Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum

The MNGR station on October 2, 2022
Overview
Headquarters	Portland
Reporting mark	MNGR
Locale	Portland, Maine, U.S.
Dates of operation	1993–present
Technical
Track gauge	2 ft (610 mm)
Length	1.5 miles (2.4 km)
Other
Website	https://mainenarrowgauge.org/

The Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum is a special kind of train line. It uses a "narrow gauge" track, which means the rails are closer together than on regular train tracks. This museum and railroad are located in Portland, Maine, in the United States. It's a fun place to learn about old trains and even ride on them!

History of the Railroad

The Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum started in 1993. It operates from an old building called the Portland Company Marine Complex. The museum collects and shows off many different types of train cars and engines. They also have old items from other narrow gauge railways that used to run in Maine a long time ago, in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The railroad track is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long. It runs right along the beautiful waterfront of Casco Bay. You can see the ocean as the train goes by! The track also runs next to Portland's Eastern Promenade, which is a popular park. The museum uses old steam and diesel train engines, along with restored passenger cars, to give rides to visitors.

A few years ago, in 2014, there was a plan for the railroad to move to a different town called Gray, Maine. They thought about building a new station and engine house there. However, that plan did not happen, and the museum decided to stay in Portland.

In 2021, some of the museum's steam locomotives were sent on a long-term loan. They went to another railway called the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway. This allowed more people to see and enjoy these historic engines.

In early 2025, the railroad had to close down for several months. This happened because new construction was taking place nearby. A large new neighborhood project called "Portland Foreside" was being built. For this project, the train tracks had to be removed and then put back in place. The railroad expected to be closed for a short time, and the construction team tried to cause as little trouble as possible.

Train Equipment

The museum has many different types of trains and cars. These include locomotives, which are the engines that pull the trains, and various types of rolling stock, which are the cars passengers ride in or goods are carried in.

Locomotives (Engines)

Here are some of the locomotives you might see at the museum:

Locomotive details

Number	Image	Type	Class	Builder	Built	Status
1		Diesel	23-ton switcher	General Electric	1949	Running
3		Steam	0-4-4T	Vulcan Iron Works	1912	Running
4		Steam	0-4-4T	Vulcan Iron Works	1918	Being fixed up
4		Railcar	Railbus	Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad	1925	Running
7		Steam	2-4-4T	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1913	Running
8		Steam	2-4-4T	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1924	Stored, waiting to be fixed
11		Diesel	DDT 10-ton switcher	Plymouth Locomotive Works	1975	Running
14		Diesel	CL-2 4-ton switcher	Plymouth Locomotive Works	1923	Not in use
16		Diesel	CL-2 4-ton switcher	Plymouth Locomotive Works	Unknown	Not in use

Visiting Locomotives

Sometimes, other railroads lend their locomotives to the museum for a visit.

Rolling Stock (Train Cars)

The museum also has many different types of train cars, including passenger cars, freight cars, and even a snow plow!

Rolling stock details

Number	Image	Type	Builder	Built	Status
9		Passenger car	Jackson and Sharp	1901	On display
15		Passenger car	Laconia Car Company	1882	Being fixed up
16		Passenger car	Jackson and Sharp	1903	Running
19		Passenger car	Billmeyer and Small	1890	Stored, waiting to be fixed
22, 23, 24, 25		Passenger cars	Edaville Railroad	1958-1987	Running
14		Combine car	Billmeyer and Small	1890	Running
15		Combine car	Billmeyer and Small	1890	Running
12		Combine car	Edaville Railroad	1958	Running
102, 105		Open-air cars	Edaville Railroad	1960s	Running
50, 52, 56, 57, 60, 62, 70		Box cars	Portland Company	1889-1905	Running
Bridgton and Saco River Tank		Tanker car	Portland Company	1903	Stored
101		Caboose	Laconia Car Company	1882	On display
553		Caboose	Sandy River Railroad	1904	Running
557		Caboose	Maine Central Railroad	1913	On display
40		Flanger	Maine Central Railroad	1913	Stored
2		Snow plow	Bridgton and Saco River Railroad	1900	Stored, waiting to be fixed

Gallery

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  No. 4 pulling a special train ride.

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  A train running along the Eastern Promenade.

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  A train parked at the station platform.

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  The narrow gauge tracks, which were changed from regular-sized tracks.