stunning beach town began making a name for itself as a small-scale tourist destination. Old Orchard Beach’s first public house opened in 1829, and over the next decade, tourists began to visit the area. People would pay a pittance to spend time on the local farms. The first example of this came when a farmer named E.C. Staples was offered $1.50 a week to accept boarders on his land during the summer months. After realizing the success of summer boarding, Staples opened the first boarding house in Old Orchard Beach, at the top of Old Orchard Street. The town began to take the form that we know today on February 20, 1883, when a portion of the town of Saco was named Old Orchard, and it would be nearly half a century later that the word “Beach” was added. It was in 1902 that the Palace Playland amusement park opened. The Old Orchard Beach Pier has had a tumultuous past, being destroyed and rebuilt three times since it first opened in 1898, by a storm, fire, and blizzard respectively. When the pier was first built, it was built of steel and was 1,825 feet, making it the longest steel pier in the world at the time. At its end was the Pier Casino, a ballroom with room for 5,000 dancers, and it attracted stars like Guy Lombardo, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, and Frank Sinatra. The casino was demolished in 1970. Today, the current pier was built in 1980 after being destroyed by a blizzard in 1978 and stretches 500 feet.

[@theirongiant6596]

I wish someday the pier can be rebuilt to its former glory. With how population dense oob can be in the summer it would be amazing if the pier was expanded

[@nathanjiang100]

watching this from the NB Silver Star over Amtrak's very reliable wifi. funnily enough woke up this morning at the least-used Amtrak station in South Carolina (Denmark, not Clemson, whose ridership has increased a lot following the pandemic) because the power went out which means the AC did too. and now we had a power issue so we've been in DC for an hour and a half.

[@MilesinTransit]

Do I still have it as Clemson on my sheet? I gotta change that back...

[@nathanjiang100]

@@MilesinTransit looks like you changed it to Denmark but forgot to change the route from Crescent to Silver Star.

[@MilesinTransit]

@@nathanjiang100 Ah, will fix!

[@drhenning53]

@@MilesinTransit I checked out the Denmark station years ago on my way through in my frequent drives between Charlotte and Jacksonville.. I sometimes took the back roads when Google Maps picked up jams on I-26/95... Only problem I had once was going too fast through one of the small towns ( it might have been Demark actually)... I found it curious why they would stop at the town in the middle of the night... Typical small SC town...

[@BoratWanksta]

I'm surprised at one point, Clemson had fewer riders than Denmark. Would've thought due to Clemson University, that it would've always been ahead of Denmark for more riders. I guess Clemson during the pandemic(and back in early 2020s, so many colleges for a while cancelled all in person classes), was why it briefly fell below Denmark?

[@michaelslane6654]

the pixalating is so fucked. if they are so down low, they shouldn't be in the video

[@shaunganley]

Old Orchard Beach was extremely popular with Quebecois in the 1980s and 1990s, before the CAD/USD exchange rate cratered. I remember local news would include the Maine beach along with other worldwide cities. I suspect they still get Quebec visitors, but nowhere close to what they once did.

[@theirongiant6596]

There’s still a lot of Quebec visitors! Surprisingly a lot of young frenchies too! I think it’s more of a pit stop now before going to New Hampshire

[@shaunganley]

@@theirongiant6596 Love to hear that!

[@counterfit5]

I like the woman trying to cross before the train, as her kids follow kinda-quickly, and the dude seems to want to get hit

[@heenim96]

Hey, I’ve been here too! Though my friend and I went at a time when the spot was dead (November). Very nice beach, cute boardwalk area. We lovingly recall that adventure “the journey to oob”, pronounced as it’s spelled. Great video as always!

[@RamblinVan]

The reason so many people board in maine to go to OOB is because they are either tourists or locals who plan on getting completely trashed on the beach and don't want to drive back home. A solid plan. I've done it a few times.

[@trainandmore]

6:45 you should have also mentioned that it's the only transit accessible, you could say taxis and Uber, but if you count only public transit it's just this I think. You take a coach bus to Salem NH, and Uber the last 5 minutes to canobie lake park.

