Here are some views of the Enfield & Eastern starting at the new Eastport passenger terminal. On this trip, we will be following the Boston & Maine branch built in the 1860s. The original Enfield to Eastport line was built in 1832 as a means of carrying goods from the textile mills in Enfield to the ocean port in Eastport. The railroad came into being because of the unreliable water supply for the river and canal transportation. During the winter months, the canals and river were shut down due to ice, during the summer there were drought conditions. Add to that was increased competition between the canal and portage-boat owners, and the various mills that sprang up along the river, for water resources. This eventually resulted in numerous riots with numerous boats burned and people killed.
The original line flourished, and a connection was built with the Eastern Railroad in 1850. By the 1860s, the Boston & Maine was busy buying up and building various branches, and saw this line as competition to Eastport because the owner would not sell out immediately. As a result, they built this more modern line that followed the highlands and crossed over the river line at various points. In the late 1890s, when the B&M controlled pretty much all of the rail routes in New England, the original line was merged in and became the River Line.
The River Line remained a successful freight branch with some commuter stops along it. There had been some abandonment, but not a lot and most of the main portions of the branch were still active. The B&M branch remained a pretty successful branch line, and the service lasted well up into the mid-1980s with twice daily Eastport bound freights. During this time, the passenger service was operated by the B&M and then eventually the "T".
When GRS took over, the freight service was cut back to a once a month, or as needed to Eastport, and nearly all of local service was cut completely from the branch. By 1991, there were talks of abandoning all of the trackage in the Eastport area. This included both the B&M and the River Line branches even though the MBTA was running passenger train service. The locals complained, and everything ended up in court. The MBTA purchased the B&M branch to save the passenger service, and the locals formed the Enfield & Eastern to run what was left of the freight.
Immediately as soon as everything had been resolved, and barely before the ink had dried on the paperwork, the new company started marketing their services. At first the companies were skeptical that there could really be freight service again in the area, but things are changing, albeit slowly.
Since the inception of the Enfield & Eastern, about 16 years ago, a lot has changed. They now run various branches along the former Eastern Railroad, and have been given control of the Northern Main. This is a direct extension up to Bristol from the Eastport area, and as a result there is now passenger service in eastern Maine once again. There have even been talks of returning "The Gull" to Halifax, NS. The last time this ran was in the 1960s.
The Eastport passenger station is new. The orginal was built closer to the river, but due to new development in the downtown area, the tracks were sent into a cut closer to the waterfront. There is a trolley service provided by the GEPTA, and runs around the city from Radford Gardens on the opposite shore of the river.
In addition to the local train service provided by the MBTA and GEPTA, Eastport now hosts 4 Amtrak trains to and from eastern Maine. These are the service up to Bristol, and as mentioned above, may eventually continue to Halifax. During the summer months, "The Beach Comber" runs out to Willows Point. This is an additional fancy passenger train for the summer vacationers.
Here we are crossing the bridge from Eastport to Radford Jct. At Radford Jct., there is a connection with the Riverline to the left. That passes under the terminal branch in a tunnel. The main line to Enfield to the center, and the Northern Extension to the right. This is a double-wye with a diamond in the middle where the tower is located.
After driving a short distance through a wooded area, we come to the first of many towns along the route. This is Radford with its pictureseque little downtown.
Rounding the bend after Radford just before we hit the second bridge over the River Line.
Crossing the River Line...
Not shown is yet another crossing as the River Line twists and follows the banks of the Enfield River. Just outside the picture below, of the train at Cottage Hill, is a long Warren Truss over the valley. The River Line, by this point is reduced to single track, but there are two roads that parallel the line and the river, thus the reason for the long crossing.
To the left of the train show above, are two more tracks in addition to the two-track mainline here. Those other tracks are the Cottage Hill to Bowman branch, and this line connects to and crosses the mainline we are on now at Pembroke (show a bit later). This line was recently upgraded, but for the longest time the tracks had completely rusted and weeded over. This branch like many of the others, will be followed at a later date.
Here's the train crossing the River Line again. Remember - we are heading westbound, or engine first. The Buddliners serve as passenger cars and cab-control cars. These were common trains one the commuter lines during the mid-1980s through the early 1990s. There will be one more coming up soon in Pembroke with a few others to follow.
Here we are pulling into Ashburn. The bridge crosses over the highway that followed along the river as well as a barely-used Brimely to Enfield frieght branch. Yes, I know about the kink in the track here!
