New Brunswick Southern Railway
Encyclopedia
The New Brunswick Southern Railway and Eastern Maine Railway form a 189-mile railway system operating a former Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR) mainline between Saint John
, New Brunswick
and Brownville Junction, Maine
.
NBSR's corporate trackage consists of all former CP trackage in the province of New Brunswick, including the 84 mile mainline from Saint John to the International Boundary at St. Croix, several miles west of the village of McAdam
, as well as a 31-mile branch between McAdam and St. Stephen
. This latter branch connects to an isolated section of former Maine Central Railroad
(MEC), now operated by Pan Am Railways
(PAR), at Calais, Maine
. NBSR also operates a 3-mile spur in Saint John to serve the port on the lower West Side of that city. NBSR crosses the St. John River in Saint John using its Reversing Falls Railway Bridge
and makes a connection with Canadian National Railway
(CN) at Island Yard in the city's east end.
EMR's corporate trackage is a continuation of the NBSR mainline at the International Boundary in Vanceboro
, immediately across the St. Croix River
from the hamlet of St. Croix. From Vanceboro, EMR's trackage runs 105 miles west to Brownville Junction with a connection along the way to Pan Am Railways (PAR) and southern New England at Mattawamkeag
. EMR connects with the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway
(MMA) at Brownville Junction, which operates part of the north-south former Bangor and Aroostook Railroad
trackage in Maine, as well as the continuation of the CPR mainline from Brownville west to Montreal
.
EMR is a non-operating subsidiary of NBSR and was created as a holding company to own the trackage in the state of Maine, whereas NBSR locomotives, railway cars and track equipment operate over the entire system in both Canada and the United States. NBSR and EMR are themselves subsidiaries of industrial conglomerate J.D. Irving Limited of Saint John. The companies were established in 1994 and began operations between Saint John and Brownville Junction during the first week of January 1995 following the December 31, 1994 abandonment by CPR of its lines east of Farnham, Quebec
.
The system's trackage between Saint John and Mattawamkeag was built as the European and North American Railway
, with the portion in New Brunswick operated by the New Brunswick Railway
(later purchased by CPR) and the portion between Vanceboro and Mattawamkeag operated by MEC, over which CPR obtained trackage rights; this section was sold to CPR in 1974. EMR's trackage west of Mattawamkeag to Brownville Junction was built as part of the International Railway of Maine, opening in 1889 and making CPR a transcontinental railway system.
In 2002, NBSR entered into a 10 year agreement with CN to operate the latter's Island Yard facility in the east end of Saint John in exchange for directing rail traffic onto CN destined for central and western Canada that originated with the Irving Group of Companies
in the Saint John area; this was in response to the bankruptcy of Canadian American Railroad
and the possibility of the direct link from Saint John to Montreal being severed.
to operate 233 miles of state-owned track in Aroostook County
between Millinocket
and Madawaska
that had formerly been owned and operated by the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway
and before that, the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad
. Transfer of operations to a new subsidiary Maine Northern Railway took place in July 2011.
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...
(CPR) mainline between Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and Brownville Junction, 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...
.
NBSR's corporate trackage consists of all former CP trackage in the province of New Brunswick, including the 84 mile mainline from Saint John to the International Boundary at St. Croix, several miles west of the village of McAdam
McAdam, New Brunswick
McAdam is a village located in the southwestern corner of York County, New Brunswick, Canada. The village covers and has a population of 1,404 as of 2006.The area was first settled in the mid-to-late 19th century as a group of small lumber camps...
, as well as a 31-mile branch between McAdam and St. Stephen
St. Stephen, New Brunswick
St. Stephen is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, situated on the east bank of the St. Croix River at .-Climate:...
. This latter branch connects to an isolated section of former 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...
(MEC), now operated by Pan Am Railways
Pan Am Railways
Pan Am Railways, Inc. , known as Guilford Rail System before March 2006, is a holding company that owns and operates Class II regional railroads covering northern New England from Mattawamkeag, Maine to Rotterdam Junction, New York...
(PAR), at Calais, Maine
Calais, Maine
Calais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The city has three United States border crossings or also known as a Port of entry with the busiest being on the St. Croix River bordering St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada...
. NBSR also operates a 3-mile spur in Saint John to serve the port on the lower West Side of that city. NBSR crosses the St. John River in Saint John using its Reversing Falls Railway Bridge
Reversing Falls Railway Bridge
The Reversing Falls Railway Bridge is the name given to two different steel truss bridges crossing the Saint John River at the same location in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada....
and makes a connection with Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(CN) at Island Yard in the city's east end.
EMR's corporate trackage is a continuation of the NBSR mainline at the International Boundary in Vanceboro
Vanceboro, Maine
Vanceboro is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after landowner William Vance. The town is located at the eastern terminus of Maine State Route 6. Vanceboro is across the St. Croix River from St. Croix, New Brunswick, Canada, to which it is connected by the Saint...
