Aroostook Valley Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Aroostook Valley Railroad was a railroad that operated between Presque Isle
and Caribou, Maine
from the early 1900s to 1996.
, and the Maine Railroad Commission granted it approval to operate on 1 July of the same year. Its survey of the planned route was approved the next year, but not until 20 June 1910 was construction completed and the safety certificate approved. The AVR's official opening was on 1 July 1910; at the time it operated 10.8 miles (17.4 km) of track between Presque Isle and Washburn, Maine
. In 1911, 11.3 miles (18.2 km) of track was added, extending the line's terminus to New Sweden
and in 1912 track was extended to Caribou, a further 7.13 miles (11.5 km). The line was electrified for the early part of the railroad's history.
Originally, the railroad was intended to be extended to Lac-Frontière, Quebec
, but after the World Wars this plan was dropped.
In 1932, the Canadian Pacific Railway
acquired a controlling interest in the railroad by buying Gould's share of the company for a price of $225 a share.
In July 1945, the electrification was ended, and the AVR bought two GE 44-ton switcher
s; a third was later added in 1949. On 7 August 1945, passenger service on the line was ended.
During the 1970s, the railroad's potato traffic, its major revenue source, dropped, due to Interstate 95
's extension to Houlton, Maine
, as well as bad crops during this time and the Penn Central Railroad's unreliability in handling potatoes shipped by rail in southern New England.
In 1987, a flood destroyed two Canadian Pacific bridges, causing the AVR to lose its connection with the CP at Washburn. By 1989, the AVR was reduced to operating only 10 miles (16.1 km) of trackage, and the railroad ended operations in 1996.
Presque Isle, Maine
Presque Isle is the commercial center and largest city in the sparsely populated Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,692 at the 2010 census...
and Caribou, Maine
Caribou, Maine
Caribou is the second largest city in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. Its population was 8,189 at the 2010 census.-History:Between 1838 and 1839, the undeclared Aroostook War flared between the United States and Canada, and the Battle of Caribou occurred in December 1838...
from the early 1900s to 1996.
History
The railroad was founded in 1902 by Arthur R. GouldArthur R. Gould
Arthur Robinson Gould was a United States Senator from Maine.Born in Corinth, Maine, he attended the common schools and East Corinth Academy. He moved first to Bangor, Maine, where he opened a candy factory and met and married his wife, and then to Presque Isle, Maine, in 1887...
, and the Maine Railroad Commission granted it approval to operate on 1 July of the same year. Its survey of the planned route was approved the next year, but not until 20 June 1910 was construction completed and the safety certificate approved. The AVR's official opening was on 1 July 1910; at the time it operated 10.8 miles (17.4 km) of track between Presque Isle and Washburn, Maine
Washburn, Maine
Washburn is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. It was incorporated on February 25, 1861, and named after Israel Washburn, the governor of Maine at the time...
. In 1911, 11.3 miles (18.2 km) of track was added, extending the line's terminus to New Sweden
New Sweden, Maine
New Sweden is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 621 at the 2000 census.-History:Starting in 1870, a Swedish-immigrant colony was established by the State of Maine in Aroostook County. The State of Maine had appointed William W...
and in 1912 track was extended to Caribou, a further 7.13 miles (11.5 km). The line was electrified for the early part of the railroad's history.
Originally, the railroad was intended to be extended to Lac-Frontière, Quebec
Lac-Frontière, Quebec
Lac-Frontière is a tiny village of 150 people in the Montmagny Regional County Municipality within the Chaudière-Appalaches region of Quebec. It is located at the border with the United States....
, but after the World Wars this plan was dropped.
In 1932, the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
acquired a controlling interest in the railroad by buying Gould's share of the company for a price of $225 a share.
In July 1945, the electrification was ended, and the AVR bought two GE 44-ton switcher
GE 44-ton switcher
The GE 44-ton switcher is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Electric between 1940 and 1956. It was designed for industrial and light switching duties, often replacing steam locomotives that had previously been assigned these chores...
s; a third was later added in 1949. On 7 August 1945, passenger service on the line was ended.
During the 1970s, the railroad's potato traffic, its major revenue source, dropped, due to Interstate 95
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
's extension to Houlton, Maine
Houlton, Maine
Houlton is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, on the United States – Canada border, located at . As of the 2010 census, the town population was 6,123. It is perhaps best known as being at the northern terminus of Interstate 95 and for being the birthplace of Samantha Smith...
, as well as bad crops during this time and the Penn Central Railroad's unreliability in handling potatoes shipped by rail in southern New England.
In 1987, a flood destroyed two Canadian Pacific bridges, causing the AVR to lose its connection with the CP at Washburn. By 1989, the AVR was reduced to operating only 10 miles (16.1 km) of trackage, and the railroad ended operations in 1996.