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Thursday 30 December 2010

In the woods of Maine are the neglected remains of two locomotives




The Eagle Lake and West Branch (ELWB) Railroad Locomotive #1, was built in June 1897 at Schenectady Locomotive Works (4-6-0 stamped #4552), it was originally a steam locomotive but later converted to burn crude oil to eliminate the forest fire threat caused by cinders. Number 1 was purchased by Great Northern in 1926 and used to haul pulpwood in the Allagash area from 1927-1933.

ELWB Locomotive Number 2, and its tender, were built in December 1901 at Brooks Locomotive Works (2-8-0 stamped 4062). Number 2 was also used as a steam locomotive and later converted to burn crude oil. It was purchased by Great Northern in 1928 and used as the main engine for hauling pulp cars from 1928-1933.

The railroad tranferred logs and crossed over the northwest arm of Chamberlain Lake where it reaches toward Allagash Lake. In September of 1933 both locomotives were relatively obsolete and not worth the cost of transporting them back out of the Allagash area. They were both on the Eagle Lake end of the tramway and the entire railroad was abandoned in place.

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