, immediately across the St. Croix River
St. Croix River (Maine-New Brunswick)
The St. Croix River is a river in northeastern North America, in length, that forms part of the Canada – United States border between Maine and New Brunswick . The river rises in the Chiputneticook Lakes and flows south and southeast, between Calais and St. Stephen...
from the hamlet of St. Croix. From Vanceboro, EMR's trackage runs 105 miles west to Brownville Junction with a connection along the way to Pan Am Railways (PAR) and southern New England at Mattawamkeag
Mattawamkeag, Maine
Mattawamkeag is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States located where the Mattawamkeag River joins the Penobscot River. The population was 825 at the 2000 census.-Railroad history:Mattawamkeag's history is inextricably linked to the railroad....
. EMR connects with the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway
Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway
The Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway is a Class II freight railroad operating in the U.S. states of Maine and Vermont and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec. Its Canadian subsidiary is the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Canada Company. The entire system is owned by Rail World,...
(MMA) at Brownville Junction, which operates part of the north-south former Bangor and Aroostook Railroad
Bangor and Aroostook Railroad
The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad is a defunct United States railroad company, that brought rail service to Aroostook County, Maine. Brightly painted BAR box cars attracted national attention in the 1950s. First-generation diesel locomotives operated on BAR until they were museum pieces...
trackage in Maine, as well as the continuation of the CPR mainline from Brownville west to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
EMR is a non-operating subsidiary of NBSR and was created as a holding company to own the trackage in the state of Maine, whereas NBSR locomotives, railway cars and track equipment operate over the entire system in both Canada and the United States. NBSR and EMR are themselves subsidiaries of industrial conglomerate J.D. Irving Limited of Saint John. The companies were established in 1994 and began operations between Saint John and Brownville Junction during the first week of January 1995 following the December 31, 1994 abandonment by CPR of its lines east of Farnham, Quebec
Farnham, Quebec
Farnham is a town located in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is part of the Brome-Missisquoi regional county municipality, in the administrative region of Montérégie. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 7,809, making it the second most populated community in the RCM.- History :The...
.
The system's trackage between Saint John and Mattawamkeag was built as the European and North American Railway
European and North American Railway
The European and North American Railway is the name for three historic Canadian and American railways which were built in New Brunswick and Maine....
, with the portion in New Brunswick operated by the New Brunswick Railway
New Brunswick Railway
The New Brunswick Railway was a historic Canadian railway operating in western New Brunswick. Its headquarters were in Woodstock.The original NBR lines were built to the narrow gauge of...
(later purchased by CPR) and the portion between Vanceboro and Mattawamkeag operated by MEC, over which CPR obtained trackage rights; this section was sold to CPR in 1974. EMR's trackage west of Mattawamkeag to Brownville Junction was built as part of the International Railway of Maine, opening in 1889 and making CPR a transcontinental railway system.
In 2002, NBSR entered into a 10 year agreement with CN to operate the latter's Island Yard facility in the east end of Saint John in exchange for directing rail traffic onto CN destined for central and western Canada that originated with the Irving Group of Companies
Irving Group of Companies
The Irving Group of Companies is an informal name given to those companies owned and controlled by the descendants of Canadian industrialist K.C. Irving, namely his children J.K., Arthur, and Jack and their respective children.-Ownership structure:...
in the Saint John area; this was in response to the bankruptcy of Canadian American Railroad
Canadian American Railroad
The Canadian American Railroad was a railroad that operated between Brownville Junction, Maine and Lennoxville, Quebec between 1994 and 2002...
and the possibility of the direct link from Saint John to Montreal being severed.
Northern Maine Railway
In April 2011, holding company J.D. Irving entered into an agreement with the state of MaineMaine
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...
to operate 233 miles of state-owned track in Aroostook County
Aroostook County, Maine
Aroostook County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, its population was 71,870. In land area, it is the largest county in the state and the largest U.S. county east of the Mississippi River. Its seat is Houlton...
between Millinocket
Millinocket, Maine
Millinocket is a former mill town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,203 at the 2000 census. Millinocket is both a forest products and recreational area.-History:...
and Madawaska
Madawaska, Maine
Madawaska is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,035 at the 2010 census. Madawaska is opposite Edmundston in Madawaska County in New Brunswick, Canada, to which it is connected by the Edmundston-Madawaska Bridge. Today many of its residents speak French; 83.4% of...
that had formerly been owned and operated by the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway
Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway
The Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway is a Class II freight railroad operating in the U.S. states of Maine and Vermont and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec. Its Canadian subsidiary is the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Canada Company. The entire system is owned by Rail World,...
and before that, the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad
Bangor and Aroostook Railroad
The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad is a defunct United States railroad company, that brought rail service to Aroostook County, Maine. Brightly painted BAR box cars attracted national attention in the 1950s. First-generation diesel locomotives operated on BAR until they were museum pieces...
. Transfer of operations to a new subsidiary Maine Northern Railway took place in July 2011.