All Aboard for another exclusive Mass Bay RRE Tour of the Line!
Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railway
Belfast to Burnham Junction & Return
Saturday, September 11, 2010 ONLY!!
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to ride one of New England’s historic railroad treasures - the entire 32.7 mile length of the former Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad from the outskirts of Belfast, Maine to its intersection with the Maine Central at Burnham Junction.
Given up for dead by many after the failure of previous operators, the B&ML has been brought back to life by the non-profit Brooks Preservation Society, whose mission is to protect, preserve, and celebrate historic structures and artifacts in Brooks as well as the surrounding communities for the benefit of the citizens and local economy. The Society’s immediate objectives are the restoration and preservation of the Brooks Railroad Station, the preservation of several historic Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad locomotives, railcars, and MOW equipment, as well as the preservation of the former Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad right of way as an active railroad corridor.
Operating as the Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railway, the BPS has restored weekend excursion trains between Brooks and Waldo this summer. Mass Bay RRE’s specially-chartered train will be the first passenger train to traverse the entire line since our “Bullmoose Special” excursion exactly six years ago!
Our train will depart at 11:00 AM from a location on the outskirts of Belfast. We’ll first head southward to the limits of the operable B&ML trackage, then head north through the scenic woodlands of Waldo County, past the historic Brooks depot and then through the villages of Knox, Thorndike and Unity on our way to Burnham Junction before returning to Belfast. Return to the boarding location will be around 7:00 PM. Our train will consist of two vintage B&ML coaches, their open-air car and a caboose, and will be powered by one of the B&ML’s 70-ton diesel locomotives.
Our Belfast & Moosehead Lake special train will run ONE DAY ONLY, rain or shine. We will assign seats by car only. Very limited snack and beverage service will be available aboard this train, but passengers may bring their own food if desired. Train capacity is strictly limited to 110 seats! Current Mass Bay RRE members are eligible for reduced fares, but membership is not required to ride this train.
Alcoholic beverages and smoking will not be permitted aboard this train. Tickets will be mailed to you about 10 days prior to the trip. We will send driving directions to the parking and boarding locations with your tickets. Please notify us if special accommodations (ie, handicap seating, etc.) are required.
FARES:
Adult MBRRE Member Coach Fare........................................................ $59*
Adult Non-member Coach Fare...............................................................$69
Child Coach Fare (ages 12 & under) .......................................................$29
*
One discounted seat per member, except as noted in our Member Benefits policy.
TRANSPORTATION TO BELFAST
Due to the length of the trip and the limited capacity of the train Mass Bay RRE will not offer a bus or van connection from Boston for this trip. We will, however, do what we can to facilitate carpooling among our passengers. If you are looking for a ride to Belfast, or if you are willing to offer a ride to a fellow passenger, please contact us and we will endeavor to match you up.
Concord Coach Lines offers two departures daily in each direction between Boston and Midcoast Maine. Buses depart South Station at 12:01 PM and 5:15 PM, arriving in Belfast at 5:00 PM and 10:15 PM respectively. Returning, buses leave Belfast at 7:55 AM and 11:55 AM. Complete schedule details and fares may be found at the Concord Coach Lines web site.
THE DOWNEAST SCENIC RAILROAD
Make it a full weekend riding trains in Maine! After years of hard work rebuilding the railway, restoring their 1948 diesel engine, vintage passenger car and caboose, the Downeast Scenic Railroad will offer round-trip excursions on the historic Calais Branch Line, from Ellsworth, ME, to Ellsworth Falls and then to Washington Junction and back to Ellsworth, beginning in July 2010. The ten-mile trip takes approximately one and one-quarter hours. Two trips per day will be offered through the season, on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM. Mass Bay RRE invites you to ride this important piece of Maine’s railroad history. Further information about the Downeast Scenic Railroad may be obtained by calling 1-866-449-7245 or by visiting www.downeastscenicrail.org. And yes, GE 70-tonner #54 (pictured) formerly belonged to the Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad!
HOW TO ORDER:
Please use the ORDER FORM to order your Belfast & Moosehead Lake train ticket. Be sure to enclose a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope for return of your tickets. Full particulars of the trip will be sent with your tickets about two weeks before departure. For further information please call our information line at 978-470-2066, or send e-mail to: trips@massbayrre.org.
Orders are accepted by mail or telephone only. MasterCard & Visa accepted for all orders. For telephone orders please call 978-470-2066. No calls after 8:00 PM Eastern Time, please.
To download a printable copy of the trip flyer and order form, Click Here.
Mass Bay RRE is a non-profit [501(c)(3)] Massachusetts educational corporation.
