Bangor & Aroostook Railroad historical collection in Northern Maine, Maine
Rail preservation groupNo single public museum; history kept in library and online archives
The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad brought rail service to Aroostook County for more than a century, and its photographs, maps and records are preserved today in Maine library collections and online archives.
- Served northern Maine 1891 to 2003
- Brightly painted boxcars of the 1950s
- Reporting mark BAR
- Archives at Maine libraries
Bangor & Aroostook Railroad historical collection at a glance
- Hours
- No public museum hours; library collections set their own access rules
- Admission
- No admission; online archives are free to browse
- Best for
- Researchers, rail historians and northern Maine families
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Bangor & Aroostook Railroad historical collection? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Northern Maine.
Rally Takes the Train
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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
The railroad that opened Aroostook County
The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad, reporting mark BAR, brought rail service to Aroostook County in northern Maine from 1891 until 2003. Lines pushed north through the 1890s: Oakfield to Ashland opened in 1896, Caribou to Limestone in 1897 and the main line from Caribou to Van Buren in 1899. For the County's potato farmers, it meant crops could leave by train instead of sled.
In the 1950s the railroad's brightly painted boxcars drew national attention, and its first-generation diesel locomotives stayed in service until they were museum pieces themselves. After the economic downturn of the 1980s, the line was eventually sold to the State of Maine and is now operated by Maine Northern Railway.
Fans formed the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad Historical and Technical Society in 1974, though it appears to have ended about five years later; its newsletters survive in an online archive.
Where the BAR story is kept
There is no single Bangor and Aroostook museum building to visit. Instead, the Maine State Library holds a Bangor and Aroostook railroad collection in its digital special collections, the University of Maine's Fogler Library Special Collections holds a photograph album of the railroad's route, construction and equipment, and a video history of the railroad, first presented to a St. John Valley Senior College class, is available on the Internet Archive.
Don’t miss
- The 1928 system mapAn official map of the Bangor and Aroostook system shows how far the railroad reached into the County.
- Fogler Library photograph albumAn album of early photos of the railroad's route, construction and equipment, held in University of Maine special collections.
Colorful boxcars and potato trains
There is no museum floor for kids to explore, but the story is a good one to share: a railroad that carried potatoes out of the far north woods, with boxcars painted so brightly that people across the country noticed. Old photos and maps from the online archives make an easy rainy-day look at Maine history with older children.
Plan your visit: tips for Bangor & Aroostook Railroad historical collection
- Start with the Maine State Library's digital Bangor and Aroostook collection online.
- Contact the University of Maine's Fogler Library Special Collections before visiting to see archival material in person.
- Look for the old BAR Historical and Technical Society newsletters, archived online.
Librarians, archivists and rail fans
Bangor and Aroostook history is kept by Maine libraries and archives and by rail fans who have digitized newsletters, maps and video. If your family has BAR photographs, timetables or other papers, a Maine library special collection is a good place to ask about preserving them.
See Maine railroad history in person
Several Maine museums display railroad equipment and history you can visit in person. Browse every train museum in Maine to find one near your route, or start at our train museums guide.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Reading about a railroad that ran far up into the northern Maine woods, I think about long stretches of dark forest and then a town bursting into view. In our book, Rally's train goes into a dark tunnel and comes out into big bright light while everyone cheers. My kids always cheer right along. A coloring page of that moment is a nice pairing for a history lesson about trains.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
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Work or volunteer at Bangor & Aroostook Railroad historical collection?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Bangor & Aroostook Railroad history: 20 questions
Is there a Bangor and Aroostook Railroad museum I can visit?
There is no single public Bangor and Aroostook Railroad museum building with posted hours. The railroad's history is preserved in collections such as the Maine State Library's digital Bangor and Aroostook collection and the University of Maine's Fogler Library Special Collections, along with online newsletter and video archives.
What was the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad?
The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad, reporting mark BAR, was a United States railroad company that brought rail service to Aroostook County in northern Maine. It served the region from 1891 until 2003 and was closely tied to the County's farming economy, especially potatoes.
When did the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad operate?
The Bangor and Aroostook served northern Maine from 1891 until 2003. After the economic downturn of the 1980s and later changes in the region's industry, the line was eventually sold to the State of Maine. Today it is operated by Maine Northern Railway.
