Downeast Scenic Rail Equipment

OUR NEWEST ADDITION

The Downeast Rail Heritage Preservation Trust was presented with a rare opportunity to preserve a true piece of Maine railroading history. A Russell Snow Plow, the former Maine Central Railroad (MEC) Number 82, was donated to the Trust by CSX Transportation, saving it from being scrapped.

The plow, built for the MEC in 1952 by the Russell Snow Plow Company of Ridgway, Pennsylvania, is a single-track plow with wings and flangers. It would have been in service for many years on our line, the former Calais Branch of the Maine Central Railroad. It operated from Northern Maine Junction, plowing the 126 miles of track to Calais and back. #82 was last operated by Pan Am Railway in March 2018 on the Bucksport Branch.

Thanks to the generosity of CSX Transportation and funding from the 2024 H. Albert Webb Memorial Railroad Preservation Award,  #82’s restoration is underway. A $10,000 grant, administered by the Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts (Mass Bay RRE), allowed the Trust to move #82 by truck from Northern Maine Junction in Bangor to our yard at Washington Junction in Hancock. Restoration work has included replacing broken windows and doors and applying fresh paint, bringing the snowplow closer to its original 1952 condition.

While this progress is exciting, #82 is still undergoing repairs. Future plans include adding the lettering, and restoring the interior and mechanical controls to allow visitors to experience how these incredible machines of the 20th century operated.

Moving and restoring this plow has been a significant undertaking with substantial costs. Please help us complete the preservation of #82 for future generations. Any donation is greatly appreciated.

LENGTH:  46’ (over the couplers)

WEIGHT:  41 Tons

Locomotive Number 54 is a 600-hp diesel-electric locomotive that was built by General Electric in 1948.  It was first owned and operated by the Berlin Mills Railway (Berlin, New Hampshire) as #15.  It served the mills by switching cars around their yard for loading and unloading raw materials and products.  In 1987, the Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad (B&ML) purchased the locomotive along with a sister engine, #16. Number 15 was renumbered to #54 by the B&ML and used by the railroad for passenger excursion trains as well as the movement of freight traffic.  Number 16 was not renumbered and ended up being used as a parts source.

In 2008, the Downeast Scenic Railroad purchased #54 from the B&ML, and in 2009, the locomotive provided the “headend power” for the Downeast Scenic’s first passenger excursion train.  Today the “70 Tonner” continues its passenger train service as well as providing the power for most of our work trains.

LENGTH:  37’ (body)

WEIGHT:  70 Tons

HEIGHT:  13’ 5” (rail to cab roof)

Locomotive Number 1055 is a 1000 hp diesel-electric “S-4” that was built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in 1950. It was purchased new by Portland Terminal, a subsidiary of the Maine Central Railroad, and was used in Portland (Maine) for switching freight cars in and around the area rail yards and warehouses.

In 1981, the Conway Scenic Railroad purchased #1055 and used it to power some of their passenger excursion trains. In 2010, Conway acquired two larger locomotives and no longer needed the “S-4”, so #1055 became available for sale to the Downeast Scenic. Today, it is the primary locomotive used for most DSRX excursion trains.

A side note: In the early 1960s, a 10-year-old boy used to join his father, who was an engineer on #1055. After school and on Saturdays, he would climb aboard the locomotive to ride with dad and sometimes even took a turn at the throttle. As a grown man, his continued interest in #1055 led him to become a volunteer with the Downeast Scenic Railroad. Today, he, along with his brother, ride as brakemen on #1055. They also perform routine and annual maintenance to ensure this beautiful locomotive continues to “run like a clock.”

LENGTH: 45’ 5 3/4” feet (over the couplers)

WEIGHT: 115.5 Tons

HEIGHT: 14’ 6” rail to cab roof

Locomotive Number 53 was built in 1946 by the Davenport Locomotive Works of Davenport, Iowa. The “25 Tonner” is powered by a Detroit 671 diesel engine and utilizes a mechanical gearbox to power its drivers. This type of locomotive is known as a diesel mechanical locomotive.

