Eastern Railroad Discussion > Maine Railfanning Tips

Hi Eastern Folks!

I am a west coast railfan, but my family has a house in Portland Maine. I will have access to a car and would love to chase some trains. Can anyone provide some areas with train activity? Thank you in advance! I will be here 26th-1st

Thanks!

Here's a recent thread that should get you started.  Maine has lovely scenery and great food, but train activity is limited.

Maine Info Request

The Maine 2 Footers are "bucket list" for sure

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Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

Just as info Pan Am is doing trackwork west of Portland from October 11th thru November 20th.There will be no daylight freights running and the Downeaster is only running up to Wells with bussing to Portland.

There is a big Pan Am yard in Waterville
Also Canadian Pacific trains roll thru Brownville Junction
There is a nice little museum in Oakfield, the Maine Northern Yards are just north, at the end of School St.
The Coles Transportationo museum has a Bangor & Aroostok BL2 locomotive and a few cars and caboose INSIDE!
Their collection of tractor trailers is really fascinating.

RNP47 Wrote:
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> Also Canadian Pacific trains roll thru Brownville
> Junction

No more. The CP line is Central Maine & Quebec west of Brownville and New Brunswick Southern/Eastern Maine east of there.

I notice Youtube has a bunch of well done train chases through Maine, although they do point out that traffic is rare to find. It might be worthwhile material to map out some of the locations.

If you'd like to go railfanning without the auto, check out the Downeaster. It connects Brunswick and Portland with Boston, North Station. The train is operated as a service to Portland and Brunswick, and is scheduled as such.

More info on the "two footers" are here: Maine Narrow Gauge and Railroad Co. Museum.

A bit of a drive to the west you'll find the: Conway Scenic Railroad. It operates primarily on the ex-Maine Central Mountain Division northward through Crawford Notch. Their primary station yard and round house are in N. Conway, NH.

* JB *



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/28/16 19:15 by prr4828.

If you want to go far afield, the Mount Washington Cog Railway will be operating steam for another few days.  Then, biodiesel  power only for a few more weeks, weather permitting.

It's about 80 minutes past Conway


The Cog

The WW&F narrow gauge in Alna, Maine taken this year.
Sorry about a couple bad photos.  Learned never to store my cheap camera in the cooler side pocket then go out and shoot in humid, wet weather.
 

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Three more....

 

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Three quick grabs of Conway Scenic in No. Conway, NH.

 

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Such wonderful pictures, thank you!

That three way switch is a rarity...

Rail activity ranging north from Portland is not heavy but there are some trains: Panam train POWA out of Portland usually in the night and arrives Waterville between early AM and mid afternoon. Train WAPO leaves Waterville in the middle of the night, arriving in Portland mid to late morning. There is also a pair of trains between Portland and Rumford, PORU/RUPO but timing is unprediclable. The Rumford Branch from Leeds Jct. to Rumford is all 10 MPH. There is one switcher at the Rileys mill in Jay (hard to access for photos) and a switcher at Rumford-a bit easy to view this one though. If this seems like a vague schedule, it is; Panam operations are pretty erratic! There are one or two switch jobs that leave Rigby Yard in South Portland to do the limited local cutomers on the waterfront and around Deering Jct. and Westbrook. One of these jobs will also make a run to Brunswick once or twice a week. The St. Lawrence & Atlantic has a daytime road switcher, train 513, that works Lewiston Jct. and Danville Jct., usually with a pair of SW1500s back-to-back and runs west to Mechanic Falls and South Paris in the afternoon. In the Waterville area, there is a branch freight that leaves the paper mill in Hinkley at 1100 and runs to Watervile and return, usually two four-motors. The Hinley Branch is 10 MPH. There is also a yard job at Waterville, not sure of its timing and a local freight that roams down the old Lower Road mainline to Kennebec Siding or east on the mainline to Bangor a couple times a week. This may be symbolled WA-1? Also a regular turn between Waterville and Northern Maine Jct., but not sure of a schedule if there is one. The main east of Waterville is all 10 MPH. The Central Maine & Quebec now operates the Rocxkland Branch and may be operating a cement shuttle between the Thomaston cement plant and a barge reload on the Atlantic Branch in Rockland. Their road train to Brunswick is usually once a week, sometimes on Fridays. Hope this helps-things are not busy!
George Melvin
Readfield, Mane