The
Maine Central Railroad Company was a railroad in central and southern
MaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. It operated a mainline between
South Portland, MaineSouth Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state. Founded in 1895, as of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of...
, east to the Canada-U.S. border with
New BrunswickNew Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, and a Mountain Division west to
VermontVermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and north to
QuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
Charter and creation
The Maine Central was created in 1862 through the merger of the
Androscoggin and Kennebec RailroadThe Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad is a historic U.S. railroad which operated in Maine.The Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad Co. received a charter on March 28, 1847 and by January 1850 had built a line between Waterville, Maine and Danville, Maine . At Waterville, the A&K connected with the...
and the
Penobscot and Kennebec RailroadThe Penobscot and Kennebec Railroad is a historic U.S. railroad which operated in Maine.The Penobscot and Kennebec Railroad Co. received a charter on April 5, 1845 and built a line between Bangor, Maine and Waterville, Maine. At Waterville, the P&K connected with the Androscoggin and Kennebec...
, resulting in a line from Danville (now
AuburnAuburn is a city in and the county seat of Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 23,055 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan...
) to
BangorBangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
. The line connected with the
Grand Trunk RailwayThe Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
on its
PortlandPortland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
-
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
mainline at Danville and with the Bangor and Piscataquis Railroad in Bangor. As a result of its connection with the Grand Trunk, the Maine Central initially operated on a track gauge of known as "Canadian" or "Portland gauge".
Expansion
Maine Central purchased the Portland and Kennebec Railroad, which ran from Portland to Augusta and was built to standard track gauge, since it connected with the
Boston and Maine RailroadThe Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
at Portland. By 1871, the Maine Central completed its
conversionIn rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
to standard gauge to facilitate interchange of cars.
The MEC established rail service to the
Penobscot BayPenobscot Bay originates from the mouth of Maine's Penobscot River. There are many islands in this bay, and on them, some of the country's most well-known summer colonies. The bay served as portal for the one time "lumber capital of the world," namely; the city of Bangor...
in 1871 by leasing (for fifty years) the then just-completed 33 miles (53.1 km) of track built by the
Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad (B&ML). The B&ML's grade ran the length of
Waldo CountyWaldo County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 38,786. Its county seat is Belfast.Waldo County was founded on 7 February 1827 from a portion of Hancock County...
from the port town of
BelfastBelfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,668. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River on Penobscot Bay, Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County...
inland to
Burnham JunctionBurnham is a town in Waldo County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,142 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:...
, where its single track connected with the MEC's Portland to Bangor mainline. Maine Central operated the road as its "Belfast Branch" for the next 55 years, but on June 30, 1925, MEC President
Morris McDonaldMorris McDonald , was president of the Boston & Maine Railroad from 1913 to 1914. He died on May 20, 1938 in Portland, Maine.-References:...
— after repeated public denials — gave the B&ML (and the city of Belfast as its majority owner) the required six months notice that it would not renew its by then year-to-year lease when it expired on December 31, 1925. The reason eventually given was a net loss to the MEC on the Belfast Branch operations of $113,230 for the year 1924. The B&ML took over operation of its road on January 1, 1926. It continued to exchange passengers and mail with the MEC at their jointly owned station at Burnham Junction until 1960 and freight interchange traffic until 2002.
In 1882, Maine Central leased the
European and North American RailwayThe European and North American Railway is the name for three historic Canadian and American railways which were built in New Brunswick and Maine....
(E&NA) between Bangor and
VanceboroVanceboro is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after landowner William Vance. The town is located at the eastern terminus of Maine State Route 6. Vanceboro is across the St. Croix River from St. Croix, New Brunswick, Canada, to which it is connected by the Saint...
. In 1889, the
Canadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
purchased trackage rights from the Maine Central on the portion of the former E&NA from
MattawamkeagMattawamkeag is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States located where the Mattawamkeag River joins the Penobscot River. The population was 825 at the 2000 census.-Railroad history:Mattawamkeag's history is inextricably linked to the railroad....
to Vanceboro. This Maine Central trackage formed part of the CPR's
MontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
-
Saint JohnCity of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
mainline, upon completion of the International Railway of Maine. This line was an important rail route for Canadian war material heading to the port of Saint John for shipment overseas to Europe. In the months before the United States entered the war, a
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Army lieutenant attempted to blow up the railway bridge which crossed the St. Croix River at the international boundary. The lieutenant was arrested by
Washington CountyWashington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, its population was 32,856. Its county seat is Machias.Sometimes referred to as "Sunrise County" because it is the easternmost county in the United States, and it is often where the rising sun first shines on the 48...
sheriff Still Woodman, who later became chairman of Maine's Highway Department.
In 1888, the Maine Central leased the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad, which ran from Portland, through the
White MountainsThe White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
of
New HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
via
Crawford NotchCrawford Notch is the steep and narrow gorge of the Saco River in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, located almost entirely within the town of Hart's Location...
, and into
St. Johnsbury, VermontSt. Johnsbury is the shire town of Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 7,571 at the 2000 census. St. Johnsbury is located approximately northwest of the Connecticut River and south of the Canadian border.St...
, where it connected with the Southeastern Railway (owned by the
Canadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
). Maine Central also operated a line southeast from Bangor along the coast through Machias to
CalaisCalais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The city has three United States border crossings or also known as a Port of entry with the busiest being on the St. Croix River bordering St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada...
, with branches to Bucksport,
Bar HarborBar Harbor is a town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population is 5,235. Bar Harbor is a famous summer colony in the Down East region of Maine. It is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory and Mount Desert Island...
and
EastportEastport is a small city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,640 at the 2000 census. The principal island is Moose Island, which is connected to the mainland by causeway...
. Maine Central gained stock control of the
Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes RailroadThe Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad was a narrow gauge common carrier railroad that operated approximately of gauge railroad in Franklin County, Maine.-History:Josiah L...
in 1911 and the
Bridgton and Saco River RailroadThe Bridgton and Saco River Railroad was a gauge railroad that operated in the vicinity of Bridgton and Harrison, Maine. It connected with the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad from Portland, Maine, to St...
in 1912, and operated both as narrow gauge branch lines.
