05/20/2026
Portland-area friends, we need your help.
Maine Narrow Gauge has recently experienced a troubling increase in overnight vandalism at our railroad in Portland's East End. In just the past week, our crews have arrived in the early mornings to discover:
• Spray paint on the historic railcars and critical railroad infrastructure
• The protective shrink-wrap that covers our train cars was slashed open on every car
• Break-ins into our historic collection (which damages the entryways to the train cars)
• Damage to train car windows
• Signs for pedestrian safety have been repeatedly stolen, and continue to be stolen
• A protective barrier at our scenic overlook has been completely destroyed
• Electric and audio cables that connect between the train cars have been stolen
• Graffiti across railroad property and visitor areas
These incidents occur late at night, despite our many efforts to secure and protect our site and equipment.
As a small independent educational non-profit museum, we are forced to address these issues with very limited support, even from the City of Portland.
Although we have voiced our concerns to local authorities, we continue to have to fend for ourselves against vandalism. Every repair, cleanup, replacement item, and security measure takes much-needed time and funding away from our other programming.
Our volunteers and staff work incredibly hard to maintain this unique waterfront experience, and it is discouraging to repeatedly see that work damaged overnight.
We try to showcase the best of Portland for our 75,000 annual visitors, but these recent developments have been troubling for the railroad's long-term viability on the waterfront.
If you are in the area during late evening or early morning hours and witness suspicious activity around the railroad, the tracks, or the train cars, we encourage you to contact local authorities immediately. Awareness from our concerned neighbors and local vigilance can make a real difference. Please work alongside us to deter and report vandalism that affects our ability to do business in Portland.
We remain committed to preserving and operating our railroad for our community and visitors, and we are grateful for the continued support so many of you show us every day.
