Bridgton Junction – Harrison railway line
| Bridgton Junction ME – Harrison ME as of 1999 |
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| Society: | most recently B&H | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Route length: | 34.2 km | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gauge : | 610 mm ( 2 foot track ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks: | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The railway junction Bridgton Harrison is a railway line in Maine ( United States ). It is 34.2 kilometers long and connects the small town of Harrison with the Portland – Lunenburg railway line . The tracks had a gauge of 610 millimeters (2 feet). The railway line has been closed since 1941.
history
The city of Bridgton was a popular destination as early as the 19th century. In winter, however, the city was difficult to reach because both the waterways and the poorly developed country road were often impassable. In the winter of 1879, the city was cut off from the outside world for several weeks, so local investors were planning a standard-gauge railway line that would connect the Portland – Lunenburg railway line of the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad and the Norway Branch Railroad . However, the construction costs were too high, so the project was abandoned.
The railroad magnate George E. Mansfield favored the construction of narrow-gauge railways. He recommended that the city build a line in the gauge of two feet (610 mm) from Bridgton to the Portland – Lunenburg railway line near Hiram on the Saco River . For this purpose, the Bridgton and Saco River Railroad was established in 1881 . Construction began soon after, and on January 29, 1883, the opening of the 25.7 kilometer route from Bridgton to Portland & Ogdensburg was celebrated. Regular operations began two days later. The junction with the main line was initially called Hiram Junction , but was renamed Bridgton Junction in 1888 .
On August 3, 1898, the profitable route was extended another 8.5 kilometers to Harrison on the northern tip of Long Lake . In Harrison, the route crossed Long Lake or its northwest tributary at its mouth over a yoke bridge .
The Maine Central Railroad bought the line on July 24, 1912 and renewed some tracks and superstructure. During this time, up to three pairs of trains, mostly mixed trains , drove on weekdays . In addition to passengers, the main transport goods on the route were wood and wood products. In the 1920s, the volume of transport decreased more and more, as the highway to Bridgton was now expanded and was passable in winter. In 1927, Maine Central planned to close the line and put it up for sale in 1930. At an auction on July 1, 1930, the newly established Bridgton and Harrison Railway bought the route and continued operations.
Only a few weeks later, on August 7, 1930, a passenger train derailed between Bridgton and Harrison. The vehicles could be recovered and repaired, but the Bridgton – Harrison section, especially the bridge over the lake, was in dire need of renovation and was therefore closed on October 30, 1930. Since the beginning of the 1920s, gasoline locomotives converted from road vehicles have been pulling the route for passenger transport. Steam trains only run when there is a lot of traffic. From 1936 a diesel railcar, which had been bought by the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad , ran. After the losses incurred on the line increased, the city of Bridgton decided to close the line, which was approved on January 17, 1941. Nevertheless, the trains ran until the end of the summer season in September 1941. After that, the tracks and most of the wagons were scrapped. The two remaining locomotives and the diesel multiple unit were handed over to the Edaville Railroad .
Route description
The connection point to the rest of the railway network was not far from the town of Hiram on the east bank of the Saco River . The narrow-gauge railway leaves the station in a northerly direction and after a few hundred meters leaves the river valley eastwards. The train runs south of Sebago Road and crosses it at Rankins Mill , the first station. From here there is the Narrow Gauge Trail , a cycling and hiking trail. The railway now runs northwards on the west bank of Barker Pond and then turns again to the northeast. The railway line crosses the outflow of the lake via a narrow bridge and serves today as a forest path. A few kilometers further on, the line reaches the eastern foothills of Hancock Pond , on whose banks the West Sebago train station was also located. The route now runs northwards and will be used again as a cycling and hiking trail.
In South Bridgton , Sandy Creek and Bridgton a part of the track has been built over. The Depot Street (Bahnhofstrasse) and the Narrow Gauge Lane (Schmalspurweg) in Bridgton still bear witness to the presence of the railway. North of Bridgton, the route leads along Long Lake and crossed the lake at its northwest corner and shortly thereafter reached the terminal station Harrison .
attachment
credentials
- ^ Mike Walker: SPV's comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America. New England & Maritime Canada. Steam Powered Publishing, Faversham 1999, ISBN 1-874745-12-9 .
literature
- Robert M. Lindsell: The Rail Lines of Northern New England. Branch Line Press, Pepperell MA 2000, ISBN 0-942147-06-5 .