The Maine Central was at its height by 1917 when it became nationalized during
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
under the
United States Railroad AdministrationThe United States Railroad Administration was the name of the nationalized railroad system of the United States between 1917 and 1920. It was possibly the largest American experiment with nationalization, and was undertaken against a background of war emergency.- Background :On April 6, 1917, the...
, having trackage which extended over 1358 miles (2,185.5 km). It ran from
VanceboroVanceboro is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after landowner William Vance. The town is located at the eastern terminus of Maine State Route 6. Vanceboro is across the St. Croix River from St. Croix, New Brunswick, Canada, to which it is connected by the Saint...
,
CalaisCalais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The city has three United States border crossings or also known as a Port of entry with the busiest being on the St. Croix River bordering St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada...
and
EastportEastport is a small city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,640 at the 2000 census. The principal island is Moose Island, which is connected to the mainland by causeway...
in the east, to Portland in the south,
St. Johnsbury, VermontSt. Johnsbury is the shire town of Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 7,571 at the 2000 census. St. Johnsbury is located approximately northwest of the Connecticut River and south of the Canadian border.St...
in the west, and to Lime Ridge,
QuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in the north. It also operated resorts and coastal steamships and ferries.
Chronology
- 1862 Merger of the Androscoggin & Kennebec
The Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad is a historic U.S. railroad which operated in Maine.The Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad Co. received a charter on March 28, 1847 and by January 1850 had built a line between Waterville, Maine and Danville, Maine . At Waterville, the A&K connected with the...
and Penobscot & KennebecThe Penobscot and Kennebec Railroad is a historic U.S. railroad which operated in Maine.The Penobscot and Kennebec Railroad Co. received a charter on April 5, 1845 and built a line between Bangor, Maine and Waterville, Maine. At Waterville, the P&K connected with the Androscoggin and Kennebec...
created a Portland gauge Maine Central Railroad mainline from Danville JunctionAuburn is a city in and the county seat of Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 23,055 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan...
to BangorBangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
.
- 1869 Maine Central leased the Foxcroft
Dover-Foxcroft is a town in Piscataquis County, Maine, United States, and the county's largest town and county seat. As of the 2000 census, the population was 4,211.-History:...
branch.
- 1870 Maine Central leased the competing standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
Portland & Kennebec Railroad from PortlandPortland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
to SkowheganSkowhegan is the county seat of Somerset County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 8,824. Every August, Skowhegan hosts the annual Skowhegan State Fair, the oldest continuous state fair in the United States...
as the "lower road" mainline and Skowhegan branch; and completed the "back road" mainline from Royal JunctionYarmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, located approximately ten to fifteen miles north of Portland. Its population was 8,349 at the 2010 census....
to Danville JunctionAuburn is a city in and the county seat of Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 23,055 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan...
.
- 1871 Maine Central leased the Belfast
Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,668. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River on Penobscot Bay, Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County...
branch, Farmington branch, and LewistonLewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
branch.
- 1882 Maine Central leased the European and North American Railway
The European and North American Railway is the name for three historic Canadian and American railways which were built in New Brunswick and Maine....
as the Eastern Division mainline from BangorBangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
to VanceboroVanceboro is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after landowner William Vance. The town is located at the eastern terminus of Maine State Route 6. Vanceboro is across the St. Croix River from St. Croix, New Brunswick, Canada, to which it is connected by the Saint...
; and gained majority stock control of Maine coastal steamboat service.
- 1883 Maine Central leased the Bucksport branch.
- 1884 Maine Central leased the Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor is a town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population is 5,235. Bar Harbor is a famous summer colony in the Down East region of Maine. It is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory and Mount Desert Island...
branch.
- 1888 Maine Central leased the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad as the Mountain Division from Portland
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
to Saint Johnsbury, Vermont.
- 1890 Maine Central leased the Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
Division.
- 1891 Maine Central leased the Rockland
Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination...
branch
- 1904 Maine Central gained majority stock control of the Calais
Calais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The city has three United States border crossings or also known as a Port of entry with the busiest being on the St. Croix River bordering St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada...
branch.
- 1907 Maine Central leased the Portland and Rumford Falls Railway as the Livermore Falls
Livermore Falls is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,227 at the 2000 census. It is included in both the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan New England City and Town Area...
branch and Rangeley branch.
- 1910 Maine Central leased the Harmony
Harmony is a town in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 954 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
branch.
- 1911 Maine Central purchased the Kineo House
Mount Kineo, situated beside Moosehead Lake in Maine, is in the northern Maine forest, which stretches north to Canada. Kineo is a peninsula, comprising 1,150 acres , which extends from the easterly shore into the lake...
and Kineo branch; formed the Portland Terminal CompanyThe Portland Terminal Company was a terminal railroad notable for its control of switching activity for the Maine Central and Boston & Maine railroads in the Maine cities of Portland, South Portland, and Westbrook.- History :...
; and gained majority stock control of the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes RailroadThe Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad was a narrow gauge common carrier railroad that operated approximately of gauge railroad in Franklin County, Maine.-History:Josiah L...
.
- 1912 Maine Central gained majority stock control of the Bridgton and Saco River Railroad
The Bridgton and Saco River Railroad was a gauge railroad that operated in the vicinity of Bridgton and Harrison, Maine. It connected with the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad from Portland, Maine, to St...
; and purchased the Samoset Hotel in RocklandRockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination...
.
Passenger operations
Among the named trains operated by the MEC prior to ending passenger service in 1960 were the
Bar Harbor Express,
Down Easter,
Flying YankeeThe Flying Yankee was a diesel-powered streamliner built in 1935 for the Maine Central Railroad and the Boston and Maine Railroad by Budd Company and with mechanical and electrical equipment from Electro-Motive Corporation...
