Maine Central
In 1962 the MEC purchased a group of five cabooses second hand
from the Western Maryland. Here at Bangor Yard shortly after
being placed in service is number 652.
In the mid 1990s the Maine Central became home for several second
hand locomotives from Conrail and Norfolk Southern. These units
were quickly relettered by applying a white Guilford G over their
existing paint. Here an ex Conrail GP40 heads a westbound freight
between Bangor and Northern Maine Junction.
A heavy Bucksport job rates three units as it crosses the
Penobscot River at Bangor on its way to the Champion paper mill.
A Bucksport job has run around its train at Bangor after arriving
from Northern Maine Junction and prepares to back up to access
the Bangor-Brewer rail bridge visible in the upper left of this
photo. During the latter half of the 1990s a single freight has
been operated between Portland and Northern Maine Junction. This
train is then split with one half proceeding to Bucksport and the
other half to Mattawamkeag.
Two U18Bs throttle up with their Northern Maine Junction to
Mattawamkeag train.
Two MEC U18Bs handle a freight across the Penobscot River bridge
at Old Town
A slow to respond turbocharger on a diesel locomotive can result
in a spectacular display of fireworks as shown by this MEC U18B
on a Mattawamkeag bound freight.
GP7 number 470 leads a freight at Old Town during a heavy snow
storm. Number 470 although lettered here for the Boston and
Maine, is ex Maine Central 564 which was rebuilt with a low nose
and renumbered MEC 470 in 1982.
A Guilford covered hopper car is in company service hauling
locomotive traction sand.
An MEC plow waits out the summer of 1999 on a siding adjacent to
the the Bangor-Portland main line at Northern Maine Junction as a
BAR switch job works on its own main line overhead.
An ex Rock Island U25B serves as the Bangor Yard switcher in
March of 1983.
It is twilight for these MEC cabooses and the tracks on which
they rest in this early 1986 scene at Bangor Yard. In a year or
so all will be gone.