York and Cumberland Railroad (Maine)

York and Cumberland Railroad

Overview
Dates of operation	1846 (1846)–1865 (1865)
Successor	Portland and Rochester Railroad
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Length	18 miles (29 km)
Route map

The York and Cumberland Railroad was a railway company in the United States. It was incorporated in 1846 and opened a line between Portland, Maine, and Bar Mills, Maine, in 1853. The company was reorganized as the Portland and Rochester Railroad in 1865. Its line, which formed the eastern end of the Portland and Rochester Railroad main line, became part of the Boston and Maine Railroad and was subsequently abandoned.

History

The Portland, Saco and Portsmouth Railroad completed a line between its titular cities in 1842, giving it a monopoly on traffic between Portland, Maine, and points south. ^[1] The York and Cumberland Railroad was incorporated on July 30, 1846, in an attempt to break that monopoly. Between 1850 and 1853 the company constructed an 18-mile (29 km) line from Portland to Bar Mills, Maine, on the Saco River. ^{[2] [3]} The company was authorized to continue southwest and form connection with a company in New Hampshire, but this proved beyond its resources. ^{[4] [3]}

The company was reorganized as the Portland and Rochester Railroad on November 1, 1865. ^[2] The new company received financial support from the city of Portland, and finally reached Rochester, New Hampshire, in 1871. ^[3] The complete line became the Portland and Rochester Railroad main line, and eventually part of the Boston and Maine Railroad's Worcester, Nashua and Portland Division. The line was abandoned between 1911 and 1961. ^{[5] [6]}

Notes

1. Lindsell (2000), pp. 153–154.
2. ICC (1931), p. 726.
3. Lindsell (2000), p. 81.
4. B&M (1902), pp. 96–97.
5. Lindsell (2000), p. 82.
6. Karr (2010), pp. 144–145, 154.

References

• Boston and Maine Railroad (1902). Boston & Maine Railroad System: Statutes of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont relating to Boston & Maine railroad and leased lines. Rand Avery Supply Company.
• Interstate Commerce Commission (1931). Interstate Commerce Commission Reports: Decisions of the Interstate Commerce Commission of the United States. Valuation reports. Vol. 30. U.S. Government Printing Office.
• Karr, Ronald Dale (2010). Lost Railroads of New England (3rd ed.). Pepperell, Massachusetts: Branch Line Press. ISBN   978-0-942147-11-7.
• Lindsell, Robert M. (2000). The Rail Lines of Northern New England. Pepperell, Massachusetts: Branch Line Press. ISBN   978-0-942147-06-3.