,
GullThe Gull was an international passenger train between Boston and Halifax. Travel time was approximately 24 hours. Westbound trains left Halifax shortly after breakfast and crossed the Canada – United States border in the late evening, as eastbound trains were leaving Boston's North Station to...
,
Katahdin,
Kennebec,
Mountaineer,
Penobscot,
Pine Tree, and
Skipper. Today, the
Down Easter name is in use by Amtrak (now spelled
DowneasterThe Downeaster is a 116-mile regional passenger train service managed by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority and operated by Amtrak, connecting North Station in Boston, Massachusetts, to Portland, Maine...
), which brought interstate passenger rail service back to Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts in December, 2001.
Retraction
Following World War I, Maine Central began retracting. It sold or abandoned lines such as the narrow gauge logging systems, as well as its ferries and steamships. In the 1930s it began to change its locomotives from
steamA steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
-powered to
dieselA diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
-powered. Beginning in 1933, Maine Central entered into a "joint management" agreement with the
Boston and Maine RailroadThe Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
, with which it shared the
Portland Terminal CompanyThe Portland Terminal Company was a terminal railroad notable for its control of switching activity for the Maine Central and Boston & Maine railroads in the Maine cities of Portland, South Portland, and Westbrook.- History :...
(a switching railroad in Portland).
Faced with increased competition from cars, trucks and buses, Maine Central operated its last passenger train on September 5, 1960, and continued to reduce its freight business to reflect changing traffic.
Guilford
In 1980, the railroad was purchased by U.S. Filter Corporation and was then sold in 1981 to Guilford Transportation Industries, which later purchased the
Boston and Maine RailroadThe Boston and Maine Corporation , known as the Boston and Maine Railroad until 1964, was the dominant railroad of the northern New England region of the United States for a century...
in 1983 and the
Delaware and Hudson RailwayThe Delaware and Hudson Railway is a railroad that operates in the northeastern United States. Since 1991 it has been a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway, although CPR has assumed all operations and the D&H does not maintain any locomotives or rolling stock.It was formerly an important...
in 1984. Initially Guilford operated the system intact, although the system now permitted run-through traffic between central Maine and Boston. By the mid-1980s, Guilford began to rationalize its system and fully one-third of Maine Central's trackage was eliminated, including the "Mountain Division" from Portland to St. Johnsbury, Vermont; the "Rockland Branch" from
BrunswickBrunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
to
RocklandRockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination...
; the "Calais Branch" from Bangor to Calais; and the "Lower Road" from
AugustaAugusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
to
BrunswickBrunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
. Guilford also forced many management and salary changes, resulting in a major strike against the company in 1986. Guilford Transportation also moved the Maine Central's headquarters from Portland to North Billerica, Massachusetts in the mid-1980s.
One of the instigating factors which led to the labor strife at Guilford relates to a corporate reorganization at one of the company's former Maine Central properties. After the Calais Branch was abandoned, a small portion of trackage between Calais and
WoodlandWoodland is a census-designated place in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,044 at the 2000 census.Woodland is a part of the town of Baileyville...
remained in service to a
pulpPulp and Paper is the name of the largest United States-based trade magazine for the pulp and paper industry. See also: Paper engineering, Pulp and Paper Merit Badge...
mill. It was joined to the rest of the North American rail network through a connection with the
Canadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
at
St. Stephen, New BrunswickSt. Stephen is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, situated on the east bank of the St. Croix River at .-Climate:...
and operated through New Brunswick territory for several miles between Calais and Woodland. In order to avoid union agreements that the rest of the rail system was forced to follow, Guilford leased this operation to an obscure B&M subsidiary known as
Springfield Terminal RailwaySpringfield Terminal Railway may refer to:*Springfield Terminal Railway in northeastern Springfield, Illinois, incorporated 1908; crossed Sangamon Avenue just west of the Illinois Terminal Railroad crossing...
. Eventually, the corporate reorganization under Springfield Terminal would extend to the full extent of Guilford operations.
The former Maine Central locomotive shops in
WatervilleWaterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
continue as Guilford's main repair shops.
In the early 1990s, Guilford ended its practice of putting the full "Maine Central" name on the long hoods of MEC locomotives. Instead, the locomotives would wear the "Guilford Rail System" moniker, with small "MEC"
reporting markA reporting mark is a two-, three-, or four-letter alphabetic code used to identify owners or lessees of rolling stock and other equipment used on the North American railroad network. The marks are stenciled on each piece of equipment, along with a one-to-six-digit number, which together uniquely...
s underneath the cab windows.
On November 1, 2003, the
Morristown and Erie RailwayThe Morristown and Erie Railway is a freight short line railroad based in Morristown, New Jersey. It operates freight rail service five days a week in Morris County, New Jersey and surrounding areas...
(M&E) took over the former Maine Central "Lower Road" (main line) and Rockland Branch routes (aided by significant public funding from the state Department of Transportation). M&E is operating these state-owned lines as the
Maine Eastern RailroadMaine Eastern Railroad is a railroad that operates in coastal Maine between Brunswick and Rockland on the state-owned Rockland Branch rail line...
. Prior to M&E, the Rockland Branch had been operated by Safe Handling, and before that, the
Maine Coast RailroadThe Maine Coast Railroad was a railroad company that operated on tracks owned by the Maine Department of Transportation between 1990 and 2000.-History:...
. Several railroad preservation and promotion groups are seeking to have the state-owned Calais Branch and Mountain Division routes reactivated for use by short line or tourist rail operations.
Pan Am
In the first quarter of 2006, Guilford Transportation Industries officially changed its name to
Pan Am SystemsPan Am Systems is a privately held company that controls the following divisions: rail transport; manufacturing and energy; transportation related brands; real estate; and a now-defunct airline division. The company is headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.-History:Guilford Transportation...
, reflecting GTI's purchase of
Pan American World AirwaysPan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
in 1998. The rail division of GTI changed its name from Guilford Rail System to
Pan Am RailwaysPan Am Railways, Inc. , known as Guilford Rail System before March 2006, is a holding company that owns and operates Class II regional railroads covering northern New England from Mattawamkeag, Maine to Rotterdam Junction, New York...
