Stone arch bridge in Mechanic Falls, ME

Thanks Mike, that's exactly what I saw too. But back in the mid 90's I recall an actual landmark type station with the existing rails right in back and a train went through, the whole place rumbled. Turned into the restaurant and they were doing well, all knotty pine inside restored. Now this was next to the main line that's there today.

Go through McFalls all the time but first time down that far on Maple St. In ages (would go as far as redemption center). Something is changed there, can't put my finger on it, but who was paying attention? Did also see the small building tucked in with the P.O. as you said, sure was a station and the right of way too. The building I recall was good size with the correct architecture of the time period for back then. Hmm, must be my first senior moment here, have to ask Wife what she recalls. See if I can find it?

May of lost my last post (no, page 2), maybe I'm thinking of the old GTR freight terminal? But the restaurant shows at the P.O. location? Out of business but still has Internet ties. Was the Rail Station Restaurant, not familiar at all.

Well anyhow walked the below truss yesterday, St. L&A these days. The part with the spur needs upkeep, the main line side is good. Railing a bit rickety and is much better on the stone arch bridge at other end of town. Tried to show 1873 rails but map went blank. The line to Poland didn't exist but shows a spur headed over arch stone bridge. Main is similar to today with additional sidings but not on rail bridge. No wonder I'm confused.

Now how can the original 1873 map show nothing but we know the Poland line was there later but no indication of rails crossing or original switch from main going over arch bridge? The more I learn the less I know. Later......

Think I found it, Grand Trunk Station @ 63 Elm St., such a thing? Said it's been demolished but looks more what I recall. No, wrong location, found more pictures but have to down the pixels.

Won't let me reedit but from the post above. The address is correct for the restaurant however, it's on the other side of the street across from the P.O. This was the Grand Trunk freight station not the passenger station up on Elm St. Exactly as I recall it with the active main line 10 ft. away. Simply couldn't recall the exact locale, right in front of me. In beautiful condition, red building but closed. See if I can find photo, have no place for a camera on a trail bike, need some type of carrier. Also has a big empty parking lot, can't miss it on Birdseye. Sits back from the road around the corner by the tracks.

Seems to be in edit mode now but have this already written. Also under Auburn and Lewiston Questions here is a brief explanation of the intersecting MEC and GT lines as a diamond track crossover. Saw a google overview drawing on this also but couldn't download.

Photo test, existing truss bridge work/retainer wall over Little Androscoggin @ McFalls (bottom). Two upper photos are the Grand Trunk Station on Elm St. Think it was there 'till '45 or something.

One more, in town which is almost the same today (thought it was 1959 LMAO). Can't down size enough the station survivor right next to the Elm St. crossing which is the end addition of the station still there (red house now) right next to the rails.

Hope it's understood my posts are as I go along, exploring and figuring things out as I find what's out there, completely clueless LoL....

If I recall, what is left of the station at Elm street is where the original also was, in one of your pictures. That was the GT station, and the one next to the Post office was the MEC station. The restaurant you are thinking of is at the intersection of Maple and Summer Streets, track side. It has changed hands so I am not sure if it is even a restaurant any more, as I don't frequent the town like I used to, at least not that side. The Building did have something to do with the railroad, possibly the GT, but was never owned by the railroad, if I recall correctly.

I'm not sure either, thought I saw someplace it belonged to GT and was their freight depot. Must of had a loading dock being so close to the main and the architecture looks the part. Think I spotted it on the registry of stations still in existence for ME.

But 20-25 years ago I just thought that was "the" old station, period for M.F. I'm glad it's still there anyways and never knew at all about the MEC station, may of saw it but wasn't looking for railroad stuff at the time.

Meant to mention on the overlay of trackage @ McFalls (just wouldn't down load). Could be misconstrued as the MEC line and a switched radius from GT both ran to West Minot side by side. This couldn't be the case as even though the arched bridge as headed up North St. Is immense it's very narrow. Only room for a single set of rails and pedestrian traffic. Noticed that when I hiked over and explored it. Lines must of merged before crossing IMHO.

Found this, only shows MEC through that neck of the woods.

The GT station in Mechanic Falls on Elm St. was closed and torn down in 1968. The adjacent express building between the
station and the street was retained and use by the signal dept. for a while. it remains to this day privately owned. At the
diamond with the Maine Central Rangeley Branch the was once an octagonal interlocking tower which had been converted
to an automatic interlocking by the early 50's. A connecting track was in the SE quadrant.

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 0#p1144215" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://docs.unh.edu/nhtopos/Poland.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thank you, takes much of the guess work and speculation away. Nice photo of the building, has large addition on the back today. Doesn't seem to be there in photo yet but building is red.

Reedit here needed, believe I was looking at main roads and interpreting them as rail beds, many ran close of coarse. Back to the maps.

Hold on a second, I'm sorry, thought above photo was the now red freight depot further down the tracks. The photo showing is what's left of the GT main station closest to the Elm St. crossing. What threw me off and had to think on was the siding (on rt.) which now is a pile of rubble. It still spans the bridge but is shorter and seldom used by the looks of the rusty rails. That station section is a residence today and they have 2 big German Shepards penned up. Almost like the druggie part of town, the area is in a state of decay.

Finally, here it is. The old GT freight depot @ Mechanic Falls. Took a bunch of photos but am having to crop them. Please excuse thumb in top photo, took these on my iPod no less. The photos were taken from Summer St. Is it, the loading dock is long gone and may have had a canopy, just couldn't locate any photos of the place. Tracks are headed into town.

A summertime photo of the stone arch bridge. It's on left and can see small section of railing, lousy photo. Will have to hike over there again as it's immense and take a bunch of pictures. Middle picture is better photo of the depot at the Summer St. crossing and the opposite end of the depot is top photo, entrances look similar with foyers.

Also noted today a oblong cement pedestal adjacent to the tracks which would further indicate a loading dock was there, as one of the footings? No studs or cut off wires as other cement blocks through there.

Here's 3 photos of the MEC station in Mechanic Falls. Bottom photo shows partially the right of way behind the station, no didn't die (yet) and walked into the light (iPod phenonomon). The photo with the dumpster is trackside, what the train from Poland would of seen (minus the dumpster) and the top photo showing the front entrance at Depot Square.

The station today is a tatoo palor and deteriorating at a steady rate. Not a large station either but apparently one wasn't needed there. It's a shame, nobody there cares about the historical significance of the entire area and the right of way behind is a private dirt road maybe a city block or so in length.

Excellent Rich. Thanks for sharing.

Your welcome Mike. 3 more and I think the glare problem is due to the iPod doesn't have an aperture and to snap photos I have to reverse and use the entire screen and guess when to snap it. Now the bottom 2 are the South St. Bridge (Rt. 11) and this is original to the GT I'd imagine (first must of been wood truss, mean retainers). Note the huge granite blocks and how narrow the road is. The superstructure is more recent and has that timber/coal tar, creosote smell even from a distance. Have walked both (this and river truss), pretty safe.

The top view (leading into this) is looking up river before town and if you look closely can see the old bridge piling in the middle of the river (taken from Rt. 11 crossing). Have some close ups of this, must of been a wooden bridge as the only thing left is the pier and footings, no steel girders.