Spur to Poland Spring Resort

I was at Range Pond State Park today and found out that their used to be a spur off the Maine Central line that went to the back of the Poland Spring Resort. Apparently the owner of the resort back then privately built the spur so he could get deliveries. it would be neat if one could take the train there from Portland or Lewiston back in the day. I was told there are remains of an unloading platform back there that is accessible and will try to get pictures next time I am there. I had never heard of this spur and thought you all would like to know about it. The former line from Rumford Junction to Canton rarely gets any coverage as you know. On a related note, I saw the Poland MEC station for the first time today. In the ten years I have been up here, I never looked for it but it is right off route 26.

Warren

The is a photo book about the Poland Spring operation in the "Images of America" series by Arcadia
Publishing which includes a few railroad photos including an 0-6-0 lettered Poland Spring RR with a
shuttle at Danville Jct. I thumbed thru a copy at Borders in So. Portland a while back. The Rumford
Branch stations at Mechanic Falls, West Minot and Canton are all still standing. Mechanic Falls was being
used as a gift shop a few years ago. West Minot has been converted into a dwelling. Most of the
right-of-way is maintained as a snowmobile/atv trail.

The station is also still standing in West Sumner.

Also there is a fill between Range Pond State park and the Poland Spring Bottling plant I spotted several years ago. This is on Poland Spring Bottlings property so is most likely posted.

Mike