(PAR). PAR began repainting locomotives in the sky-blue Pan Am colors shortly thereafter.
Mainline
Pan Am RailwaysPan Am Railways, Inc. , known as Guilford Rail System before March 2006, is a holding company that owns and operates Class II regional railroads covering northern New England from Mattawamkeag, Maine to Rotterdam Junction, New York...
' Boston and Maine Railroad comes into the state of Maine in
South BerwickSouth Berwick is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 7,220 at the 2010 census. South Berwick is home to Berwick Academy, a private, co-educational university-preparatory day school founded in 1791...
, through the town's southwest corner, continuing northeast through North Berwick,
WellsWells is a town in York County, Maine, United States. Founded in 1643, it is the third-oldest town in Maine. The population was 9,400 at the 2000 census. Wells Beach is a popular summer destination.-History:...
,
KennebunkKennebunk is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,075 people at the 2000 census. Including Kennebunkport , the population totals 14,196 people...
,
ArundelArundel is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,571 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
,
BiddefordBiddeford is a town in York County, Maine, United States. It is the largest town in the county, and is the sixth-largest in the state. It is the most southerly incorporated town in the state and the principal commercial center of York County. The population was 21,277 at the 2010 census...
,
SacoSaco is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 18,482 at the 2010 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General Dynamics Armament Systems , a subsidiary of the defense contractor General Dynamics...
,
Old Orchard BeachOld Orchard Beach is a town and census-designated place in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 8,856 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, and Scarborough before coming to Rigby Yard in
South PortlandSouth Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state. Founded in 1895, as of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of...
. Rigby was the junction point for the end-to-end MEC and B&M systems since 1922. Maine Central operated lines between Portland and Northern Maine Junction as the Portland Division and lines east of Northern Maine Junction as the Eastern Division.
- Milepost 0: Portland
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
Commercial Street Station (formerly operated by Portland Terminal CompanyThe Portland Terminal Company was a terminal railroad notable for its control of switching activity for the Maine Central and Boston & Maine railroads in the Maine cities of Portland, South Portland, and Westbrook.- History :...
)
- Milepost 1.6: Portland Union Station
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
opened 1888; razed 1961 (formerly operated by Portland Terminal Company)
- Milepost 3.0: Woodfords
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
(formerly operated by Portland Terminal Company)
- Milepost 4.1: Deering Junction
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
with Worcester, Nashua and Rochester RailroadThe Worcester, Nashua and Rochester Railroad was a railroad line that was to link the city of Worcester, Massachusetts to the city of Portland, Maine via the New Hampshire cities of Nashua and Rochester, by merging several small railroads together....
(formerly operated by Portland Terminal Company)
- Milepost 7.9: West Falmouth
Falmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 11,185 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....
- Milepost 11.0: Cumberland Center
Cumberland is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 7,211 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- Milepost 13.2: Royal Junction
Yarmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, located approximately ten to fifteen miles north of Portland. Its population was 8,349 at the 2010 census....
with the Brunswick BranchThe Brunswick Branch is a railroad line in Maine that was operated by the Maine Central Railroad. It is now part of the Pan Am Railways system....
(former "lower road" mainline)
- Milepost 21.2: Gray
Gray is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,820 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. Gray is home to regional headquarters for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and...
- Milepost 25.8: New Gloucester
New Gloucester is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, in the United States. It is home to the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, the last active Shaker Village in the U.S...
- Milepost 30.7: Danville Junction interchange with St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad
The St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad , known as St-Laurent et Atlantique Quebec in Canada, is a short line railroad operating between Portland, Maine on the Atlantic Ocean and Montreal, Quebec on the St. Lawrence River. It crosses the Canada-U.S...
(formerly Grand Trunk RailwayThe Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
}
- Milepost 32.9: Rumford Junction with Rumford Branch until 1952
- Milepost 36.2: Auburn
Auburn is a city in and the county seat of Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 23,055 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan...
- Milepost 37.0: Lewiston upper station
Lewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
- Milepost 44.5: Greene
Greene is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,076 at the 2000 census. It is included in both the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan New England City and Town Area.-History:Greene was settled in 1773...
- Milepost 47.6: Leeds Junction
Leeds is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,001 at the 2000 census. It is included in both the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan New England City and Town Area.-Geography:According to the United...
with Rumford Branch
- Milepost 51.0: Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,785 at the 2000 census. It is a popular summer resort area, with many lakeside cottages.-History:...
- Milepost 56.6: Winthrop
- Milepost 62.3: Readfield
Readfield is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,360 at the 2000 census. Readfield is home to the Kents Hill School, a preparatory school, Maranacook Community Schools, public schools for the district, a few summer camps, and the annual Readfield Heritage Days. The...
- Milepost 70.2: Belgrade
Belgrade is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,978 at the 2000 census. Belgrade's population, however, approximately doubles during the summer months as part-year residents return to seasonal camps located on the shores of Great Pond, Long Pond and Messalonskee...
- Milepost 79.2: Oakland
Oakland is a town in Kennebec County in the U.S. state of Maine. The population was 6,240 at the 2010 census. . Gateway to the Belgrade Lakes region, Oakland is 4 miles west of Waterville and approximately 18 miles north of Augusta, the state capital.-History:It was first settled about 1780 by...
junction with Kineo BranchThe Somerset Railroad was built to serve a large wooden Victorian era destination hotel on Moosehead Lake. The railway became part of the Maine Central Railroad in 1911; and a portion remains in intermittent operation by Pan Am Railways.-History:...
- Milepost 85.2/81.7: Waterville
Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
where the "lower road" mainline MP 81.7 rejoined the "back road" mainline MP 85.2. Maine Central shops were located here, and this was the junction of an 18-mile branch north to SkowheganSkowhegan is the county seat of Somerset County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 8,824. Every August, Skowhegan hosts the annual Skowhegan State Fair, the oldest continuous state fair in the United States...