Who operates the old Bangor and Aroostook lines today?
The former Bangor and Aroostook line was eventually sold to the State of Maine, and it is currently operated by Maine Northern Railway. The BAR name itself no longer runs trains, but its routes through northern Maine are still part of the state's rail network.
Why were Bangor and Aroostook boxcars famous?
In the 1950s the Bangor and Aroostook painted its boxcars in bright colors, and they attracted national attention. Those cars carried the railroad's name and northern Maine's products far beyond the state, which made a regional railroad recognizable across the country.
When was the Bangor and Aroostook built into Aroostook County?
The railroad reached deeper into the County through the 1890s. Oakfield to Ashland opened in 1896, Caribou to Limestone followed in 1897, and the main line from Caribou to Van Buren opened in 1899. A 1928 official system map shows the network that grew from that work.
What locomotives did the Bangor and Aroostook use?
The Bangor and Aroostook is known for running its first-generation diesel locomotives for a very long time, until they had become museum pieces. Photographs of the railroad's equipment are held in archives such as the University of Maine's Fogler Library Special Collections.
Where can I see Bangor and Aroostook Railroad photos?
The University of Maine's Fogler Library Special Collections holds a Bangor and Aroostook photograph album showing the route, construction and equipment, though the photographer and dates are not identified. The Maine State Library's digital railroad collections include a Bangor and Aroostook section you can browse online.
Is there a video about the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad history?
Yes. A video history of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad, originally presented to a St. John Valley Senior College class, is available on the Internet Archive. It covers the railroad's years serving northern Maine from 1891 to 2003 and its later sale to the state.
What was the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad Historical and Technical Society?
It was a fan and history group formed in 1974 to study the railroad. It appears to have ended about five years later. Its newsletters have been archived online by Maine Line Magazine, which makes them easy to read today.
Does the Maine State Library have Bangor and Aroostook records?
Yes. The Maine State Library includes a Bangor and Aroostook section within its railroad special collections, published through its digital Maine repository. It is a good starting point for anyone researching the railroad, and it can be browsed online before you plan any in-person visit.
Can I visit the Bangor and Aroostook archives in person?
Library special collections usually set their own rules for in-person research. Contact the University of Maine's Fogler Library Special Collections or the Maine State Library before you travel to ask about hours, appointments and which Bangor and Aroostook materials can be viewed.
How much does it cost to see the Bangor and Aroostook collection?
There is no museum admission, because there is no single museum building. The online collections, newsletter archive and video can be viewed for free. For in-person research at a library, check with that library directly about any rules or requirements.
Can you ride a Bangor and Aroostook train?
No. The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad stopped operating as a company in 2003, and there are no BAR passenger rides. For a train ride in Maine, look at the heritage railroads and train museums listed on our Maine train museums page and check their seasons.
Is Bangor and Aroostook history good for kids to learn about?
Yes, for older children especially. The story has easy hooks: brightly painted boxcars, potatoes leaving the far north by rail instead of sled, and towns like Caribou and Van Buren getting connected in the 1890s. Old maps and photos from online archives make it visual.
What towns did the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad serve?
The railroad served Aroostook County and northern Maine. Lines named in its history include Oakfield to Ashland, Caribou to Limestone and the main line from Caribou to Van Buren. The 1928 official system map gives a fuller picture of the towns it reached.
What did the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad carry?
The railroad gave Aroostook County's farms, especially its potato growers, a way to ship crops to market by rail rather than by sled. It also carried freight from the region's heavy industry, whose later departure, along with the 1980s downturn, hurt the railroad.
How can I help preserve Bangor and Aroostook Railroad history?
If your family has BAR photographs, timetables, maps or employee papers, contact a Maine library special collection such as the Maine State Library or the University of Maine's Fogler Library to ask whether they would like copies or originals for their collections.
Where can I find Bangor and Aroostook maps?
An official 1928 Bangor and Aroostook system map is reproduced in online histories of the railroad, and the Maine State Library's digital railroad collection is another good source. These maps show how the line spread across Aroostook County in its early decades.
Where can I see railroad history in person in Maine?
Maine has many train museums and heritage railroads with equipment on display and rides in season. Our Maine train museums page lists them by town, so you can find one near your route through the state and check its hours before you go.
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