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  • Maine train travel - 1890s

  • Discussion relating to the pre-1983 B&M and MEC railroads. For current operations, please see the Pan Am Railways Forum.
Discussion relating to the pre-1983 B&M and MEC railroads. For current operations, please see the Pan Am Railways Forum.

Moderator: MEC407

 #1239089  by S1f3432
 
The former WN&P connection at the Portland end of the Back Cove bridge was used as a passenger connection
at one time. I recall seeing timetable references to a sleeper being routed that way prior to WW1.
 #1239090  by S1f3432
 
"I do know that in the '30s, the Grand Trunk ran through cars between Montreal and Old Orchard (on the B&M) using just such a GT-MeC-B&M routing. Old Orchard Beach was then, as it still is, a favorite summer destination for many Québécois."

The CN SIG magazine ran a story on the Maine Coast Special a couple of years ago and indeed the train ran thru to Portland Union Station, on to OOB,
then backed to Portland for servicing and then reversed the process for the westbound move. The GT/MEC connection was made at Yarmouth Jct.
The article went into detail explaining how the train backed through the connection in the southeast quadrant of the diamond as the more direct
connection in the northwest quadrant was too sharp for 80 foot passenger cars to negotiate.
 #1239131  by eastwind
 
S1f3432 wrote:The GT/MEC connection was made at Yarmouth Jct.
The article went into detail explaining how the train backed through the connection in the southeast quadrant of the diamond as the more direct
connection in the northwest quadrant was too sharp for 80 foot passenger cars to negotiate.
Very interesting.

I learn so much on these boards. Thank you all.
 #1254288  by Battis
 
I'm looking at maps, reading different sites, following lines on Google Earth, but it gets confusing.
According to an 1893 Lewiston-Auburn directory, the Lewiston & Auburn Railroad was "a part of the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada, five and a half miles long." It crossed over to Auburn and continued down to Portland. After it crossed over to Auburn, was the line called the Grand Trunk Railway all the way to Portland?
Was the line that came into Lewiston that became the Lewiston & Auburn Railroad for 5 1/2 miles also called the Grand Trunk Railway?
Lewiston Junction and Danville Junction appear to be part of Auburn...correct?
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 #1254643  by S1f3432
 
The Lewiston and Auburn Railroad was built from Lewiston and Auburn west to a junction with the
Grand Trunk Ry at Lewiston Jct., roughly a mile and a half west of Danville Jct. to provide an
alternative to the Maine Central RR. Upon completion of construction it was leased to the
Grand Trunk for operation. The Norway and Paris RR was similarly leased to the GTR after construction
was completed. This was a common scenario when a community wanted rail service but could not
induce the connecting railroad to build a branch line.
 #1254663  by Battis
 
Now it makes sense. I was looking for the Lewiston & Auburn/GTRR station up where the MCRR depot is, not at Beech/Lincoln St. So, the Lewiston & Auburn RR left Beech/Lincoln St., crossed the river, and ran to Lewiston Junction. From there, the GTRR ran down to Portland (it's the easterly set of tracks, the other tracks belonging to the MCRR, right?)
There were no tracks to the east of the Lewiston & Auburn Station...right?
Thanks.
 #1255655  by jbvb
 
The GT line from Danville Jct. to Yarmouth is east of the MEC's "Back Road" through Gray to Lewiston. At Yarmouth, the GT turns SW and follows the shore.