Take a Train to Maine for the Romance and History of Rail Travel

For decades, Americans crossed the country mostly by rail, and the lure of a relaxed, leisurely trip on a train still lingers for many. But until recently, those wishing to go anywhere northeast of Boston were out of luck. The vaunted Northeast Corridor didn't extend into northern New England.

All of that changed with the advent of Amtrak's Downeaster, and its five daily departures from Boston for points north, and an eventual termination in Portland, Maine. Now, vacationers and those looking for a weekend getaway can experience the romance of the rails and the scenic views along the Maine and New Hampshire seacoast regions.

Unlike the traditional Amtrak service in Boston, the Downeaster departs and arrives from the city's North Station - a short walk from the popular Faneuil Hall marketplace and located below the TDBanknorth Garden arena. The two-and-a-half hour trip makes stops in Maine coastal towns such as Wells and Old Orchard Beach, as well as several New Hampshire towns and Boston suburbs.

But there's even more in store for rail buffs once they get to Maine.

This year marks the 70^th anniversary for the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, the oldest and largest electric railway museum in the world. The Trolley Museum began with a single car - the #31 from the nearby Biddeford & Saco line, and now includes a collection of over 250 cars. The museum's original streetcar was purchased when the nearby cities made the switch to buses for local transportation. It was sold to trolley enthusiasts under a promise that it be taken out of town, so local riders would not be reminded of the discontinued electric car service.

The museum is located by the side of what was, at the early part of the last century, the Atlantic Shore Line Railway, and it is open daily from Memorial Day to Columbus Day.

In Portland itself, the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum offers a unique look into Maine's history. While railroads were being built across the country with a standard four feet, eight-and-a-half inches between the rails, a smaller system sprang up across the state. A whole network of tracks just two feet apart was built throughout southern and central Maine, and small-scale steam engines and train cars were manufactured in the city of Portland.

From the 1870s through the 1930s, these tiny trains were used to ship farm goods and lumber - as well as passengers - around the state. While a faster and more efficient system than the horse-drawn transportation that preceded it, the narrow gauge rail system gave way to progress itself in an age of paved highways, commercial trucking and passenger cars.

The Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum, which is open from February through mid-December, recounts the story of this nearly-lost method of transportation. Better yet, from May to November, the museum offers rides on an actual narrow gauge train. The excursion along Portland's historic waterfront is a trip back in time, and a unique experience for even the most casual train lovers.