First Railroad in Maine - the Calais Railroad, Calais Maine

The first railroad to serve Maine was the Calais Railroad, a local operation intended to move finished lumber from the Saint Croix River (near Milltown, New Brunswick) to Calais, Maine.  It was incorporated in 1832 and, according to “Poor’s Manual of Railroads, Volume 12” (1879),  opened about 1.5 miles in 1835 as a horse-powered operation.   In 1849 its name was changed to The Calais & Baring after reaching nearby Baring that year.  The first steam locomotive arrived in 1852 and eventually became a part of Maine Central’s network.