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Tuesday 9:30am - 6pm Wednesday 9:30am - 6pm Thursday 9:30am - 6pm Friday 9:30am - 8pm Saturday 9:30am - 8pm Sunday 9:30am - 6pm

Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum

Name: Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum
Address: 65 Thames Street, Portland, ME, 04101, US
Telephone: +12078280814
Price range: $
Rating: 4.7

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Portland, ME
Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum

Family-friendly scenic train rides year-round! We are history in motion. All aboard! Welcome to the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad! No two trips are the same!
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Our narrow gauge train offers BIG fun for the family! Enjoy a scenic, delightful 3-mile roundtrip train ride along Portland, Maine's Eastern Promenade. Take in the sights along Casco Bay as you ride on comfortable, historic coaches and equipment from the storied two-foot narrow gauge railroads of Maine's past, as well as modern lovingly-made replica recreations. Our trains are pulled by an authent

ic steam locomotive or a small and mighty diesel locomotive! Visit often for special events like children's ice cream trains or the magical Polar Express, offered during the holiday season. Make lifetime memories with your whole family with an affordable, exciting visit to our railroad. Get tickets at our train station at 49 Thames Street in Portland or online at etix.com/ticket/v/15878/maine-narrow-gauge-railroad! Gift shop and restrooms are available in the station. Charters, weddings, and tour groups WELCOME aboard our handicap-accessible railroad. Memberships are available and entitle you to special perks! Become a member today and play a part in keeping our "rolling museum" in downtown Portland, as well as help preserve the legacy of Maine's historic two-foot gauge railroads. Your journey into the past begins here. Find out more at MaineNarrowGauge.org.

08/28/2026

Don't miss special event trains at Maine Narrow Gauge!

- Ice Cream Trains depart Friday, August 28 and Friday, September 4 at 6pm & 7pm. Free ice cream treat with each ticket!

- Sunset Expresses depart Saturday, August 29 and Saturday, September 5 at 6pm & 7pm. Free beverage with each ticket!

- Pumpkin Trains will run October 17 & 18 and October 24 & 25. Take the train to our Pumpkin Patch and bring home a free pumpkin with your ticket.

- The POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride runs select dates in November and December. Don't miss this magical train ride, filled with colorful costumed characters, "hot, hot chocolate" and snickerdoodle cookies, a brief visit from Santa, and the first gift of Christmas.

Get advance tickets and rider info at MaineNarrowGauge.org.

Photos courtesy of Darleen Frances / The Model Photographer

08/27/2026

If you've visited Portland lately, you've heard a new air whistle on Diesel #1!

Maine Narrow Gauge recently installed a brand-new Kahlenberg 119 AMV air whistle on #1. The new whistle provides a distinctive, powerful tone while still being pleasant to hear for our neighbors and guests.

When bigger sound is needed, we use #1's Nathan 3-chime air horn.

Get a preview of #1's new whistle in action! Watch as Engineer David O. sounds three blasts of the whistle to indicate departure, followed by whistling for the two crossings next to our station in Portland.

08/22/2026

Coastal views included with every ticket at Maine Narrow Gauge!

Take in summertime scenery at Maine Narrow Gauge before the leaves start turning soon. As the narrow gauge train rolls along Casco Bay, you and your party will be treated to views of busy marinas, lighthouses, old forts, a beach, waterfront parks, and the Calendar Islands of Casco Bay.

Whether you're joining us during the greenery of summer, or the vivid colors of fall, or you'll be whisked away on a nighttime ride to the North Pole on the Polar Express™ Train Ride, our train ride is filled with scenic beauty!

Get tickets and visitor info at MaineNarrowGauge.org.

Photos by Darleen Frances / The Model Photographer.

08/20/2026

If you've visited Maine Narrow Gauge, you've ridden in or seen Combine #12, called "Katahdin," our First Class passenger car.

Combine #12 is a reproduction train car, built by the Edaville Railroad in 1958. It was built in the style of a Billmeyer & Small car that was constructed for the Phillips & Rangeley Railroad in the 1880s.

A "combine" car in railroad terminology means a train car that carries a combination of freight and passengers. Historic railroads used combine cars like #12 to maximize efficiency when there weren't enough passengers or freight on a given train to require having their own dedicated cars. Passengers would sit on one end of the car, with a separate space on the opposite end reserved for loading freight through wide sliding doorways.

Combine #12 doesn't carry any freight for Maine Narrow Gauge, but its wide sliding doorway is modeled to welcome guests with wheelchairs, with room for up to four wheelchairs onboard. Because #12 is our most ADA-accessible car, and it contains the controls for the train's onboard power and audio systems, it is on the train for every Maine Narrow Gauge departure.

Combine #12 has received a number of upgrades over its lifetime. The car was most recently completely renovated in 2023 by our extraordinary in-house Restoration Shop. The Restoration Shop team rebuilt the car from the frame up, giving it elegant arched windows, batten siding, a new roof, refreshed beautiful interior woodworking (inspired by the interior woodwork of the Bridgton & S**o River Railroad 1883-built coach "Pondicherry"), as well as revamped lighting, electric, and sound systems.

Combine #12 emerged from the Shop in 2023 bearing the name "Katahdin," named for the tallest and mightiest mountain in Maine. It is a beloved piece in our collection and still fulfills its purpose of welcoming guests in comfort and style on our narrow gauge train ride.

If you've ridden in #12, let us know in the comments! Our thanks to our passengers, supporters, the Restoration Shop team, and our train crews for all helping be part of this car's special history.

