Rockland Branch

Rockland Branch
History
Opened1849 (1849)
Brunswick–Bath opens1849
Woolwich–Rockland opensOctober 30, 1871 (1871-10-30)
Carlton Bridge opens1927
Technical
Line length56.7 mi (91.2 km)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Route map
Map

The Rockland Branch is a railway line in the United States. It runs 57 miles (92 km) from Brunswick, Maine to Rockland, Maine. It was built in stages between 1849 and 1871 by predecessors of the Maine Central Railroad. Today, the state of Maine owns the branch. The current operator is the Cumberland and Knox Railroad, which began operation in 2025.

History

A charter was granted in 1849 to build a railway from the Portland and Kennebec Railroad on the west side of the Kennebec River to Rockland. Construction through the rocky headlands of the Atlantic coast proved more expensive than anticipated. The Knox and Lincoln Railroad commenced service to Rockland in 1871 using a ferry to cross the Kennebec River between Bath and Woolwich. The Knox and Lincoln was leased by Maine Central Railroad in 1891, and became Maine Central's Rockland Branch in 1901. Maine Central purchased the Samoset destination hotel in nearby Glen Cove (a part of neighbouring Rockport) in 1912, and offered direct passenger service for summer visitors from the large eastern cities. Carlton bridge was completed in 1927 to carry the railroad and U.S. Route 1 over the Kennebec River. Maine Central sold the Samoset hotel in 1941,[2] and the last Maine Central passenger train to Rockland was on 4 April 1959.[3] The State of Maine purchased the branch in 1987 to prevent abandonment. The line has subsequently been operated by the Maine Coast Railroad, the Maine Eastern Railroad,[4] and, beginning in 2016, the Central Maine and Quebec Railway.[5] In 2019, Canadian Pacific Railway agreed to purchase the Central Maine and Quebec, thereby inheriting the operation of the Rockland Branch.[6] The acquisition was completed on June 3, 2020.[7]

In 2021 Finger Lakes Railway (FGLK) subsidiary Midcoast Railservice (MCRI) took over operations of this line.[8]

On August 16, 2024, Midcoast Railservice filed a petition to discontinue service on the line. This is due to the closure of their main customer, Dragon Cement, closed their plant on the line. According to Midcoast, the line was operating at a loss, generating only 5 cars per month.[9] The Cumberland and Knox Railroad began operations on May 31, 2025.[10]

Map of the MEC Rockland Branch in 1920.

References

  1. ^ Maine Central Railroad (October 30, 1955). "Maine Central Railroad" (PDF). p. VI. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  2. ^ Peters, Bradley L. (1976). Maine Central Railroad Company. Maine Central Railroad.
  3. ^ Johnson, Ron (1985). The Best of Maine Railroads. Portland Litho. pp. 41–42, 45–46, 48, 55, 57&61.
  4. ^ "The Maine Central Railroad Rockland Branch and The Lime Rock Railroad". sullboat.com. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
  5. ^ "Central Maine & Quebec to take over route of Maine Eastern". Trains Magazine. September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  6. ^ "Canadian Pacific to Buy Rail Company That Runs Rockland Branch". Courier Publications, LLC. November 26, 2019. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  7. ^ "Canadian Pacific completes Central Maine & Quebec Railway acquisition". Railway Gazette Group. June 4, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  8. ^ Railfan and Railroad Magazine, "From Maine Coast to Midcoast," July 2024 Issue
  9. ^ "Midcoast Railservice, Inc.-Discontinuance of Service Exemption-in Cumberland, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc Counties, ME". September 5, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  10. ^ "Cumberland & Knox runs first revenue train on Maine's Rockland Branch". FreightWaves. Trains. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockland_Branch