Downeast Scenic Railroad

Not to be confused with Downeaster (train).
Downeast Scenic Railroad
LocaleMaine
TerminusCalais
Commercial operations
NameCalais Branch
Built byMaine Central Railroad
Original gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Preserved operations
Owned byTrack owned by Maine DOT
Operated byDowneast Rail Heritage Trust
Reporting markDSRX
Length4 miles (6.4 km) (2010)
13 miles (21 km) (2019)
Preserved gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Commercial history
Opened1898
Closed to passengers1957
Closed(?)
Preservation history
2005Downeast Rail Heritage Trust founded
2010Open
HeadquartersEllsworth
Website
http://www.downeastscenicrail.org/
Downeast Scenic Railroad
Legend
Downeast Sunrise Trail
To Mount Desert Ferry
Washington Junction
Ellsworth
Union River
end of active track
 Green Lake
Calais Branch to Brewer

The Downeast Scenic Railroad (reporting mark DSRX) is a heritage railway in Ellsworth, Maine which is owned and operated by the Downeast Rail Heritage Trust, which is a 501(c)3 charitable organization founded in the fall of 2005.[1][self-published source?] The railroad operates over the historic Calais Branch which was once part of the Maine Central Railroad. Operations are out of Washington Junction and runs west towards Brewer. The railroad inaugural run was Saturday, 24 July 2010, with invited guests on board. The first 4 miles (6.4 km) to Ellsworth Falls have been completed, but work continues on the line west of Ellsworth Falls from Ellsworth to Green Lake where the railroad plans to run excursion trains in the near future.

Equipment

[edit]

Locomotives

[edit]
Locomotive details[2]
Number Builder Type Build Date Status Notes
1055 Alco S-4 1950 Operational Acquired from the Conway Scenic Railroad, on April 9, 2010 and arrived at Washington Jct. on May 23, 2010. Ex-Conway Scenic and nee-Portland Terminal unit. This engine is the primary engine used to pull the excursion trains.
54 General Electric 70-ton switcher 1948 Operational Acquired from the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad. This ex-Belfast and Moosehead Lake unit was the first engine for the Downeast Scenic and is the backup unit. This engine had the honors to pull the inaugural train on July 24, 2010.
53 Davenport Locomotive Works 30-ton switcher 1949 Operational This unit was donated by R&R Contracting, and refurbished by Independent Locomotive Services of Bethel, Minnesota. This unit (which was delivered in August 2009) spent a majority of its life working the ore docks in Duluth, Minnesota. This engine is used as needed to help in switching duties around the Washington Junction railyard.
470 Alco 4-6-2 1924 Under restoration Owned by New England Steam Corporation. Purchased from the city of Waterville, ME in November 2015, 470 was the last steam engine to operate for the Maine Central Railroad on June 13, 1954.[3] 470 arrived at Washington Jct. via flat bed trucks, partially disassembled on August 10, 2016 after being removed from its display track in Waterville, ME. When restoration is complete, 470 will operate on the Downeast Scenic Railroad. The railroad hopes to have the engine back up and running again by 2024, for the engine's 100th anniversary.

Rolling stock

[edit]
Rolling stock details[2]
Number Builder Type Build Date
82 Russell Snow Plow Company Snow Plow 1952
155 Laconia Car Company Passenger Car 1910
102 Delaware and Hudson Railroad Combination Passenger / Baggage Car 1904
124 Magor Car Corporation Open Air Car 1964
26 Magor Car Corporation Flatcar 1964
214 Bethlehem Car Works Flatcar 1944
46 American Car and Foundry Hopper Car 1944
2608 Reading Company Caboose 1926

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "DRHPT Timeline —Downeast Scenic Railroad Downeast Scenic Railroad". Retrieved 2010-05-08.
  2. ^ a b "Rail Equipment". Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  3. ^ Calder, Amy (September 24, 2012). "Waterville officials hope someone can either buy or restore Old 470 steam locomotive". CentralMaine.com.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Downeast_Scenic_Railroad&oldid=1257572719"