Photos courtesy of Darleen Frances / The Model Photographer, Jonathan Higgins, and Maine Narrow Gauge's photo archives.

08/17/2026

Waiting to make your Christmas plans? Get ahead of the holiday rush and reserve your spot today on THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride at Maine Narrow Gauge!

This year's train runs on select dates in November and December. You and your party will get to experience:
🔔 A roundtrip train ride from Portland, Maine to the North Pole
🔔 Interactions with friendly costumed characters
🔔 A retelling of the timeless "Polar Express" story
🔔 "Hot, hot chocolate!" and a delicious locally-sourced cookie
🔔 A brief interaction with Santa
🔔 The first gift of Christmas

Upgrade your experience! First Class passengers get a reserved, padded seat in a historic train car and a limited-edition collectible ceramic mug . Presidential Class passengers get these same benefits, plus seating in the most elegant car on the train, as well as a copy of the "Polar Express" book that has been autographed by Santa (limit 1 copy per 4 guests).

Book now before tickets sell out: visit MaineNarrowGauge.org or call the eTix box office at 800-514-3849.

Photos courtesy of Darleen Frances / The Model Photographer

08/15/2026

August 15 is ! We believe the best way to relax is to take a seat on a charming narrow gauge train, let us do the driving, and enjoy a narrated sightseeing tour of Portland's beautiful waterfront.

Join us for train rides at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm. Each roundtrip train ride lasts 40 minutes. Trains depart from our station near Portland's Ocean Gateway at 65 Thames Street, Portland, Maine 04101. Get advance tickets at MaineNarrowGauge.org.

All aboard for a relaxing outing on the rails!

08/14/2026

Appreciation post for Caboose #553!

Maine Narrow Gauge's classic red caboose is a fixture on every train that we operate. It has room for 30 guests, plus prime seating for 4 in the iconic rooftop cupola.

#553 is the most historic traincar that is used on our daily train ride. The Sandy River Railroad built this caboose in 1904 from hardware salvaged from Phillips & Rangeley Coach #3, which was destroyed by a fire at Green's Farm earlier that year. The Sandy River numbered the caboose to become #12. Longer than any other caboose on the Sandy River line, it was used as a waycar-caboose and spent most of its time on the Phillips & Rangeley Railroad.

After the merger that created the Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad, #12 became #553. After it was retired from rail service it was used as a bunkhouse in Phillips. Eventually, it was briefly moved to Presque Isle.

The Edaville Railroad in Massachusetts purchased the caboose in 1977 and returned it to rail service for the first time in decades. At Edaville, the interior layout was modified for tourist passenger service. Following Edaville's first closure, #553 was one of the Edaville cabooses that was moved to Portland in September 1993 to form the inaugural Maine Narrow Gauge collection. It was last restored in 2000.

Today, the caboose is a beloved part of our railroad. It brings up the tail end of every outbound trip, and it leads the "shove" when the train returns inbound. Our team has fitted the caboose with a working headlight, horn, and e-bell for safety. The caboose is a remarkable example of turn-of-the-century narrow gauge railroading that has been adapted for service today, still rolling proudly 122 years after it was built!

08/10/2026

Visiting Maine later this year? Don't miss one-of-a-kind special events, only at Maine Narrow Gauge!

Friday nights from now through September 4: Ice Cream Trains every Friday evening at 6pm & 7pm. All tickets include a FREE ice cream treat!

Saturday nights from now through September 5: The Sunset Express runs every Saturday evening at 6pm & 7pm. FREE beverage with each ticket! Family-friendly and 21+ options available.

October 17, 18, 24, & 25: Pumpkin Trains along the waterfront. Enjoy the historic train ride and take home a FREE pumpkin from our Pumpkin Patch.

November 20 through December 28 (select dates): The magical THE POLAR EXPRESS™ returns to Portland. Don't miss the illuminated train, hot chocolate and cookies served aboard the train, interactions with costumed characters, a train ride to the North Pole and back, and a visit from Santa himself.

Reserve your spot and find pre-arrival information at MaineNarrowGauge.org. Allll aboard for family-friendly FUN in Portland!

08/07/2026

We can't wait to welcome you aboard one of New England's most scenic train rides!

The narrow gauge train ride in Portland offers something for any age and interest. Whether you're bringing the family for an entertaining afternoon out, or exploring Maine's history with a group, or indulging your own inner railfan, we hope to welcome you to Maine Narrow Gauge again and again!

📸: Darleen Frances / The Model Photographer

08/05/2026

Have you reserved your spot on this year's THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride?

Every Polar guest gets the classic Polar experience, including:
- Roundtrip train ride from Portland, ME to the North Pole
- Interactions with friendly costumed characters
- Included snickerdoodle cookie and cup of "hot, hot chocolate,"
- Golden ticket valid for travel to the North Pole
- A brief visit from Santa
- The first gift of Christmas, compliments of Mr. C: a silver sleigh bell

First Class and Presidential Class passengers also get a complimentary limited-edition ceramic mug, plus reserved seats in a premium train car.

Book your trip today before this year's event sells out! Get tickets and train ride info at MaineNarrowGauge.org/polarexpress.

📸: Lizz Lemon

Address

65 Thames Street
Portland, ME
04101

Opening Hours

Tuesday	9:30am - 6pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 6pm
Thursday	9:30am - 6pm
Friday	9:30am - 8pm
Saturday	9:30am - 8pm
Sunday	9:30am - 6pm

Telephone

+12078280814

Website

http://www.mainenarrowgauge.org/

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