W.W.&F. Discussion Forum

WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Museum Discussion => Topic started by: Stephen Piwowarski on September 11, 2015, 05:47:41 AM

Title: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: Stephen Piwowarski on September 11, 2015, 05:47:41 AM

Too bad. It looks like the freight operation will be taken over, but if you want to ride, do it now.

http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/freight/short-lines/me-pulling-out-of-maine.html?channel=94 (http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/freight/short-lines/me-pulling-out-of-maine.html?channel=94)

Title: Re: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: James Patten on September 11, 2015, 06:05:47 AM

On the plus side, Wiscasset will finally have direct train service to Quebec!  Time to rebuild the port!

OK, maybe not direct service...

Title: Re: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: Greg Klein on September 11, 2015, 08:00:33 AM

It's sad to see those FL9s go away.  There aren't many in operation.

Title: Re: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: John Kokas on September 11, 2015, 10:03:55 AM

I will venture that the FL9's and a good portion of the pax equipment will be seen for sale in the not too distant future.  M&E really doesn't have the space, real estate, or location to use it in NJ.

Title: Re: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: Mike Fox on September 11, 2015, 10:38:39 AM

Maine Eastern is running freight until December 31st. CM&Q takes over Jan 1. Passenger season ends in October.

Title: Re: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: Ira Schreiber on September 11, 2015, 12:36:14 PM

I have reservations on the October 4th train Brunswick/Rockland.

Title: Re: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: Greg Klein on September 11, 2015, 01:42:37 PM

Quote from: Ira Schreiber on September 11, 2015, 12:36:14 PM

I have reservations on the October 4th train Brunswick/Rockland.

Good idea Ira! Anyone else want to "train pool" to Rockland?   Steve P.. (nudge, nudge) You started this!

Title: Re: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: Wayne Laepple on September 11, 2015, 02:13:40 PM

One less competitor for the tourist dollars.....

Title: Re: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: Stephen Piwowarski on September 11, 2015, 05:20:34 PM

Wayne,

That's an excellent point. Even though our operations are vastly different, I think there was probably still some carryover in terms of ridership and maybe even loss of ridership.

That being said, I think it might be a good idea to approach the maine eastern or their successor about putting up a sign of brochure rack at the former location of the Wiscasset M-E station. This way, when people come looking for the train, but find out it is no longer operating, they can grab one of our brochures and learn their is another train ride available just a couple of minutes away.

Steve

Title: Re: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: Dwight Winkley on September 11, 2015, 08:40:36 PM

The present Wiscasset "station" is a steel carboose set of the main line on a short section of track. Carboose is lettered MAINE EASTERN. Location of carboose is near Route 1, down town Wiscasset Where the Maine Central station was located at the north end of the yard.
dwight

Title: Re: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: Joe Fox on September 12, 2015, 06:21:05 AM

I tend to disagree about the competitor part of it. Ira, how are you getting back to Brunswick? Last I knew it was only one round trip per day out of Rockland.

Title: Re: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: Ira Schreiber on September 12, 2015, 08:59:55 AM

I have a round trip from/to Brunswick AND a rental car.

Title: Re: Maine Eastern is finished on the Rockland Branch in October.
Post by: Joe Fox on September 13, 2015, 06:57:53 AM

Yea, just found out they changed there schedule to be one round trip from Brunswick every day. Guess they realized no one wanted to drive to Rockland, ride to Brunswick and back, and drive south again.