Derby – Katahdin Iron Works railway line
| Derby ME – Katahdin Iron Works ME | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Route length: | 29 km | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gauge : | 1435 mm ( standard gauge ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dual track : | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Society: | CMQR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shared use: | Brownville-Brownville Jct .: MNR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The railway Derby Katahdin Iron Works is a railway line in Maine ( United States ). It is around 29 kilometers long and connects the Old Town – Greenville railway line with the industrial area at the foot of Mount Katahdin , the highest mountain in Maine. The standard-gauge line between Brownville Junction and Katahdin Iron Works has been closed, only the 15-kilometer section from Derby (formerly Milo Junction) to Brownville Junction is now operated exclusively by the Central Maine and Quebec Railway for freight traffic. The Maine Northern Railway has had joint use rights between Brownville and Brownville Junction since 2011.
history
In 1881 there were in the north of Maine the east-west running routes of the Bangor and Piscataquis Railroad and the International Railway of Maine , which had no track connection with each other. The Bangor and Katahdin Iron Works Railway built a railway line to connect these lines, and also to connect an iron mine and smelter north of Brownville . A horse-powered mine train had existed along the entire route since 1836. The first ten kilometer stretch to Brownville was opened in December of the same year. The rest of the route followed on July 19, 1882.
From 1887 the Bangor & Piscataquis had the line under lease, which was transferred to the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad (BAR) in 1892 . On November 6, 1901, the BAR finally bought the line and added the section to Brownville to their main line. The remainder of Brownville to Katahdin Iron Works became a branch line.
Traffic between Brownville Junction and Katahdin Iron Works ended as early as 1922, and the line was then closed. The last passenger trains ran between Brownville and Brownville Junction around 1940. On the remaining section of the line there was passenger traffic until September 4, 1961, freight traffic has been carried out by the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway since 2003 , which was reorganized in 2014 under the name Central Maine and Quebec Railway .
Route description
The line branches off in Derby (formerly Milo Junction) from the Old Town – Greenville railway line and heads northwest. The line to Saint-Leonard branches off at Brownville station . The line joins the east-west main line of the MMA north of the city, which also ends here. The eastern continuation towards Mattawamkeag is operated by the Eastern Maine Railway .
The former branch to Katahdin Iron Works branched off to the northwest from the Brownville Junction station and ended after about 14 kilometers in the industrial area. This route has been completely dismantled. Non- stop traffic in Brownville Junction was impossible.
passenger traffic
After the opening of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad in the direction of Houlton , the Bangor & Katahdin section Milo Junction – Brownville was operated as part of the main line. According to the timetable of September 28, 1913, four weekday trains ran over this section. In addition, there was a pair of South Lagrange – Katahdin Iron Works passenger trains, which required two hours' travel time for the Milo Junction – Katahdin route.
According to the schedule of January 8, 1934, three trains drove over the still in service southern section of the line to Brownville, which turned off in Brownville on the Bangor & Aroostook main line and a mixed train Derby – Brownville Junction. As usual in the entire Bangor & Aroostook network, all trains only ran on working days.
The train to Brownville Junction was discontinued in 1940, the Potatoland Special ran on the main line until 1961 and the Aroostook Flyer until 1954 .
Sources and further reading
Individual evidence
- ^ Mike Walker: SPV's comprehensive Railroad Atlas of North America. New England & Maritime Canada. (2nd edition) Steam Powered Publishing, Faversham 2010, ISBN 1-874745-12-9 .
- ↑ Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States, Porto Rico, Canada, Mexico and Cuba. Issued November 1913. Bangor & Aroostook RR. Page 149.
- ↑ Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States, Porto Rico, Canada, Mexico and Cuba. Edition February 1934. Bangor & Aroostook RR, Table 1. page 62.
- ↑ BAR timetables from 1906 to 1961.
literature
- Jerry Angier, Herb Cleaves: Bangor & Aroostook . Flying Yankee Enterprises, Littleton MA 1986, ISBN 0-96155-743-5 .
- George H. Drury: The Historical Guide to North American Railroads. 2nd edition. Kalmbach Publishing Co., Waukesha, WI 2000, ISBN 0-89024-356-5
- Robert M. Lindsell: The Rail Lines of Northern New England. Branch Line Press, Pepperell MA 2000, ISBN 0-942147-06-5 .