.
- Milepost 84.6: West Benton
Benton is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,557 at the 2000 census. The town was named for Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton.-Geography:...
- Milepost 90.2: Clinton
- Milepost 95.5: Burnham Junction
Burnham is a town in Waldo County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,142 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:...
with Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad
- Milepost 102.5: Pittsfield junction with the 18-mile Harmony Branch north to Harmony
Harmony is a town in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 954 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
- Milepost 106.8: Detroit
Detroit is a town in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 816 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water."...
- Milepost 109.6: Newport Junction with the 30 miles (48.3 km) Foxcroft Branch north to former junction with the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad
The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad is a defunct United States railroad company, that brought rail service to Aroostook County, Maine. Brightly painted BAR box cars attracted national attention in the 1950s. First-generation diesel locomotives operated on BAR until they were museum pieces...
at Dover-FoxcroftDover-Foxcroft is a town in Piscataquis County, Maine, United States, and the county's largest town and county seat. As of the 2000 census, the population was 4,211.-History:...
- Milepost 112.2: East Newport
- Milepost 118.0: Etna
Etna is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,012 at the 2000 census.-History:Etna is named for the famed Mt. Etna in Italy. It was originally known as "Crosbytown" after its first proprietor, Gen. John Crosby of Hampden, Maine. It was incorporated as a town in 1820...
- Milepost 121.9: Carmel
Carmel is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It is located at , near the intersection of Penobscot County Road 69 and US State Highway 2 . It is part of the Bangor, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Milepost 131.3: Northern Maine Junction
Hermon is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,416 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
interchange with Montreal, Maine and Atlantic RailwayThe Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway is a Class II freight railroad operating in the U.S. states of Maine and Vermont and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec. Its Canadian subsidiary is the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Canada Company. The entire system is owned by Rail World,...
(formerly Bangor and Aroostook RailroadThe Bangor and Aroostook Railroad is a defunct United States railroad company, that brought rail service to Aroostook County, Maine. Brightly painted BAR box cars attracted national attention in the 1950s. First-generation diesel locomotives operated on BAR until they were museum pieces...
)
- Milepost 137.0: Bangor
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
junction with Bucksport BranchThe Bucksport Branch is a railroad line in Maine that was operated by the Maine Central Railroad. It is now part of the Pan Am Railways system....
and Calais BranchThe Calais Branch is a mothballed railroad line in Maine that was operated by the Maine Central Railroad.The Calais Branch is long and connects Brewer to Calais. It was constructed in 1898 and carried freight and passengers over the years. Passenger service was discontinued in 1957 and freight...
- Milepost 140.8: Veazie
Veazie is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,919 at the 2010 census. The town is named after General Samuel Veazie, an early lumber baron and railroad operator. Originally part of Bangor, Maine, it became a separate town in 1853 because Gen...
- Milepost 145.0: Orono
Orono is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It was first settled in 1774 and named in honor of Chief Joseph Orono of the Penobscot Nation. It is home to The University of Maine. The population was 10,362 at the 2010 census.- Geography :...
- Milepost 145.3: Webster
Webster Plantation is a plantation in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 82 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the plantation has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
- Milepost 149.2: Old Town
Old Town is a city in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 7,840 at the 2010 census. The city's developed area is chiefly located on a relatively large island, though its boundaries extend beyond that...
- Milepost 150.0: Milford
- Milepost 159.6: Greenbush
Greenbush is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States on the Penobscot River. The population was 1,421 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Milepost 167.4: Passadumkeag
Passadumkeag is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 441 at the 2000 census. "Passadumkeag" is a Penobscot Indian word meaning "quick water".-Geography:...
- Milepost 172.0: Enfield
Enfield is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,616 at the 2000 census. There is also a large seasonal population with many cottages located on Cold Stream Pond, a lake within the town.-History:...
junction with a 3.5 miles (5.6 km) branch to HowlandHowland is a city in Penobscot County, Maine, United States, which was settled in 1818. The city was named for John Howland, one of the passengers on the Mayflower.The population was 1,362 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
from 1891 to 1963
- Milepost 181.4: Lincoln
- Milepost 192.2: Winn
Winn is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States on the east bank of the Penobscot River. The town was named for John M. Winn, an early landholder...
- Milepost 194.7: Mattawamkeag
Mattawamkeag is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States located where the Mattawamkeag River joins the Penobscot River. The population was 825 at the 2000 census.-Railroad history:Mattawamkeag's history is inextricably linked to the railroad....
interchange with Eastern Maine RailwayEastern Maine Railway can refer to two separate railroad companies:*Eastern Maine Railway *Eastern Maine Railway , the U.S. half of the New Brunswick Southern Railway...
(formerly Canadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
)
Former extended mainline
The Maine Central mainline continued from Mattawamkeag to the Canadian border at
VanceboroVanceboro is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after landowner William Vance. The town is located at the eastern terminus of Maine State Route 6. Vanceboro is across the St. Croix River from St. Croix, New Brunswick, Canada, to which it is connected by the Saint...
. The
Canadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
shared this mainline under trackage rights agreement for their transcontinental route to
Saint John, New BrunswickCity of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
, and purchased the line from Maine Central on December 17, 1974, for $5.4 million. Maine Central retained trackage rights and subsequently operated the line as the Vanceboro Branch.
- Milepost 202.9: Kingman
Kingman is an unorganized territory in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 213 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Milepost 205.9: Drew
Drew Plantation is a plantation in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 57 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bangor, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- Milepost 212.1: Wytopitlock
Wytopitlock is an unincorporated village in Reed Plantation, Aroostook County, Maine, United States. Wytopitlock is located on the Mattawamkeag River and is served by Maine State Route 171....
