Maine Narrow Gauge Railroads

by Robert L. MacDonald

The narrow gauge railroad arrived in the United States in the late nineteenth century. Based on the Welsh two-foot gauge, the American narrow gauge was expanded by railroad engineers to a three-foot gauge that became the standard track width for narrow gauge railroads in the United States. Maine, however, adopted the two-foot gauge that was developed by George E. Mansfield in Massachusetts. The narrow track width was ideally suited to the mountainous terrain, and the maneuverability of the trains proved highly beneficial to companies and passengers traveling to remote locations. The narrow gauge railroad served Maine for over fifty years until the early 1940s.Maine Narrow Gauge Railroads is a comprehensive pictorial record of the history of the narrow gauge railroad in Maine. From the one-hundred-twelve-mile Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad to the five-mile Kennebec Central, Maine Narrow Gauge Railroads features the toylike miniature trains of Maine as they appeared at different stages in their history. The Bridgton and Harrison Railroad, the Monson Railroad, and the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway lines are documented within, as well as the current restoration projects that are under way.

128 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 2003

Reviews

[James]

A fun little photo book about the Maine 2 foot railroads, some of the smallest and cutest trains to run in the US. Enlarge the cover and you see for yourself. These aren't amusement park trains though, some of these railroads made serious money from passengers and freight.

[M.J. Rodriguez]

Two Feet of Enjoyment!

This book is a celebration of the 2-foot gauge railways in Maine. It contains photos of the railways from 1900 through 1937 and the successful efforts to preserve this unique gauge of American Railroading!

[Ruppert Baird]

The Maine Two-Footers were a microcosm of rural areas' efforts to ensure that they could find prosperity cheaply and efficiently in a rapidly modernizing world. And for a while the narrow-gauge lines were successful and profitable. But like many similar properties on the early rail transport scene, they couldn't hold on due to a number of factors, the least of which was their small size and inability to effectively interchange with the interstate rail system.

There have been a number of excellent books written on these railroads, but this book for the general public is a rather disappointing effort for the railfan.