Industrial History: Trail/Maine Central Bridge over Kennebec River at Caratunk Falls, Solon, ME

(Bridge Hunter broke Mar 22, 2023; Satellite)

I could not find the megawatt capacity of the hydro power plant.

Jack Witthaus posted 11 photos with the comment: "The Bingham branch of the Maine Central RR features a top 10, or at least top 20 bridge for me. Spanning the Kennebec River over a dam and cascade, this bridge is a physical wonder and a modeler's inspiration. Traversed today by ATV's and itinerant railroad explorers. Which came first, the dam or the railroad? 10/14/23, Caratunk Falls, Solon, ME"

Jeremy Mathews: This ROW was originally the Somerset Railroad when it was chartered in 1860. Construction started in Oakland, connecting with the Maine Central's Back Road. It reached Norridgewock in 1873, Madison in 1875, and North Anson in 1877. The company defaulted in 1879 and was reorganized as the standard gauge Somerset Railway in 1884 before construction continued to Solon in 1889 and Bingham in 1890. The reorganized company extended the line to Moosehead Lake in 1906. The Maine Central Railroad built a resort hotel at Moosehead Lake at the foot of Mount Kineo called the Kineo House. The line became part of the Maine Central Railroad in 1911 and became known as the Kineo Branch. The Maine Central would operate the hotel until the 1930's, when the Kineo House was demolished. Maine Central would cut operations back to Bingham and pull up the tracks. Some years later, Maine Central would cut back operations again to North Anson and pull up more trackage. The branch would continue to be operated sporadically until Pan Am Railways (Maine Central's successor) abandoned what remained of the branch line in 2013. The remaining trackage was pulled up after abandonment in 2022 and converted into a trail, much like what became of the Calais Branch line from Ellsworth to Ayers Junction in 2011.

Tim Shanahan shared