State Rail Network

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Class I Railroads

Canadian Pacific Kansas City 174
CSX Transportation 397
Total 571

Short Line Railroads

Berkshire & Eastern Railroad 0
Eastern Maine Railway 176
Maine Northern Railway 223
Midcoast Railservice 59
New Hampshire Northcoast 1
Total 554
2022 Source: Association of American Railroads (AAR). Data represents most recent available annual reporting. AAR Logo

Moving Maine's Economy. Connecting Communities.

Paper production remains an important part of Maine’s economy and the Pine Tree State has made a priority of improving the capacity of the rail system to link paper producers to national and international markets.

Originating

Top Commodities Originating
Pulp & Paper 0.9M Tons | 11.4K Cars
Lumber & Wood Products 0.3M Tons | 3.1K Cars
Stone, Clay & Glass Products 0.2M Tons | 2.3K Cars
Waste & Scrap 0.1M Tons | 1.2K Cars
Intermodal N/A Tons | 1.4K Cars
Other 0.5M Tons | 9.3K Cars
28.7K Total Cars
2M Total Tons

Received

Top Commodities Received / Terminated
Petroleum Products 0.5M Tons | 6.7K Cars
Chemicals 0.3M Tons | 3K Cars
Stone, Clay & Glass Products 0.2M Tons | 2.4K Cars
Pulp & Paper 0.2M Tons | 2.7K Cars
Food Products 0.1M Tons | 1K Cars
Other 0.4M Tons | 7.2K Cars
23K Total Cars
1.7M Total Tons
MAINE'S

State Grants

Industrial Rail Access Program

Rail
MAINE'S

Rail Heritage

Wooden rails laid over log ties carried Maine’s first trains, and horses pulled them before steam locomotives arrived. The Bangor, Oldtown and Milford Railroad, chartered in 1833 and opened in 1836, struggled financially in its early years, but the railroads that followed it went on to connect Maine’s timber country and Aroostook County’s potato farms to markets across New England. That combination of forest and farmland shipped by rail became central to Maine’s economy, and it remains so today, with freight railroads still carrying paper, wood products, and agricultural goods out of the state’s rural interior.

Maine Outline

Join the movement in support of freight rail in your state and across North America.

Why Freight Rail Matters

Supports Manufacturing Icon

Supports Manufacturing

Rail connects manufacturers with suppliers and customers across North America, efficiently moving raw materials and finished goods.

Strengthens Agriculture Icon

Strengthens Agriculture

Rail helps move crops, forest products, fertilizers and other agricultural goods efficiently and affordably.

Reduces Congestion Icon

Reduces Congestion

Moving freight by rail removes trucks from highways, helping reduce traffic and wear on road infrastructure.

Protects the Environment Icon

Protects the Environment

Freight rail is significantly more fuel efficient than moving freight by truck, helping reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Rail at Work

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Safety

FRA Data Shows Major Rail Safety Gains in 2025

Washington, D.C. – New data from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) shows 2025 was a historic year for freight rail safety. Accident and injury rates…

Policy Issues

Rail Policy Landscape in the 117th Congress

Washington, D.C. — As the 117th Congress dives into its work—and committee assignments and leadership roles have been finalized—we now know more about the key…

Economic Impact

Three Reasons to Love America’s Freight Trains

Washington, D.C. — The allure of railroading in America is undeniable. It’s an intrinsic part of our nation’s history and identity—steel wheels on steel rail…

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44 percent
decrease
in rail rates on average from 1981 to today.

That means the average rail customer today can ship significantly more freight for about the same price they paid 40 years ago. 

Featured Rail Supply Companies

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