Asburn is a bit of a snooty town. The station is not open to the public like many of the stations along the line. The difference here, however, is that there's no commuter parking either! Cafe L'Expensif does not allow anyone except for patron parking only. This has created quite a mess since the commuter service has increased. Sadly the owners of the restaurant were a few that did not want the trains to come back along the line.
The original line flourished, and a connection was built with the Eastern Railroad in 1850. By the 1860s, the Boston & Maine was busy buying up and building various branches, and saw this line as competition to Eastport because the owner would not sell out immediately. As a result, they built this more modern line that followed the highlands and crossed over the river line at various points. In the late 1890s, when the B&M controlled pretty much all of the rail routes in New England, the original line was merged in and became the River Line.
The River Line remained a successful freight branch with some commuter stops along it. There had been some abandonment, but not a lot and most of the main portions of the branch were still active. The B&M branch remained a pretty successful branch line, and the service lasted well up into the mid-1980s with twice daily Eastport bound freights. During this time, the passenger service was operated by the B&M and then eventually the "T".
When GRS took over, the freight service was cut back to a once a month, or as needed to Eastport, and nearly all of local service was cut completely from the branch. By 1991, there were talks of abandoning all of the trackage in the Eastport area. This included both the B&M and the River Line branches even though the MBTA was running passenger train service. The locals complained, and everything ended up in court. The MBTA purchased the B&M branch to save the passenger service, and the locals formed the Enfield & Eastern to run what was left of the freight.
Immediately as soon as everything had been resolved, and barely before the ink had dried on the paperwork, the new company started marketing their services. At first the companies were skeptical that there could really be freight service again in the area, but things are changing, albeit slowly.
Since the inception of the Enfield & Eastern, about 16 years ago, a lot has changed. They now run various branches along the former Eastern Railroad, and have been given control of the Northern Main. This is a direct extension up to Bristol from the Eastport area, and as a result there is now passenger service in eastern Maine once again. There have even been talks of returning "The Gull" to Halifax, NS. The last time this ran was in the 1960s.
The Eastport passenger station is new. The orginal was built closer to the river, but due to new development in the downtown area, the tracks were sent into a cut closer to the waterfront. There is a trolley service provided by the GEPTA, and runs around the city from Radford Gardens on the opposite shore of the river.
In addition to the local train service provided by the MBTA and GEPTA, Eastport now hosts 4 Amtrak trains to and from eastern Maine. These are the service up to Bristol, and as mentioned above, may eventually continue to Halifax. During the summer months, "The Beach Comber" runs out to Willows Point. This is an additional fancy passenger train for the summer vacationers.
Here we are crossing the bridge from Eastport to Radford Jct. At Radford Jct., there is a connection with the Riverline to the left. That passes under the terminal branch in a tunnel. The main line to Enfield to the center, and the Northern Extension to the right. This is a double-wye with a diamond in the middle where the tower is located.
After driving a short distance through a wooded area, we come to the first of many towns along the route. This is Radford with its pictureseque little downtown.
Rounding the bend after Radford just before we hit the second bridge over the River Line.
Crossing the River Line...
Not shown is yet another crossing as the River Line twists and follows the banks of the Enfield River. Just outside the picture below, of the train at Cottage Hill, is a long Warren Truss over the valley. The River Line, by this point is reduced to single track, but there are two roads that parallel the line and the river, thus the reason for the long crossing.
To the left of the train show above, are two more tracks in addition to the two-track mainline here. Those other tracks are the Cottage Hill to Bowman branch, and this line connects to and crosses the mainline we are on now at Pembroke (show a bit later). This line was recently upgraded, but for the longest time the tracks had completely rusted and weeded over. This branch like many of the others, will be followed at a later date.
Here's the train crossing the River Line again. Remember - we are heading westbound, or engine first. The Buddliners serve as passenger cars and cab-control cars. These were common trains one the commuter lines during the mid-1980s through the early 1990s. There will be one more coming up soon in Pembroke with a few others to follow.
Here we are pulling into Ashburn. The bridge crosses over the highway that followed along the river as well as a barely-used Brimely to Enfield frieght branch. Yes, I know about the kink in the track here!
Asburn is a bit of a snooty town. The station is not open to the public like many of the stations along the line. The difference here, however, is that there's no commuter parking either! Cafe L'Expensif does not allow anyone except for patron parking only. This has created quite a mess since the commuter service has increased. Sadly the owners of the restaurant were a few that did not want the trains to come back along the line.