[@ArtisticHH57]

5:52 reminds me of the light in the cargo space of my mom’s station wagon

[@Perseverance1987x]

I love when Miles takes a trip with a character he hasn't unlocked for us yet.

[@history_leisure]

The transit system actually does connect to both amusement parks in the area, Palace Playland (the boardwalk park) and Funtown Splashtown (which is a bit further inland). Palace Playland was actually known for pinball and arcades in the 90's and got its signature coaster, Sea Viper, and a now ultra common SBF standard spinner in 2018. Funtown Splashtown actually started as a family business around 1960 where dude built a drive-in restaurant next to his brother-in-law's mini golf place. They then added go-karts, batting cages, and archery (wtf?). They expanded to rides from there. It attained its current name after the in-law side dropped their stake and Splashtown was built in '96. Two years later, they added their signature coaster: Excalibur, a Custom Coasters International (CCI) Wooden coaster. This is not to be confused with the exant Great Coasters International. CCI went bankrupt in 2002 and their engineers established the Gravity Group/Gravitykraft or worked with S&S on the 4 wooden coasters they built right after that (1 defunct that was apparently the best, 1 in New Jersey that I think just needs proper TLC that everyone else would burn if given the chance, 1 in Denmark that might be half decent, 1 in Washington state that's apparently forceless). However, all the wooden coaster manufactures have some connection to each other and someone made a video on that. Funtown Splashtown just added a dark ride and Palace Playland a Pendulum style ride. If you just want the coaster creds, you can easily fit both in a day. There is also a trolley museum nearby in the middle of nowhere

[@IVR02]

Oh man, Old Orchard Beach! Loads of good memories there. For some reason, despite living in New Jersey, my dad went through a bit of a phase where we'd drive up to OOB every summer for vacation - I think he liked it because it wasn't as chaotic as, say, Wildwood or Cape May (although there was one summer where we went to OOB and Wildwood in the same month, which was an interesting contrast). I remember the motel we'd stay at was right against the railroad tracks, and I'd look out and see the Downeaster pass and wonder how different the trip would be by train, so this video had kinda answered that question for me! Palace Playland absolutely rocks and I'm glad to see it getting some love here. I also definitely remember picking up on the Quebec influence up there - we'd go in July, and I distinctly recall seeing more Quebec license plates than Maine license plates on our last trip there. It was also the first time I tried poutine, so that's something. Anyway, pardon the wall of text, just got kinda nostalgic from this video!

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks for the comment, I love the memories!

[@MrFantasnick]

Old Orchard is indeed a beloved vacation spot for us Québecois, as well as Burlington, Ogunquit and others. Fun fact, my friends and I will be visiting Portland in 2 weeks ! Also, the « Mille et Une Nuits » ride (Thousand and One Nights ) ride used to be at La Ronde, hence the French marquise :P ✨The more you knooow🌈

[@stacydelgado3285]

Maine is my favorite state. We vacation in the Kennebunks ever year. The Downeaster goes from Wells to Boston which we may do a day trip at some point.

[@BrianJColby15YT]

OOB is a nice vacation spot for Quebeckers. Most of them will come through Vermont and New Hampshire via US 2, but the Quebec (city) residents come in through US 201 to Augusta and then south. If you walked further down to the hotels, you'd probably find Quebec license plates over other states/provinces 2:1. I used to take the Downeaster pretty regularly until track upgrades and the extension to Brunswick shortened the schedule. In the beginning (2001/2002) I could leave Boston North Station around 9:30am, get to Portland about 12:15pm, take the Greater Portland Metro 5 bus to Downtown Portland, get lunch, walk around Congress Street, get the 5 bus back to the Portland Transportation center, and catch the 2:45pm train back to Boston. There's no train in between 1:43pm (too early) and 6:45pm (too late); even a quick Portland-Boston shuttle with stops in NH (Durham at least) would be beneficial. The other alternative: Boston South Station to Portland via Concord Trailways; leave at 10am, arrive at 11:55am. It's somewhat cheaper too ($43 same day return) but not as fun as Amtrak.

