Franklin and Megantic Railway

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File:Franklin&MeganticRRmap.png
Map of the Franklin and Megantic Railway circa 1906.

The Franklin and Megantic Railway (F&M) (original name "Franklin and Megantic Railroad") was a Template:RailGauge narrow gauge railway in northern Maine that branches off from the Sandy River Railroad (SRR) at Strong and served sawmills in Salem township and in the town of Kingfield.

History

The F&M was constructed in 1884 to reach aboriginal spruce forests on the south slope of Mount Abraham.[1] The Script error: No such module "convert". Mount Abram branch was constructed to Soule's sawmill in 1886.[2] In 1894, the F&M formed the Template:RailGauge narrow gauge Kingfield and Dead River Railroad (K&DR) to extend rails up the Carrabassett River from Kingfield to Carrabassett. At that time, the F&M owned 2 locomotives, 7 box cars, 21 flat cars, Script error: No such module "convert". combination car #1 built by the Laconia Car Company in 1885, and Script error: No such module "convert". baggage car #2 (renumbered #4 in 1903) built by the Portland Company in 1887.[3][4]

The company was renamed to "Franklin and Megantic Railway" in 1897 due to financial problems. The owners of the Sandy River Railroad purchased controlling interest in the F&M in 1898.[5] In 1899 the line was extended to a large sawmill in Crockertown (later called Bigelow), as close to the Canadian town of Megantic as it would reach. Twenty new flat cars were purchased from the Portland Company in 1900.[6]Template:Sfnp Four of the new flat cars and one F&M box car were destroyed when the sawmill burned in 1903.[7] F&M received two Script error: No such module "convert". long passenger cars from American Car and Foundry Company in 1903. Coach #2 and combination #3 were built in a joint order with an identical coach (SR #8) for the Sandy River Railroad.[8]

In 1906 a temporary trestle was constructed over the Carrabassett River to the Hammond Field log yard where timber from the west side of the river was loaded for transport to the Bigelow sawmill.[9] Log trains shuttled back and forth to the sawmill until the trestle washed out in November 1907. Logging service was rough on equipment, and 22 F&M flat cars were scrapped the following year.[10] A crude passenger shelter was constructed adjacent to the main line for woodsmen involved in the logging. Rapid transformation of the landscape during this brief period of activity evoked memories of a local American Civil War veteran who named the shelter Shiloh Number Two.Template:Sfnp

F&M locomotives were renumbered in 1905 to avoid confusion with Sandy River locomotives frequently working on the F&M.[11] The F&M was merged into the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad (SR&RLRR or SR&RL) in 1908.[12] The Maine Central Railroad took control of the SR&RL in 1911.[13] Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". F&M combination #1 became SR&RL #11[14]

F&M coach #2 became SR&RL #21[14]

F&M combination #3 became SR&RL #14[14]

F&M baggage #4 became SR&RL #6[14] (but was scrapped and replaced by a new baggage-RPO #6 in 1912)Template:Sfnp

Fifteen of the Script error: No such module "convert". flat cars built in 1900 were renumbered for SR&RL; but the remaining F&M freight cars were scrapped by 1911[15]

Geography

Milepost 0: Strong - Connection with the Sandy River Railroad.[16]

Milepost 1.0: Starbird's sawmill.[17]

Milepost 6.2: Summit - Passing siding and covered water tank at the high point between Strong and Kingfield.[18]

Milepost 8.0: Salem - Agent's station and sawmill. The original covered station burned in 1899 and was replaced with a new building in 1901.[18][19][20]

Milepost 10.2: Mount Abram Junction - Branch line to Soule's sawmill.[21]

Milepost 14.9: Kingfield - Covered agent's station, 3-stall enginehouse, and hardwood turning mills.[22][20]

Milepost 19.2: Bridge over Carrabassett River. (on K&DR extension)[23]

Milepost 21.5: Hammond Field. One-half mile branch line to a log loading yard. (on K&DR extension)Template:Sfnp

Milepost 24.1: Carrabassett - Agent's station with stage connections to Stratton and Eustis until railroad extended to Bigelow. (on K&DR extension)Template:Sfnp

Milepost 30.2: Bigelow - Agent's station and sawmill (on K&DR extension)Template:Sfnp[24]

Locomotives

Number Name Builder Type Date Works number Notes
1Template:Sfnp B.V. MeadeTemplate:Sfnp Hinkley Locomotive WorksTemplate:Sfnp 0-4-4Template:Whyte suffix Forney locomotiveTemplate:Sfnp 1884Template:Sfnp 1664Template:Sfnp Renumbered #2 in June 1905 and became SR&RL #3 in 1908Template:Sfnp[25]
2Template:Sfnp S.W. SargentTemplate:Sfnp Baldwin Locomotive WorksTemplate:Sfnp 0-4-4Template:Whyte suffix Forney locomotiveTemplate:Sfnp 1886Template:Sfnp 8304Template:Sfnp Renumbered #3 in June 1905 and became SR&RL #4 in 1908Template:Sfnp[26]

Notes

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  1. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing Company 1976 p.47-50
  2. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 p.56
  3. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 p.64-65
  4. ↑ Railroad Commissioners' Report State of Maine 1895 p.78
  5. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 p.66
  6. ↑ Railroad Commissioners' Report State of Maine 1900 p.85
  7. ↑ Railroad Commissioners' Report State of Maine 1903 p.64
  8. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 p.112
  9. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 p.116
  10. ↑ Railroad Commissioners' Report State of Maine 1908 p.135
  11. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 pp.114-115
  12. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 p.121
  13. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 p.142
  14. ↑ a b c d Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 p.136
  15. ↑ Railroad Commissioners' Report State of Maine 1911 p.241
  16. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  17. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  18. ↑ a b Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  19. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 p.98
  20. ↑ a b Jones, Robert C. Two Feet Between the Rails (Volume 1 - The Early Years) Sundance Books 1979 p.259
  21. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  22. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  23. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  24. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 p.113 & fig.46
  25. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 pp.114-115 & fig.39
  26. ↑ Crittenden, H. Temple The Maine Scenic Route McClain Printing 1976 pp.114-115 & fig.40

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References

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  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, and 1911

External links

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