#53 spent most of its early life working on the ore docks in Minnesota. As a small engine, sometimes referred to as a “Little Critter”, it easily maneuvered the docking facilities pushing loaded and empty ore cars about the docks on the Great Lakes. Locomotives such as #53 were mostly utilized by private companies that had a need to move freight cars around their facilities but did not want the expense of operating and maintaining a full-size engine.

In 2008, refurbished with new cab seating and controls, Engine #53 was donated to the Downeast Scenic by a founding board member and supporter of the Downeast Rail Heritage Foundation. Today, the locomotive serves the DSRX by moving equipment, cars, and even larger locomotives during times when our much larger mainline locomotives are out of service.

Downeast Scenic Coach #123 is an early example of all-steel construction.  It was built by Pullman Company as #663 in 1917 to be a locomotive-hauled passenger coach for the Delaware Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W).  In 1930, along with 68 other DL&W coaches, #663 was converted by the American Car and Foundry Company into a “trailer car” (non-powered, with controls) for use as part of a multiple-unit (MU) electrified set and renumbered #2315.

The first Lackawanna MU‘s, as these units became known, were put together from a combination of new motorized units (built by General Electric and Pullman) and the converted high-roof coaches as trailers.  The cars were semi-permanently attached to each other in pairs (trailer power car), with the trailer car on the western end of each pair.

On September 3, 1930, with Thomas Edison on board, #2315 and its powered car were connected to several other MU pairs. The inventor himself drove this inaugural electric train the first mile along the 13-mile trip from Montclair to Hoboken, New Jersey, using Edison Electric Company direct current (DC) propulsion.

In 1961, the MUs were renumbered by the Erie Lackawanna Railroad, and #2315 became #3315.  Later, the cars were renumbered by New Jersey Transit (NJT) with our coach becoming #4315.  During their 54-year tenure, these MU’s were run by four different railroad companies: the Lackawanna Railroad (1930–1960), the Erie Lackawanna Railroad (1960–1976), Conrail (1976–1982), and finally, NJ Transit (1983–1984). The MU’s were retired after their final runs on August 24, 1984.

In 1986, #4315 was purchased by the Mount Dora Scenic Railroad in Florida to once again be a locomotive-hauled passenger coach.  It was sold by Railmark in 2000 for use on tourist trains in Walled Lake, Michigan.

The Downeast Scenic Railroad purchased the coach from Railmark in the fall of 2009, and it was shipped by railroad flatcar to Maine.  Volunteers with the DSRX gave the coach a very thorough cleaning and new coats of paint that, with the exception of a wide center stripe, matched the original colors.  With the interior refurbished and the running gear rebuilt where needed, the coach looks very much as it did when it was built.  #4315 rolled into DSRX service in July 2010 with a new number, #123, and name, UNION RIVER. 

LENGTH:  70 1” feet (over the buffers)

WEIGHT:  55 Tons

SEATING:  80 Passengers

Coach #155 was built by the Laconia Car Company of Laconia, New Hampshire, in 1910.  This wooden passenger car was constructed as an enclosed day coach for the Maine Central Railroad (MEC).

In 1947, with the advent of more modern passenger cars, the MEC redesigned #155, turning it into a workmen’s “bunk” car.  During its years as a “bunk” car, it caught fire twice from overheated coal stoves resulting in damage to the interior of the car at both ends.

The coach was acquired by the Conway Scenic Railroad in 1978.  Conway Scenic removed all of the windows, converting #155 into an “open-air” car.  The railroad installed seats they salvaged from retired Boston, Maine, and Canadian National passenger coaches.

In 2008, the Conway Scenic donated #155 to the Downeast Scenic Railroad.  Our volunteer crew members spent two years rebuilding the interior and exterior of the coach and completely repainting it.  Today coach #155, now named McNEIL POINT, is a regular on the Downeast Scenic excursion trains.