[@MilesinTransit]

Yeah, I tend to like longer day trips, so it's disappointing that Concord Coach has both an earlier departure from and later arrival into Boston than Amtrak - because you're right, Amtrak is way more fun.

[@BrianJColby15YT]

@@MilesinTransit Yes - I can move around, the bathrooms are bigger, and I can get decent snacks from the café. I did that on both round trips from Boston to DC in 1997 and 1999, and on the Acela Express in 2010. You can't do the same on the bus (although in my UMass Dartmouth days, American Eagle and Bonanza were good for the hour trip and it was cheap ($5 - $8)).

[@stephencody6088]

Phillips Academy is the school in Exeter. I went there. Old Orchard is fun. I live in Maine.

[@greensnmachines]

OOB was where I wanted to go during my Maine trip, but I found out as I was booking it was seasonal, and I missed the start of it by 1 week. Saco was one of those towns that is pronounced completely different from what I thought it would be. Now that you've shown that diner and that French Toast, I'm thinking I need to plan another trip to Maine.

[@LexJones207]

Palace Diner does have the best French toast.

[@Gundamfan24k-wr4mv]

I live in central maine and this has nothing to do with Amtrak but every year I go to lubec maine which is the Eastern most point in the continental US to visit my uncle and it is absolutely beautiful there

[@MilesinTransit]

I wish you could take transit there but the bus only runs on the first Wednesday of the month :(

[@Gundamfan24k-wr4mv]

@MilesinTransit there is a major fishing harbor currently being built so their might be more options in the future

[@al99795]

I was convinced for 75% of the video that there wasn't actually someone behind the redacted box

[@MetalNicky1983]

Why do I find it so funny that you pixelated your friends 🤣🤣

[@ProfessorPancakes420]

Hampton Beach on the NH Seacoast is also pretty Jersey Shore, minus the rides.

[@Eric_Hunt194]

It's so cool that you were joined on this adventure by a depiction of the prophet Muhammad...

[@erwinc.9117]

The sentient black square with text on the rides fucking had me it's so funny

[@marcusbean6003]

It's funny you posted this on Wednesday, and I happened to be in Old Orchard Beach (just south in Ocean Park area) driving a motorcoach bus the day you posted this

[@connosaurusrex9307]

I have always thought that if there was greater frequency/later and earlier service that OOB would be a great beach day trip from Boston

[@antonsmith9788]

Miles in Transit: Redacted. This could be a whole entire series! 😜

[@KristenDeSantis92]

My hometown Haverhill MA is on this line and funny enough I never took the train to Old orchard. Next time I visit I want to take the train to Maine

[@SouthernMaineFoamer]

A lot of things are translated to French because Maine borders Quebec. Also I go to downtown OOB all the time so seeing you visit it is amazing.

[@theirongiant6596]

I remember it was pouring rain out waiting for the train so some guy just broke the door open so we all could get some shelter 😂.

[@Hahlen]

Why are people so afraid of being publicly associated with you Miles

[@MilesinTransit]

I'm cursed

[@Leonard_Wilson]

I wish I was publicly acknowledged by Miles. The views on my transit KZbin channel would quadruple.

[@LouisChang-le7xo]

@@MilesinTransit i think that black square sitting next to you is on the run or something but doesnt own a car, so it's not GTA but rather GTT (Grand Theft Train)

[@trainandmore]

12 round trips for the service isn't bad, but I would argue if it doesn't already, start and end with the commuter rail. Not start at 9am and go to 8pm.

[@mikeymullins5305]

Unlike other commenters, i am here for transit content, not your freinds (though of course i dont mind socializing) and therefore dont care whether or not they are blurred.

