How to Find the Abandoned 100-Year Old Locomotives in the Maine Woods
Have you heard the stories of the West Branch Railroad in Maine? The remains of the short rail still stand ominous and spooky in the woods near Eagle Lake in northern Maine.
According to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, "The Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad replaced the Tramway. In 1926 this railroad ran from the Eagle Lake end of the tramway thirteen miles to Umbazooksus Lake, which connects to the West Branch of the Penobscot River via Chesuncook Lake."
On June 1, 1927, the railroad made its first successful trip as the Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad, but the locomotives were abandoned just a few years later in the early 1930s. The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry explained, "When the railroad stopped operating, both locomotives were relatively obsolete and not worth the cost of transporting them back out of the Allagash area. Instead, they were stored inside a shed at the Eagle Lake facility where they remain today."
These trains are trending thanks to some coverage by viral powerhouse Only in Your State. Here's the thing about the story -- they don't tell you how to get there. What fun are abandoned trains in the middle of the woods if you can't go see them for yourself?
If you're handy with classic navigation skills, here are the coordinates.
Coordinates of the Locomotives: 46.322455,-69.374991
If you're not handy with classic navigation skills, adventurers can still find these abandoned locomotives on foot or by snowmobile in the winter, but beware, it's not a straight shot.
Blogger Untamed Mainer has an amazing step-by-step list of how to find the site. When the first two steps include, "The pavement will end in Kokadjo right after the pond and the general store and turn to dirt," you know you're on your way to a truly Maine experience.
Grab your DeLorme Gazetteer and get trekking. The photos you'll get are sure to be a hit on your Instagram.