Annual Touch-A-Train Event April 12th

Rockland, Maine - The Maine Eastern Railroad has partnered with the non-profit New England Steam Corporation to offer a public Touch-a-Train open house event on Saturday, April 12, 2014, as a fundraiser for the restoration of Maine Central steam locomotive #470.

The event will take place at the Rockland train station (4 Union Street, Rockland, ME 04841) and will be open to the public from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The Touch-A-Train event will be a rare opportunity for the public to explore the equipment of an operating railroad. The event is family-oriented, and children are encouraged to come and enjoy the sights and sounds of American railroading. Visitors may climb aboard and explore the cab of an FL9 passenger diesel locomotive (built in 1957), recline in the comfortable seats of a 1940s Maine Eastern passenger coach, and learn about railroad snow removal operations while standing inside the Maine Eastern’s 1946-vintage snowplow. Volunteers from New England Steam Corporation will be aboard the equipment to share its history and answer any questions.

The railroad’s dining car will also be on site, with a variety of hands-on exhibits inside from the New England Steam Corporation, Maine Operation Lifesaver, the Boothbay Railway Village, and the Wiscasset, Waterville & Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum.

Admission to the Touch-A-Train event at the Rockland station will be free. However, the nonprofit
New England Steam Corporation will be collecting donations towards the restoration of Maine Central steam locomotive #470, which is currently on display in Waterville, ME. Any and all donations, no matter how small, can make a difference in the speed and success of #470’s restoration. Darling’s Auto Group will also have an ice cream truck on site, with the proceeds of all sales also going to New England Steam Corporation.

The Maine Eastern’s Touch-A-Train event coincides with the Maine Rail Group’s first annual “Train Day,” being held on the same date at the nearby Owls Head Transportation Museum from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Visitors, families, and rail enthusiasts are encouraged to visit both events and experience all aspects of Maine railroading.

For more information about the New England Steam Corporation and its mission to revitalize #470 and steam railroading in Maine, please visit www.newenglandsteam.org or contact the organization at newenglandsteamcorp@gmail.com.