LENGTH:  76.5 feet (over the buffers)

WEIGHT:  40 Tons

SEATING:  80 Passengers

Downeast Scenic’s wooden combination passenger and baggage car (“combine”) was built by the Delaware and Hudson Railroad (D&H) in their shops at Oneonta, New York, in 1904.  It was originally numbered 540 and carried that number until 1927 when the car was rebuilt and renumbered 546.

In 1943, the car was again renumbered, this time to #102.  During the last two decades of its existence on the D&H, it was used on the Plattsburg to Lake Placid Line in northern New York.  Retired in 1960, the car served, for a brief period of time, on the Blackmount & Haverhill R.R., a short-lived tourist line at North Haverhill, NH.

In August 1974, #102 became the first car to carry passengers on the Conway Scenic Railroad at Conway, NH.  In 2008, the DSRX obtained the “combine” along with passenger coach #155 from Conway Scenic.

Downeast Scenic volunteers have completely rebuilt the interior of #102.  The woodwork is exceptional, especially the new maple ceiling and walls!  All of the “flip-over” seats have been reupholstered, and the mahogany armrests refinished to retain their original pin-striping and seat number insignia.  The baggage portion of the car has been fitted with a large restroom, picnic table, and seating, plus guard railings that allow viewing through the sliding baggage doors.

Combine” #102 is now an integral part of our regular excursion consist.  Carrying the name GREEN LAKE, it has become a favorite for many of our passengers.

LENGTH:  76 feet (over the buffers)

WEIGHT:  60 Tons

SEATING:  38 Passengers (Passenger area), 10 passengers (Baggage area)

Our “Open Air Car” was built in 1964 by Magor for the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad (BAR) as a flat car to transport pulpwood to the paper mills of Northern Maine. It, and cars like it, were referred to as “Pulp Racks.” They were equipped with V-shaped floors, heavy-duty bulkheads at each end, plus a bulkhead in the center. In 1969 a number of these cars were rebuilt with flat floors and the center bulkheads removed. They were then used for transporting lumber. Unfortunately, the original BAR number and rebuild renumber for this car are unknown. We do know, however, that it was originally numbered within the 1100 to 1267 series and renumbered into the 400 series when rebuilt for carrying lumber. This flatcar, along with two others just like it, was purchased by the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad (BM&L). The BM&L cut the end bulkheads to 3 feet on two of the cars, rebuilt the floors with heavy plywood, and erected a framework to support canopies for shade. For seating, they were fitted with bench seats and picnic tables.

In 2008, the Downeast Scenic purchased #124 from the BM&L. The BM&L had used this car as part of their steam passenger train that was equipped with European-style couplers. Before we could operate the car, we removed those couplers and replaced them with North American-style couplers. Our volunteers then repainted the car, rebuilt the floor, and installed new canopies. Volunteer carpenters refurbished and painted the picnic tables and seating for passengers to enjoy on our excursion trips. #124 was part of the first DSRX excursion and has since become a passenger favorite.

LENGTH: 72 Feet (over the couplers)
WEIGHT: 30Tons
SEATING: 34 Passengers (Seated), 16 passengers (Standing along the railing)

Downeast Scenic #26 was built in 1964 by Magor for the former Bangor and Aroostook Railroad (BAR). It was equipped with heavy-duty bulkheads at each end, a center bulkhead, and a V-shaped floor for carrying pulpwood to the paper mills in northern Maine. In 1969, a number of these cars were rebuilt with flat floors, with the center bulkheads removed, and they were converted for use in transporting lumber. The cars were renumbered into the 400 series. This car was numbered 435 by the BAR. The wheels were equipped with roller bearings that were safer and required less maintenance than the earlier friction-bearing trucks. The Belfast & Moosehead Lake purchased the car from the BAR along with two others in the early 90’s. The other two were converted into open-air passenger cars, and this one remained a freight car.

In 2008, #26, along with another flatcar and a hopper car, was purchased by the Downeast Scenic. Car #26 is mostly used by the DSRX as a part of the work train, carrying debris cleaned from the right-of-way, new rail ties to be installed, as well as removing old ties for disposal. Materials and equipment are carried on the flat car while our volunteer workers ride behind in Caboose #2608.

