Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad

I am planning to go up to Maine again sometime in early August and I will be in the Belfast area. I was wondering if the tourist train that operates out of Belfast is worth taking. Has anyone here taken this train before and is it a nice ride?

Don't know much about the current operation. A few years back they were running a Swedish 4-6-0 steam locomotive up there. What became of that?

Don't know much about the current operation. A few years back they were running a Swedish 4-6-0 steam locomotive up there. What became of that?

Steam,go their website. I know they are up & running with the 70 tonners,and I think the "Swede" was "rehabed" over the winter. Bud

The steam locomotive is alive and well and is operating out of Unity to Burnham. It was repaired this spring and test fired on June 12th and test ran on June 15th, 16th and 17th. It was ready for its first scheduled run on June 19th. It operates weekends only.
The diesel train runs out of Belfast to Waldo and is using engine 50 for power. It runs Wednesday through Sunday.
I think the trip is worthwhile, but I'm prejudice.
LF

Is the ride the full length of the line? From Belfast to Unity I guess...

Normally, the ride does not go the entire length of the line. The usual ride is from Belfast to Waldo, which is 7 miles long,one way, using one of the diesels for power and from Unity to Burnham Jct. using the steam locomotive for power. The Unity to Burnham run is 8 miles long, one way. Both trains leave at 12:30 pm and return at about 2:20 pm.

Does the B&ML run any freight at all anymore? I know they did a few years ago.

I hope I am wrong-but I dont think there are any regular freight customers. I am glad,and also pleasantly surprised,that the "NIMBYS" in Belfast are letting the railroad run,(will they "allow" steam?) and keeping most of their waterfront facility. Looked like they wanted the BML "gone" in the effort to "upscale"Belfast. (in the meantime,un and underempoyment in Maine increases,as does alcohol/drug abuse ,spousal abuse among "rural"Mainers). Last customer I can recall,was Crowe Rope.that got covereds of plastic pellets then trucked them to their off line facility(they also did this from the Rockland Branch at times).Be great if a "heavy industry" opened up somewhere along the line for the BML,and for the jobless situation in the Waldo County area. Bud

Does the BML have any freight rolling stock? I remember seeing ex BAR boxcars at Knox a few years back, along with an ex-BAR hopper and bulkhead flat at Belfast? Also IIRC the open passenger cars were once BAR bulkhead flats.

Brian

The ex BAR hopper car is a ballast car used for M/W service built by the BAR from a 2 bay hopper. The bulkhead flatcar is used in M/W service, too. There were three of these bulkhead flatcars purchased around 1993. I don't think they were ex BAR. As I recall, I think they were ex ACL cars. The other two were rebuilt into the open air cars used on the passenger trains today. The BAR cars are mechanical reefers bought about 10 years ago and are used for storage. Two of them became stations. One is in Belfast, the other is at the MOFGA site, between Unity and Thorndike. As far as freight equipment for general pool service, the B&ML owns none.
LF

I took the Belfast in 2001 and they were running a RDC but, it was a very nice trip.