Maine Coast Railroad

The Maine Coast Railroad was a railroad company that operated on tracks owned by the Maine Department of Transportation between 1990 and 2000.

Maine Coast Railroad
Overview
HeadquartersWiscasset, ME
Reporting markMC
LocaleMaine
Dates of operation1990–2000
PredecessorMaine Central Railroad
SuccessorSafe Handling
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

History

The company started operations in 1990 after a contract was awarded to the Massachusetts Central Railroad (MCER) to operate the Rockland Branch between Brunswick and Rockland, Maine.[1] The MCER chose to create a new railroad to operate the line, named the Maine Coast.[1] During its first year, the railroad handled little traffic, but in 1991 a large cement producer on the line began shipping its product via rail.[1] As a result of this increase in traffic, the Maine Coast acquired additional locomotives.[1] In 1994, using funding from the Maine Department of Transportation, trackage in Rockland was rebuilt to allow freight to be transferred from the railroad to barges.[1] The railroad closed on December 4, 2000 after losing their lease to the tracks.[2] The lines formerly operated by Maine Coast Railroad was later operated by Maine Eastern Railroad between 2004 & 2015.[1]

Traffic

It offered both freight service and passenger service.[3] The passenger trains operated between Wiscasset and Warren, Maine.

Freight traffic largely consisted of cement products outbound from and coal inbound to Dragon Cement and Concrete in Thomaston.[1] There was also limited perlite and plastic products that moved along the line.[1]

Motive Power

The Maine Coast operated with a small roster of Alco and Montreal Locomotive Works locomotives, including a former Maine Central S-1 (No. 958); a former Norfolk & Western and Central Vermont RS-11 (No. 367); and two Providence and Worcester M420s (Nos. 2002 and 2004).

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References
  1. Confalone, Mike & Posik, Joe (2005). Rail Across New England, Volume I. Goffstown, New Hampshire: Railroad Explorer. p. 38. ISBN 0-9725320-1-3.
  2. Gibbs, Paula (2000-10-12). "Maine Coast Railroad Going Out Of Business". Boothbay Register. Archived from the original on 2006-11-12. Retrieved 2007-12-04.
  3. "History of Railroads in Maine". Retrieved 2007-12-04.


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