Maine Central Railroad Rockland Branch
Encyclopedia
The Rockland Branch is a railroad from Brunswick, Maine
to Rockland, Maine
. 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, and the last Maine Central passenger train to Rockland was on 4 April 1959. The State of Maine
purchased the branch in 1987 to prevent abandonment. The line has subsequently been operated by the Maine Coast Railroad
and the Maine Eastern Railroad
.
junction with Maine Central Lower Road and Lewiston
Branch
Milepost 8.7: Bath
with Bath Iron Works
shipyard
Milepost 9.5: Woolwich
Milepost 20: Wiscasset interchange with narrow-gauge Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway
from 1895 to 1933
Milepost 27.1: Newcastle
Milepost 28.9: Damariscotta Mills
Milepost 31.7: Nobleboro
Milepost 38.5: Waldoboro
Milepost 45.3: Warren
Milepost 52.4: Thomaston
large cement plant
Milepost 56.6: Rockland
ferry connections to Penobscot Bay
Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
to Rockland, Maine
Rockland, Maine
Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination...
. A charter was granted in 1849 to build a railway from the Portland and Kennebec Railroad on the west side of the Kennebec River
Kennebec River
The Kennebec River is a river that is entirely within the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine. The East and West Outlets join at Indian Pond and the river then flows southward...
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
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
and Woolwich
Woolwich, Maine
Woolwich is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,810 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area...
. The Knox and Lincoln was leased by Maine Central Railroad
Maine Central Railroad
The Maine Central Railroad Company was a railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. It operated a mainline between South Portland, Maine, east to the Canada-U.S...
in 1891, and became Maine Central's Rockland Branch in 1901. Maine Central purchased the Samoset destination hotel
Destination hotel
A destination hotel is a hotel whose location and amenities make the hotel itself a destination for tourists, rather than merely a convenient place to stay while traveling through or visiting the area for other reasons. Destination hotels are also called destination lodgings and sometimes...
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
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
over the Kennebec River. Maine Central sold the Samoset hotel in 1941, and the last Maine Central passenger train to Rockland was on 4 April 1959. The State of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
purchased the branch in 1987 to prevent abandonment. The line has subsequently been operated by the Maine Coast Railroad
Maine Coast Railroad
The Maine Coast Railroad was a railroad company that operated on tracks owned by the Maine Department of Transportation between 1990 and 2000.-History:...
and the Maine Eastern Railroad
Maine Eastern Railroad
Maine Eastern Railroad is a railroad that operates in coastal Maine between Brunswick and Rockland on the state-owned Rockland Branch rail line...
.
Route mileposts
Milepost 0: BrunswickBrunswick Maine Street Station
Brunswick Maine Street Station is a multi-modal, multi-use real estate development in the middle of Brunswick, Maine, located on Maine Street. It is currently under construction and when finished will consist of commercial offices, service centers, retail, restaurants, theatre and residential space...
junction with Maine Central Lower Road and Lewiston
Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
Branch
Milepost 8.7: Bath
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
with Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
shipyard
Milepost 9.5: Woolwich
Woolwich, Maine
Woolwich is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,810 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area...
Milepost 20: Wiscasset interchange with narrow-gauge Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway
Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway
The Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway is a gauge railway which operated from Wiscasset, Maine to Albion and Winslow, Maine. It was operated as a for-profit company from 1895 until 1933...
from 1895 to 1933
Milepost 27.1: Newcastle
Newcastle, Maine
Newcastle is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,748 at the 2000 census. The village of Newcastle is located in the western part of the town, on the Damariscotta River...
Milepost 28.9: Damariscotta Mills
Newcastle, Maine
Newcastle is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,748 at the 2000 census. The village of Newcastle is located in the western part of the town, on the Damariscotta River...
Milepost 31.7: Nobleboro
Nobleboro, Maine
Nobleboro, founded in 1788, is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,626 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
Milepost 38.5: Waldoboro
Waldoboro, Maine
Waldoboro is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, in the United States. The population was 4,916 at the 2000 census. Waldoboro is a picturesque fishing and resort town.-History:...
Milepost 45.3: Warren
Warren, Maine
Warren is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,794 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of East Warren, Warren and South Warren, the latter home to the Maine State Prison and minimum security Bolduc Correctional Facility....
Milepost 52.4: Thomaston
Thomaston, Maine
Thomaston, Maine is a town on the coast of Maine the United States. The name may also refer to:*Thomaston , Maine, a census-designated place comprising the center of the town*South Thomaston, Maine, an adjacent town...
large cement plant
Milepost 56.6: Rockland
Rockland Railroad Station
Rockland Railroad Station is a railway station located in Rockland, Maine. The station is on the Rockland Branch, which runs between Rockland and Brunswick. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978....
ferry connections to Penobscot Bay
Penobscot Bay
Penobscot Bay originates from the mouth of Maine's Penobscot River. There are many islands in this bay, and on them, some of the country's most well-known summer colonies. The bay served as portal for the one time "lumber capital of the world," namely; the city of Bangor...