- Milepost 215.3: Bancroft
Bancroft is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 61 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
- Milepost 224.6: Danforth
Danforth is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named for proprietor Thomas Danforth. The population was 629 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
- Milepost 250.7: Vanceboro
Vanceboro is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after landowner William Vance. The town is located at the eastern terminus of Maine State Route 6. Vanceboro is across the St. Croix River from St. Croix, New Brunswick, Canada, to which it is connected by the Saint...
junction with Canadian Pacific RailwayThe Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
Former Lower Road mainline
Maine Central operated parallel mainlines between Royal Junction and
WatervilleWaterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
. The northerly mainline used by PAR was known as the "back road" and the slightly shorter mainline up the
Kennebec RiverThe Kennebec River is a river that is entirely within the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine. The East and West Outlets join at Indian Pond and the river then flows southward...
was the "lower road". Maine Central mileposts east of Waterville computed mileage via the "lower road", so PAR distances from Portland to points east of Waterville are 3.5 miles (5.6 km) greater than the above mileposts. PAR operates from Royal Junction to Brunswick as the Brunswick Branch.
- Milepost 13.2: Royal Junction
Yarmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, located approximately ten to fifteen miles north of Portland. Its population was 8,349 at the 2010 census....
- Milepost 15.0: Yarmouth Junction
Yarmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, located approximately ten to fifteen miles north of Portland. Its population was 8,349 at the 2010 census....
with St. Lawrence and Atlantic RailroadThe St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad , known as St-Laurent et Atlantique Quebec in Canada, is a short line railroad operating between Portland, Maine on the Atlantic Ocean and Montreal, Quebec on the St. Lawrence River. It crosses the Canada-U.S...
(formerly Grand Trunk RailwayThe Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
}
- Milepost 20.5: Freeport
- Milepost 29.2: Brunswick
Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
junction with Rockland BranchThe Rockland Branch is a railroad from Brunswick, Maine to Rockland, Maine. A charter was granted in 1849 to build a railway from the Portland and Kennebec Railroad on the west side of the Kennebec River to Rockland. Construction through the rocky headlands of the Atlantic coast proved more...
and a 20 miles (32.2 km) branch to Lewiston lower stationLewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
- Milepost 30.3: Topsam
- Milepost 36.9: Bowdoinham
Bowdoinham is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,612 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The town is located on the west side of Merrymeeting Bay.-History:Fort Richmond was...
- Milepost 44.5: Richmond
Richmond is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,298 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area....
- Milepost 47.4: Iceboro
Iceboro is a village in the town of Richmond in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. Located at an altitude of 135 feet , the community had a post office from 1882 to 1905.-References:...
- Milepost 55.9: Gardiner
Gardiner is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,198 at the 2000 census. Popular with tourists, Gardiner is noted for its culture and old architecture.-History:...
- Milepost 60.2: Hallowell
Hallowell is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,467 at the 2000 census.-History:The city is named for Benjamin Hallowell, a Boston merchant and one of the Kennebec Proprietors, holders of land originally granted to the Plymouth Company by the British monarchy in...
- Milepost 62.3: Augusta
Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
- Milepost 73.7: Vassalboro
Vassalboro is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,047 at the 2000 Census. Vassalboro includes the villages of South Vassalboro, North Vassalboro, and East Vassalboro, home to the town library and sports field.-History:...
- Milepost 80.1: Winslow
Winslow is a town and census-designated place in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, along the Kennebec River. The population was 7,743 at the 2000 census.-History:...
- Milepost 81.7: Waterville
Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
Branch lines
The Maine Central under PAR still has several branch lines in operation.
Operational
- Brunswick Branch
The Brunswick Branch is a railroad line in Maine that was operated by the Maine Central Railroad. It is now part of the Pan Am Railways system....
- Bucksport Branch
The Bucksport Branch is a railroad line in Maine that was operated by the Maine Central Railroad. It is now part of the Pan Am Railways system....
- Kineo Branch
The Somerset Railroad was built to serve a large wooden Victorian era destination hotel on Moosehead Lake. The railway became part of the Maine Central Railroad in 1911; and a portion remains in intermittent operation by Pan Am Railways.-History:...
- Rumford Branch
The Maine Central Railroad Rumford Branch is a railroad line in Maine now operated as part of the Pan Am Railways system. The Rumford Branch leaves the mainline at Leeds Junction and continues northwest up the Androscoggin River valley, passing through Livermore Falls and terminating at Rumford...
- Calais Branch/Woodland Spur
The Calais Branch is a mothballed railroad line in Maine that was operated by the Maine Central Railroad.The Calais Branch is long and connects Brewer to Calais. It was constructed in 1898 and carried freight and passengers over the years. Passenger service was discontinued in 1957 and freight...
(small portion)
Defunct
The following MEC lines have been divested.
- Mountain Division
- Rockland Branch
The Rockland Branch is a railroad from Brunswick, Maine to Rockland, Maine. A charter was granted in 1849 to build a railway from the Portland and Kennebec Railroad on the west side of the Kennebec River to Rockland. Construction through the rocky headlands of the Atlantic coast proved more...
- Calais Branch
Predecessor lines
- The Androscoggin Railroad was chartered in 1848, and completed a Portland gauge railroad from Leeds Junction
Leeds is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,001 at the 2000 census. It is included in both the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan New England City and Town Area.-Geography:According to the United...
to West Farmington in 1859. The line was converted to standard gaugeThe standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
upon completion of a standard gauge extension south from Leeds Junction to BrunswickBrunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
in 1861 with a branch from Crowley's Junction to LewistonLewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
. A bridge across the Sandy RiverThe Sandy River is a tributary of the Kennebec River in the U.S. state of Maine.The Sandy River originates in the Sandy River Ponds at an elevation of in Sandy River Plantation. The river flows south to a confluence with Chandler Mill Stream in Maine Township E and then easterly to its...
brought the railroad to Farmington in 1870. It was leased as the Maine Central Farmington branch and Lewiston branch in 1871 and purchased in 1911.