[@LucaPasini2]

Old Orchard Beach really reminds me of some towns and villages you can find on the Adriatic coast of Romagna in Italy, north of my hometown of Rimini. The vintage arcades and amusament parks look almost the same, and there's also a single track railway line serving the area with frequent stations and small halts which are heavily used by tourists in summer. However a big difference is that the line gets around one train per hour per direction.

[@MilesinTransit]

Do you have any examples of cool towns along there?

[@LucaPasini2]

@@MilesinTransit Sure! The so-called Romagnol Riviera extends from Casal Borsetti to Gabicce Mare. From Lido di Classe to Gabicce Mare towns form a single conurbation along the coast, served by two railway lines: the single track Ravenna-Rimini branch line and the Adriatic Coast Mainline south of Rimini. From Rimini to Riccione there is also a rapid trolleybus line called Metromare, which I mentioned in another comment some time ago! I would say that the towns that reminded me more of Old Orchard Beach are the smaller ones like Bellaria, Gatteo Mare, Zadina or Lido di Classe in the north or Misano and in the south: they don't have old historic downtowns that would make them look instantly European, like Cesenatico (check it out, it's lovely!) or Cervia. They also don't have the feeling of being in a bigger and more fancy city like Rimini. Justin the last few weeks I helped some people shooting a documentary portraying life in one of those resort towns at the start of the tourist season, trying to show the suspended lives of old tourists and beachkeepers that seem to be stuck in the past.

[@LucaPasini2]

@@MilesinTransit There are also many amusement parks such as Fiabilandia and Miniature Italy (with some cool model trains running around) in Rimini and Mirabilandia in Lido di Classe, as well as many small ones in random places near the beaches and hotels.

[@MilesinTransit]

@@LucaPasini2 Oh these are awesome, thanks for the great examples!

[@LucaPasini2]

@@MilesinTransit My pleasure!

[@Straven93]

Right on the beach Palace Playland is the action park

[@goodwillfidgetspinner]

MAINE MENTIONED LETS GO ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞

[@KMonRails]

8:46 NEW BRUNSWICK AND WASHINGTON DC WOULD LIKE A WORD All jokes aside Maine looks legit! How easy is it to get to Acadia National Park on the Downeaster btw?

[@MilesinTransit]

You'd have to take Concord Coach up to Bangor and connect with the weekday-only Downeast Transportation bus to Bar Harbor - it's a pain!

[@KMonRails]

@@MilesinTransit F

[@radjago]

12:30 What have they done to my baby? I stood on a 12 ft stepladder perched on the ice-covered platform in January to get that thing up and running. At least the one is Saco still looks nice. And the NNEPRA people were the nicest state agency people I ever worked with.

[@Josephcavagnaro]

OMG I have been there TWICE. Both during my childhood

[@codfish1113]

Maine, our beloved!

[@HumblElephant]

Can’t help but appreciate the commitment to the redaction bit edit: How did I miss that you hit 40k? Congrats! Here’s to 40,000 and cannot wait for when you hit 50k then 100k

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks so much!

[@ThePoolboy789]

the smoke detector beep in the fun house is "part of the experience"

[@kylr23]

Yeah the OOB station isnt as heavily used even during the season. They change exibits in the saco station, right now its for Seashore Trolley Museum (celebrating 85 years)

[@MilesinTransit]

It gets lots of ridership during the season, it seems like...? At least on weekends!

[@Aar0nDavis]

I'll have to see if I can go up here next time I visit my sister in Portland.

[@Snoopyhf]

I went on the Downeaster to visit family recently. One of the coaches that day was a Horizon coach, which was something extremely new to me. I learned from the conductor that day Amtrak is gonna replace most of the Amfleets on the Downeaster with Horizon coaches from the Midwest. Amtrak needs the Amfleets on the NEC for extra capacity, and the Horizons are extra coaches with the Venture cars being introduced.

[@MilesinTransit]

So I've heard! It's so weird and a little sad that Horizons are now in the Northeast...

[@kitchin2]

@@MilesinTransit I think it came up with the borealis that Amtrak charges states more for amfleets than for horizons.