The killer in that trip, by the way, is the connection in downtown Boston. Amtrak has service to South Station, while MBTA has commuter rail service to Gloucester from North Station. If you ask the MBTA's web site what's the best way to connect, they don't tell you to take the Red Line to Park St. and then the Green line to North Station ... they say to *walk* to Downtown Crossing and catch the Orange Line!
Imagine arriving into NY Penn Station from Washington and being told to walk to Grand Central for your train to Forest Hills!
/jordan