- The Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad
The Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad is a historic U.S. railroad which operated in Maine.The Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad Co. received a charter on March 28, 1847 and by January 1850 had built a line between Waterville, Maine and Danville, Maine . At Waterville, the A&K connected with the...
was chartered in 1845; opened a Portland gauge railroad from Danville JunctionAuburn is a city in and the county seat of Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 23,055 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan...
to WatervilleWaterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
in 1849; was merged into the Maine Central in 1862; and later became the "back road" mainline.
- The Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad was chartered in 1868; opened from Belfast
Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,668. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River on Penobscot Bay, Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County...
to Burnham JunctionBurnham is a town in Waldo County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,142 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:...
in 1870; and leased as the Maine Central Belfast branch from 1871 to 1925.
- The Buckfield Branch Railroad was chartered in 1847 and opened a Portland gauge railroad from Mechanic Falls
Mechanic Falls is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,138 at the 2000 census. It is included in both the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan statistical area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area.-History:It was originally...
to BuckfieldBuckfield is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. Buckfield is included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England City and Town Area. It is a member of Maine School Administrative District 39 along with nearby Hartford and Sumner...
in 1850. It was reorganized as the Portland and Oxford Central Railroad in 1857 and extended to CantonCanton is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,121 at the 2000 census. Located beside Lake Anasagunticook, Canton is a summer recreational area.-History:...
in 1870. It was reorganized as the standard gaugeThe standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
Rumford Falls and Buckfield Railroad in 1874, extended to GilbertvilleGilbertville is a community in the town of Canton in Oxford County, Maine, about northwest of the city of Augusta....
in 1879, and leased by the Portland and Rumford Falls Railway in 1890.
- The Bucksport and Bangor Railroad was chartered in 1873 and opened from Bangor
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
to Bucksport in 1874. It was reorganized as the Eastern Maine Shoreline Railway in 1882 and leased as the Maine Central Railroad Bucksport BranchThe Bucksport Branch is a railroad line in Maine that was operated by the Maine Central Railroad. It is now part of the Pan Am Railways system....
in 1883.
- The Calais Railway was chartered in 1832, and opened 2 miles from Calais
Calais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The city has three United States border crossings or also known as a Port of entry with the busiest being on the St. Croix River bordering St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada...
to Salmon Falls in 1839 using horses until abandoned in 1841. It was reorganized as the Calais and Baring Railroad in 1849, extended from Salmon Falls to BaringBaring Plantation is a plantation in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 273 at the 2000 census. The plantation is named for Alexander Baring, 1st Baron Ashburton, the British negotiator of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty which ended the Aroostook War in...
in 1852, and merged into the Saint Croix and Penobscot Railroad in 1870.
- The Coos Valley Railroad was chartered in 1847 and completed in 1891 to connect the Upper Coos Railroad to the Maine Central Mountain Division. It was leased as the south end of the Maine Central Quebec Division and purchased in 1931 as the south end of the Beecher Falls branch.
- The Dexter and Newport Railroad was chartered in 1853, and opened from Newport to Dexter
Dexter is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,890 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bangor, Maine metropolitan statistical area...
in 1868. It was leased as the Maine Central Foxcroft branch in 1869, and the Dexter and Piscataquis Railroad was chartered in 1888 to extend the branch to Dover-FoxcroftDover-Foxcroft is a town in Piscataquis County, Maine, United States, and the county's largest town and county seat. As of the 2000 census, the population was 4,211.-History:...
in 1889.
- The Essex County Railroad was chartered in 1864 and opened from Saint Johnsbury to Lunenburg, Vermont in 1875. It was purchased by the Maine Central in 1912 as the west end of the Mountain Division.
- The European and North American Railway
The European and North American Railway is the name for three historic Canadian and American railways which were built in New Brunswick and Maine....
was chartered in 1850, and opened from BangorBangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
to VanceboroVanceboro is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after landowner William Vance. The town is located at the eastern terminus of Maine State Route 6. Vanceboro is across the St. Croix River from St. Croix, New Brunswick, Canada, to which it is connected by the Saint...
in 1871. It was leased as the Maine Central Eastern Division mainline in 1882, and purchased in 1955 for $125 per share or $3,114,500 payable in cash or bonds at the election of the E&NA shareholders.
- The Hereford Railway was chartered in 1888 to acquire the Dominion Lime Company railroad from Dudswell, Quebec
Dudswell is a municipality of 1,600 people in Le Haut-Saint-François Regional County Municipality, in Quebec, Canada....
to Lime Ridge and extend it to connect with the Upper Coos Railroad in 1889. It was leased as the north end of the Maine Central Quebec Division from 1890 to 1925.
- The Kennebec and Portland Railroad was chartered in 1836, and completed a standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
railroad from PortlandPortland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
to AugustaAugusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
in 1851. It was reorganized as the Portland and Kennebec Railroad in 1862, leased as the Maine Central "lower road" mainline in 1870, and purchased in 1874.
- The Knox and Lincoln Railroad was chartered in 1864, and opened from Rockland
Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination...
to a ferry connection at WoolwichWoolwich is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,810 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area...
in 1871. It was leased as the Maine Central Railroad Rockland BranchThe Rockland Branch is a railroad from Brunswick, Maine to Rockland, Maine. A charter was granted in 1849 to build a railway from the Portland and Kennebec Railroad on the west side of the Kennebec River to Rockland. Construction through the rocky headlands of the Atlantic coast proved more...
in 1891 and purchased in 1901.
- The Lewy's Island Railroad was chartered in 1854, opened from Baring
Baring Plantation is a plantation in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 273 at the 2000 census. The plantation is named for Alexander Baring, 1st Baron Ashburton, the British negotiator of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty which ended the Aroostook War in...
through New BrunswickNew Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
to PrincetonPrinceton is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after Princeton, Massachusetts. The population was 892 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
in 1857, and merged into the Saint Croix and Penobscot Railroad in 1870.
