ABOVE LEFT: The Maine Eastern’s “cement shuttle,” with GP9 No. 764 and six loads from the Dragon Plant in Thomaston, Maine, trundles down the easternmost end of the Rockland Branch on the approach to the waterfront where the cement will be transferred to barge. ABOVE: The sun has just risen high enough to illuminate the village of Wiscasset as Maine Eastern’s pair of ex-New Haven FL9s haul 16 loaded cement cars from Dragon Cement in Thomaston west for interchange with Pan Am Railways in Brunswick. Today’s heavy train has required the F-units to temporarily enter freight service in place of the the railroad’s lone GP9. The caboose was refurbished by MERR as a waiting room and ticket office. TIM HAIRSTON PHOTOS
so much so that a dedicated “Cement Shuttle” runs as needed, often multiple trips per day and often multiple days per week. Quite a profitable operation, the cement is hauled from the originating plant to a dock in Rockland, less than five miles away. From there, the cement is transloaded onto ships or barges and hauled to its destination.
Classic Passenger Trains
Almost from the beginning of excursion operations, MERR earned the reputation of being a class act, perhaps the best excursion operation in the state. Clean equipment, professional crews, high speeds, and multiple miles
of coastal scenic views combined into an unforgettable experience appreciated by visitors, locals, and rail enthusiasts alike. Initially powered by former Amtrak F40 locomotives, for the 2005 season Morristown & Erie sent up a pair of unique dual-mode FL9 locomotives acquired from Amtrak. While no longer relying on third rail for propulsion, No. 488 (ex-New Haven No. 2016) and No. 489 (ex-NH No. 2021) became the only operating F-units in the state of Maine. The two cab units hauling a matched set of stainless steel passenger cars presented the classic image of a typical 1950s streamliner service. These FL9s would become the face of the
railroad, appearing on posters and other published material and being featured prominently on the railroad’s website. To handle the freight duties during the
Maine Eastern’s early days, Morristown & Erie assigned MLW M424 No. 4228, a former Canadian Pacific unit. It was later joined by a pair of former Canadian National MLW M420w units that were acquired from the nearby St. Lawrence & Atlantic. One was put into service, the other became a parts source. Maine Eastern’s EMD GP9 764, a
former Amtrak unit, was painted in a unique variation of the Maine Eastern’s paint scheme and would pinch-hit when one of the FL9s was down for
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