The Maine Central Railroad was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862, growing to become the longest railroad in New England by 1884. At its peak, the company operated over 1,358 miles of track across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and into Quebec, also managing hotels, steamboats, and bus services.
Key milestones in its history include:
1862: Formed by the merger of the Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad and the Penobscot and Kennebec Railroad.
1871: Converted its tracks to standard gauge to facilitate interchange of cars with other railroads.
1960: Ended all regularly scheduled passenger train service due to competition from automobiles and buses.