• B&M and Maine Central passenger shared passenger trains?

  • 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

  by edbear
 
What do you mean by shared passenger trains? The Flying Yankee was owned outright by the B & M even though it had both B & M and MEC on its flanks when first introduced. Both roads ordered a matching set of Pullman-Standard lightweight cars, 8 coaches, 2 combines, 2 restaurant-lounges, for each road. They both had fleets of E-7 diesels with matching paint schemes and B & M had one E-8, too. For years passenger trains ran through from Boston to Bangor, Maine and Vanceboro, Maine. Starting, probably in 1930s with steam, engines ran through from between Boston and Bangor. Equipment of both roads was used. Another through run between the two roads was the Mountaineer, Boston to Littleton-Bethlehem, NH via the Conway Branch and Crawford Notch. Equipment appears to be entirely B & M. Crews were changed at Intervale, NH. The last few years a Budd RDC set covered the Mountaineer schedule. The Mountaineer began about 1940 or so and was covered by the Flying Yankee streamliner, later a diesel with a hodge-podge of equipment and finally the RDCs.
  by jbvb
 
To Ed's summary, I'd add the B&M/MEC/CPR/CN 'Gull' between Boston and Saint John, with through sleepers to Halifax, and the through coaches and sleepers operated between Boston and points on the Bangor & Aroostook. There's more detail on B&M/MEC joint services and other New England inter-line passenger trains here:

http://www.faracresfarm.com/jbvb/rr/run_thru.html
  by Rockingham Racer
 
Ah, yes, the Gull. Used to see it pass over W. Wyoming in Melrose occasionally. It's route sounded epic, but as I remember, its consist was not.
Last edited by MEC407 on Mon Feb 17, 2020 10:55 am, edited 1 time in total. Reason: unnecessary quoting
  by gokeefe
 
The heavyweight Flying Yankee appears to have had a shared pool of passenger equipment including a Maine Central and a B&M heavyweight "four poster" observation car one for each trainset.

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