I believe Amtrak can lower it's margins by eliminating Assistant Conductors.  I'll write about this proposal later (I want to eliminate the work too, not just make Conductors work harder).  However I don't believe that laying off Assistant Conductors is a good idea - instead Amtrak should increase it's service by 50%, retraining some conductors and Assistant conductors as engineers so that no jobs are lost, but passenger service is increased.

With that in mind, I worked up this scenario for how it might affect Maine service.  The other goal here is to expand service to new areas that don't already have it in order to increase Amtrak's political base.  Therefore, Amtrak service in this schedule has been extended to Bangor, rather than increasing trips going south of Portland.

To make this happen would require upgrading the Guilford line.  I think funds could be found for this if there was a deal to operate it at the same level of subsidy as happens now.

So here is my Maine service timetable with a 50% increase in service.