Quick facts for kids Downeast Scenic Railroad |
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| Locale |
Maine |
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| Terminus |
Calais |
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| Commercial operations |
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| Name |
Calais Branch |
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| Built by |
Maine Central Railroad |
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| Original gauge |
4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
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| Preserved operations |
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| Owned by |
Track owned by Maine DOT |
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| Operated by |
Downeast Rail Heritage Trust |
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| Length |
4 miles (6.4 km) (2010)
13 miles (21 km) (2019) |
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| Preserved gauge |
4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
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| Commercial history |
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| Opened |
1898 |
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| Closed to passengers |
1957 |
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| Closed |
(?) |
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| Preservation history |
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| 2005 |
Downeast Rail Heritage Trust founded |
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| 2010 |
Open |
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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. 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, July 24, 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.
Locomotive roster
| Number |
Builder |
Type |
Build Date |
Status |
Notes |
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| 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. Purchase 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. 470 arrive at Washington Jct. flat bed trucks partially disassembled on August 10, 2016 after being removed from is long time display track in Waterville, ME. When restoration is complete 470 will operate on the Downeast Scenic Railroad. |
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Railroads of Maine
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| Common carriers |
- Canadian Pacific Railway
- Eastern Maine Railway
- Maine Northern Railway
- New Hampshire Northcoast Corporation
- Pan Am Railways
- St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad
- Turners Island, LLC
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| Passenger carriers |
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| Heritage railroads |
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