LENGTH: 72 Feet (over the couplers)
WEIGHT: 30 Tons

In 1944, the American Car and Foundry (ACF) built 35 two-pocket, 50-ton hopper cars for the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad (BAR)¹. Several were modified by the Mechanical Department at the Derby Shops that allowed the bays, or pockets, to discharge out the side. This modification was made to enable the car to carry and discharge ballast along the side, as well as the center, of the roadbed.

DSRX Hopper #46 was part of a three-car purchase from the B&ML made in 2008. Today, the railroad uses the hopper primarily for maintenance-of-way work, carrying and distributing ballast.

¹ Sweetland and Horsley, “Northern New England Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment,” 1964, p25

Flatcar Number #214 was built in 1944 by Bethlehem Car Works for the Maine Central Railroad (MEC). When no longer needed by the Maine Central, it was sold to the Maine Department of Transportation (MDTT). They used the car to distribute welded rail during the rebuilding of the Rockland Branch, which was also owned by MDTT. Downeast Scenic acquired the car on permanent loan from MDTT in 2008. As of this writing, 214 is used for storing some of the original parts of the #470 Steam Locomotive. To become roadworthy, the car will undergo repairs to the braking system.

LENGTH: 72 Feet (over the couplers)
WEIGHT: 30 Tons

Caboose #2608 was built in 1926 in the Reading Railroad Shops in Philadelphia, PA. It is an all-steel example of a Northeast-style design with a center cupola. The origin of the brass porthole window in the rear of the caboose is, at this time, unclear, though a couple of old photographs show Reading Northeast-style cabooses with a porthole window.

The caboose was equipped with a coal-fired stove, sink, desk, restroom, and bunk areas. The center cupola provided good visibility for the conductor and/or brakeman to view the train in front of them.

The caboose remained on the Reading roster until 1963, when it was purchased by the Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad (B&ML) and was renumbered 28. The Downeast Scenic purchased the caboose from the B&ML in 2008, and it was transported by truck to Washington Junction Railyard. The Downeast Scenic renumbered the car to 2608, “26” being the year it was built and “08” being the year it was purchased.

Today, the caboose is used on DSRX work trains to carry crew members and maintenance-of-way workers to various locations on the line. During our Touch-a-Train special event day, the railroad provides free caboose rides to children and their parents. There is a short presentation about cabooses and the role they played in early railroading in the United States.

LENGTH: 34 Feet (over the couplers)

The Downeast Scenic Railroad Maintenance of way equipment.

Owned by New England Steam Corporation
Undergoing restoration at DSRX Railyard, Hancock, Maine

“Former Maine Central steam locomotive Number 470, a Pacific-type (4-6-2) locomotive, was built in May 1924 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in Schenectady, New York. The locomotive was built at a cost of $62,296.90 and was given serial number 65555. For 30 years, the 470 was assigned to pull Maine Central’s premier passenger trains between Boston and Bangor. These famous trains included The Gull, The Kennebec Limited, and The Bar Harbor Express.

On June 13, 1954, #470 became the last steam locomotive operated by the Maine Central Railroad when it made a highly publicized run from Portland to Bangor and returned. Following this historic journey, #470 was taken to the Maine Central’s Waterville shop, where it was completely weatherized. On June 17, 1954, she was rolled onto a supporting foundation in front of the Waterville station, ending the age of steam-powered trains on the Maine Central.

Locomotive #470 is now under the ownership of the New England Steam Corporation (NESCO), a not-for-profit organization. The locomotive has been moved to the Downeast Scenic Railyard in Hancock, Maine, and is currently undergoing a complete restoration. The merits of returning a live steam locomotive to Maine includes excitement for the newer generations who have never experienced the “iron horse” and reviving fond memories for those who do remember and miss that important era in both the American and Maine railroad history.”²

² New England Steam Corporation website