- The Maine Shore Line Railroad was chartered in 1881, opened from Brewer Junction
Brewer is a city in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It is part of the Bangor, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is named after its first settler, Colonel John Brewer. The population was 9,482 at the 2010 census....
to the Mount DesertMount Desert Island , in Hancock County, Maine, is the largest island off the coast of Maine. With an area of it is the 6th largest island in the contiguous United States. Though it is often claimed to be the third largest island on the eastern seaboard of the United States, it is actually second...
ferry under lease to the Maine Central in 1884, and became the Bar Harbor branch in 1888.
- The Penobscot and Kennebec Railroad
The Penobscot and Kennebec Railroad is a historic U.S. railroad which operated in Maine.The Penobscot and Kennebec Railroad Co. received a charter on April 5, 1845 and built a line between Bangor, Maine and Waterville, Maine. At Waterville, the P&K connected with the Androscoggin and Kennebec...
was chartered in 1845, completed a Portland gauge line from WatervilleWaterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
to BangorBangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
in 1855, was leased to the Androscoggin and Kennebec in 1856, and merged into Maine Central as the eastern end of the Portland Division mainline in 1862.
- The Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad was chartered in 1867, opened from Portland
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
to Lunenburg in 1875, leased as the Maine Central Mountain Division in 1888, and purchased in 1943.
- The Portland and Rumford Falls Railway was chartered by Hugh J. Chisholm
Hugh Joseph Chisholm was a Canadian industrialist who later became a citizen of the United States. He was born in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, to parents of Scottish ancestry. His early years as an entrepreneur in the news distribution business provided a foundation for his later accomplishments...
in 1890 to lease and extend the Rumford Falls and Buckfield Railroad to serve paper millA paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
s along the Androscoggin RiverThe Androscoggin River is a river in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire, in northern New England. It is long and joins the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay in Maine before its water empties into the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean. Its drainage basin is in area...
. The line was extended from Gilbertville to Rumford Falls in 1892, from Mechanic FallsMechanic Falls is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,138 at the 2000 census. It is included in both the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan statistical area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area.-History:It was originally...
to connect with the Maine Central at Rumford JunctionAuburn is a city in and the county seat of Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 23,055 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan...
in 1894, and from CantonCanton is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,121 at the 2000 census. Located beside Lake Anasagunticook, Canton is a summer recreational area.-History:...
to the Maine Central Farmington branch at Livermore FallsLivermore Falls is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,227 at the 2000 census. It is included in both the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine Metropolitan New England City and Town Area...
in 1899. The line was leased as the Maine Central Rangeley branch and Livermore Falls branch in 1907 and purchased in 1946. Portions of the line form the present Rumford Branch.
- The Rangeley Lakes and Megantic Railroad was chartered in 1909 to extend the Rangeley branch north from Oquossoc. The line was completed to Kennebago in 1912 and purchased by the Maine Central in 1914.
- The Rumford Falls and Rangeley Lakes Railroad was chartered in 1894 to extend the Portland and Rumford Falls Railway north from Rumford Falls. The line reached Oquossoc in 1902 and was leased as the north end of the Maine Central Rangeley branch from 1907 to 1936.
- The Saint Croix and Penobscot Railroad was formed by the 1870 merger of the Calais Railway and the Lewy's Island Railroad and purchased by the Washington County Railroad in 1898.
- The Sebasticook and Moosehead Railroad was chartered and opened from Pittsfield to Hartland in 1886. It was leased as the Maine Central Harmony branch in 1910, purchased in 1911, and extended to Harmony
Harmony is a town in Somerset County, Maine, United States. The population was 954 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
in 1912.
- The Somerset Railroad
The Somerset Railroad was built to serve a large wooden Victorian era destination hotel on Moosehead Lake. The railway became part of the Maine Central Railroad in 1911; and a portion remains in intermittent operation by Pan Am Railways.-History:...
was chartered in 1860, opened from OaklandOakland is a town in Kennebec County in the U.S. state of Maine. The population was 6,240 at the 2010 census. . Gateway to the Belgrade Lakes region, Oakland is 4 miles west of Waterville and approximately 18 miles north of Augusta, the state capital.-History:It was first settled about 1780 by...
to North AnsonNorth Anson is a village in the town of Anson in Somerset County, Maine, United States.-History:According to an 1886 History of Anson, Maine, "In 1845 [Anson] was divided, and North Anson incorporated out of it; but a re-union of the parts took place in 1855. North Anson has in the "Union Advocate"...
in 1875, extended to Bingham in 1890, and completed to Moosehead LakeMoosehead Lake is the largest lake in the U.S. state of Maine and the largest mountain lake in the eastern United States. Situated in the Longfellow Mountains in the Maine Highlands Region, the lake is the source of the Kennebec River. Towns that border the lake include Greenville to the south and...
in 1907. It became the Maine Central Kineo branch in 1911.
- The Somerset and Kennebec Railroad was chartered in 1848, completed from Augusta
Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
through WatervilleWaterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
to SkowheganSkowhegan is the county seat of Somerset County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 8,824. Every August, Skowhegan hosts the annual Skowhegan State Fair, the oldest continuous state fair in the United States...
in 1856, leased to the Portland and Kennebec Railroad in 1864, and leased by the Maine Central in 1870, to become the Skowhegan branch and northern end of the "lower road" mainline in 1874.
- The Upper Coos Railroad was chartered in 1883; opened from North Stratford, New Hampshire to a connection with the Hereford Railway in 1888; leased as the Maine Central Quebec Division in 1890; and purchased in 1931 as the Beecher Falls branch.
- The Washington County Railroad was chartered in 1893, purchased the Saint Croix and Penobscot Railroad, and opened in 1898 from Eastport
Eastport is a small city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,640 at the 2000 census. The principal island is Moose Island, which is connected to the mainland by causeway...
to a connection with the Maine Central Bucksport branch near EllsworthEllsworth is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Maine, United States. The 2010 Census determined it had a population of 7,741. Ellsworth was Maine's fastest growing city from 2000-2010 with a growth rate of nearly 20 percent...
. It became the Calais branch in 1911 after the Maine Central acquired majority stock control in 1904.
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