I’m just a bit curious if anyone has ever model a part of this railroad. I have been researching this one quite a bit in the past couple days and, growning up in Maine, i’m partial to model something from back home. I’m curious what industries people would use. I know that there is a big paper mill in millenocket, and that the trains would bring in wood pulp from Searsport. I also know that potato’s are a big industry too. Just looking for a few idea’s. I’m not sure what section of the railroad I am actually going to model. I would like to model the paper mill in Millenocket and a small section of the yard in Brownville Junction but other then that I’m really not sure what I would like to do, I’m open for suggestions.
Trains had an article about this railroad a couple of months ago. I seem to recall some mention of the industries. If you want to know more about the prototype, ask over in the trains forum, you should get some replies there. I don’t think Maine potatoes are shipped by rail much, if at all, anymore. Of course I am on the opposite side of the country.
Yahoo!!! Its about time someone modeled the MMA! Seems I saw a group about the MMA somewhere… I’ve even been to Millinocket (the closest thing to Mt Katahdin)!
If you are doing the present day, you have paper going out in boxcars, Kaolin coming in tank cars, think Atlas or Walthers has a new car out for this, saw it reviewed in MR. Pulp wood is done in trucks. You could also go to this site and look up http://www.railpictures.net/ and look up Montreal Maine & Atlantic and email the chief contributor I believe it is a gentlemen by the name of Brown. Good luck I personal have been thinking about doing Livermore Falls Maine in the 30’s and 49’s
And whats wrong with the Athearn clay slurrly tank car? Its superior to the Walthers slurry tank and equal to the Atlas slurry tank.
if you model it before feb 2004 you can model the hot shot sunbury train. intermodal train from new brunswick to farnham qc. Daily service both way. The engine switched midway. sunbru engine was a gp 9 ( nt sure though) painted a bright yellow with black sunbury lettering. The facility at farnham would be a real duesy to model as they are ( were) pretty compact. 3 track, each holding about 5 car. Dont forget a little shanty for the sand and salt and a add a lil blue PT cruiser for security and a chubby security guy ( that would have been me ). The yard was always holding between 4 to 40 trailers, mostly sunbury.
If you intend on modeling MMA be ready to use lots of engines. MMA had a policy of at least doubling the engines for any given job, knowing at least one would break down. the ride over megantic always seemed to trouble the crew the most.
This might help as well.
According to this August 13, 2006 photo pulpwood is still being hauled by rail.
The mill I work at no longer hauls wood in by rail. Millinockett and East Millinocket are about 2 hours north. After checking the Paper Maker journals for Maine I have found that Millinocket Frazier hauls in wood in log form , car loads of chips these come from northern maine and canada, kaolin comes out of the portland & searsport areas and are shipped in cars like what was pictured in this months issue of MR on page 84 which is an Athearn Product (not a Watlham or Atlas product as I stated earlier). I apologize for my mistakes but at 4:30 in the morning I did not have much time to research each of my statements I am glad you are here to correct me Brakie. Another plus for the Montreal Maine & Atlantic is the transfer of goods from the Maritime Providences of Canada to Montreal and points west. Derby is also a busy engine facalty that has shown up in many posts on Railroad pictures. net. I personally like the Maroon and gold paint job this company is starting to use. Thank you Kevin
Speaking of logs/pulpwood ever so often I see a load on the NS here in Bucyrus(Oh) heading North(RR West)…I wonder if these loads are heading for the MM&A?
A lot of lumber leaves the states and goes to canada to the sawmills for boards and plywood. It is kind of sad to see these huge logs leaving Maine then coming back on flat bed trucks palleted as construction boards Thank you NAFTA
Kevin
Interesting…Thanks Kevin.
Alright, I’m thinking of modeling a Saw mill and having the trees hauled by rail as well as modeling a paper mill. Any other suggestions? I’m not really looking for exact realism, more for fun but I do want it to be believable, that would mean no gold mines in Maine, Anything else you guys can think of though?
A recent local news report showed centerbeam flats being unloaded for overseas shipment at Searsport, ME. They came from 2 mills in Canada and one in Maine. Due to the housing construction slowdown, these mills changed over to metric sized lumber for the European market. Searsport is served by MMARR, ex-Bangor & Aroostook, through Bangor and Northern Maine Junction