Portland, ME

[theseaandalifesaver]

I'm carless and in Portland, ME. What's there to see? What's interesting to check out?

[Rockingham Racer]

http://www.portlanddiscovery.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Unfortunately, January is not a great tourist month there. Waterfront is a possibility, and the next street up [Fore St.?] has some shops to browse. Otherwise, I'm afraid it's "hit a bar and watch TV"

[charding]

…check out the Portland Pirates, the AHL farm team for the Florida Panthers…next in town on January 15…good brand of hockey...

[markhb]

The Body Works exhibit is at the Portland Science Center though tonight. For rail fanning, maybe the new intermodal facility on West Commercial near the bridge. For railroad history, there's a commemorative plaque at the corner of India, Commercial and Thames marking the original 0.0 milepost of the Grand Trunk

Enjoy your stay!

[theseaandalifesaver]

Ha! I totally meant railfan-wise but thanks for all the recommendations regardless.

[RRFAN]

Amtrak downeaster and pan am at the rigby yard. I caught some trains there.

[Mikejf]

Go hang out at the Amtrak station, or Mercy Hospital area to see most trains. Not really much else, unless Maine Narrow Gauge is running.

[eustis22]

Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in South Portland.

[jaymac]

The museum's website shows the location as 58 Fore Street, Portland. GEarth shows that site -- confirmed on GEarth as the Narrow GaugeMuseum -- as being a bit northeast of Franklin Street -- Alternate US 1 -- in downtown and not South Portland.

[MEC407]

Rough time of year to be carless in Maine. How long will you be here?

The South Portland Bus Service does make a few stops in Portland proper and can get you to Rigby Yard in South Portland if you want to take a look. There aren't a lot of public/non-trespassing spots for viewing it, but the US Route 1 bridge next to PT Tower is a good spot and probably your best bet.

Maine Narrow Gauge was running steam this weekend. Not sure if they're doing anything during the week.

Mercy Hospital has two campuses: their original building on State Street, and their new satellite location on Fore River Parkway. It's the Fore River Parkway location that offers nice views of Downeasters coming on and off the Mountain Branch.

Not far from there is Mountain Junction (where the mainline and the Mountain Branch meet). There are some business parking lots off Saint John Street that offer views of the junction area.

Also nearby, offering decent train viewing, is the Veteran's Memorial Bridge, which is one of three bridges linking Portland and South Portland. Pan Am's Fore River bridge runs alongside it. There are benches and "bump-out" viewing areas on the Veteran's Bridge.