Rockland station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rockland
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Rockland Station, ca. 1910
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| Location | Union Street and Pleasant Street, Rockland, Maine |
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| Line(s) | Rockland Branch | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 Side platform | ||||||||||
| Tracks | 1 | ||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||
| Parking | Yes | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opened | 1917 | ||||||||||
| Former services | |||||||||||
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Rockland Railroad Station
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The station in 2018
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Rockland, Maine, USA | ||||||||||
| Area | 1 acre (0.4 ha) | ||||||||||
| Built | 1917 | ||||||||||
| Architect | Coolidge and Shattuck for Maine Central Railroad | ||||||||||
| NRHP reference No. | 78000327 | ||||||||||
| Added to NRHP | February 7, 1978 | ||||||||||
The Rockland station is a historic train station located in Rockland, Maine. You can find it at the corner of Union and Pleasant Streets. This station is the very end of the Rockland Branch railway line, which is a set of tracks owned by the state of Maine. This line connects Rockland to Brunswick.
The station building itself is quite old, built in 1917 by the Maine Central Railroad. Because it's so important to history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Today, the building is home to a restaurant. For a while, it even served as Rockland's city hall! The train line isn't currently used for passenger trains. It last had seasonal service from 2004 to 2015, run by a company called the Maine Eastern Railroad, which is no longer operating. The tracks are now leased to the Central Maine and Quebec Railway, which plans to start train service again, but not for fun trips or excursions.
Contents
What is the Rockland Station?
The Rockland Branch train line was finished in 1871. It was first used by a company called the Knox and Lincoln Railroad. Later, in 1891, the Maine Central Railroad took over the line. They eventually bought it in 1901 and ran passenger trains until 1959.
The state of Maine bought the unused line in 1987. Since then, different companies have leased it to operate trains. The line ends at the southern part of downtown Rockland, near Pleasant Street and Union Street.
How Does the Station Look?
The station building, built in 1917, stands on the south side of the tracks. It's a strong building made of brick and concrete. It has one and a half stories. The eastern part of the building has a pointed roof with steps on the ends. The western part is only one story tall and has a sloped roof at its far end.
The side facing Union Street doesn't have windows. Instead, it has a special entrance with a tall, rounded arch. This arch is decorated with columns and pilasters, which are like flat columns. On the south side, the eastern part of the building has three large, rounded arch openings. The two outer openings have windows with many small panes of glass. The middle arch is now the main entrance.
When Did Passenger Trains Use the Station?
The Rockland station was the final stop for passenger trains from Portland. These trains traveled along the Rockland Branch from Brunswick. Until 1958, the Maine Central Railroad ran three trains a day, except on Sundays when there were fewer.
At Union Station in Portland, passengers could connect to other trains. These trains went to big cities like Boston and New York City, and even to places in Canada. In its last few months, the service was cut down to just one trip a day, except Sundays. Train service finally stopped on April 4, 1959.
Recent Train Service and Future Plans
From 2003 to 2015, the Maine Eastern Railroad offered special seasonal train trips to Rockland. These trips connected with Amtrak's Downeaster service in Brunswick.
In October 2017, a group called the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority announced exciting plans. They wanted to extend one weekend Downeaster trip to Rockland. This service would run between Memorial Day and Labor Day, starting in 2018. The train would make stops at Bath, Wiscasset, and Newcastle along the way. To get ready, Amtrak and other railway groups did a test run with a train on August 14.
What is the Station Used for Today?
After train service stopped on the line, the city of Rockland used the station building as its city hall. They stayed there until 1996. The station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 because of its important design and history. Today, the building is home to a restaurant, serving people in a new way.
Images for kids
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Rockland Station, ca. 1910
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The station in 2018
