- Green Mountain Cog Railway
Infobox rail
railroad_name=Green Mountain Cog Railway
gauge=RailGauge|4ft
start_year=1883
end_year=1890
length=1.1 miles
hq_city=Eagle Lake
locale=Maine The Green Mountain Cog Railway was a narrow gauge
mountain railway built to carry tourists to the top of Green Mountain onMt. Desert Island inMaine .History
At the end of the 19th century, Maine's tourist industry was developing rapidly. The islands off the coast of Maine were popular attractions and the possibility of a cog railway to the top of Green Mountain (now known as
Cadillac Mountain ) was first explored in the late 1870s following the success of theMount Washington Cog Railway inNew Hampshire . Construction of the railway started in 1883 and it was built to the designs in the Marsh patents developed for the Mount Washington line. The first locomotive was built by theManchester Locomotive Works , and was meant to be for the Mount Washington line. After the first season. Frank Clergue "owner and operator" bought another coach and locomotive. Both identical to their predecessors. The coaches and work cars were both built by the Hinckly & Egery Iron Co. The coaches had eight benches with open air seating that could hold six. During bad weather, canvas tarps were rolled down from the ceiling to protect the passengers from the wind and rain. The #1 locomotive was named "Mount Desert" and #2 was just named #2. Both locomotives were used at the same time when there were large numbers of passengers. There were no switches on the railway, so the trains did not have the ability to pass each other.The line operated during the summer season and for the first few years was successful. But tourist numbers declined and after the 1890 season the railway ceased operations. The railway's two
steam locomotives were sold to theMount Washington Cog Railway in 1895 after five years of disuse.Locomotives
References
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