WASHINGTON – Short line Eastern Maine Railway next month will acquire 45 miles of track in the Pine Tree State from Canadian Pacific’s Central Maine & Quebec subsidiary.
Eastern Maine Railway, owned by the New Brunswick-based J.D. Irving Ltd., will gain 36.57 miles of main line along with nine miles of branch line trackage in Maine. The main line trackage links Grindstone and Brownville, Maine, while the branches are located around Millinocket, Maine.
The deal will connect Eastern Maine Railway with sister shortline Maine Northern Railway.
Eastern Maine also will acquire three miles of trackage rights to connect the acquired trackage with CP at Brownville Junction, Maine. Northern Maine Railway will retain its trackage rights over the former CMQ route to Brownville Junction.
The deal is expected to close on Nov. 5, according to the railway’s filing with the Surface Transportation Board.
Eastern Maine Railway and sister short line New Brunswick Southern link Canadian Pacific with Saint John, New Brunswick. CP acquired CM&Q in 2020.
Not sure there are any rail served businesses on either the Millinocket Spur that ran to the long defunct Great Northern paper mill or the East Millinocket branch that also served a long defunct paper mill. Perhaps there’s some redevelopment opportunity that will generate some rail business?
It’s amazing how this story has been published in various outlets with nary a mention of the Bangor & Aroostook. Has it really been that long?
Nineteen years.