MAINE CENTRAL
DAIRY, HEATER, PRODUCE, & REFRIGERATOR CARS, 1901-1938
Introduction
The Maine Central Railroad served a region that included areas of valuable agricultural production, and as the railroad entered the 20th century, management found themselves in need of specialized rolling stock to handle that originating traffic. In addition to 13 cars on the roster in 1901, the MEC would add another 1136 insulated cars to its fleet from 1902 to 1923. Included among such freight cargoes were: apples, butter, cream, and potatoes. As demand for additional fluid milk continued to climb, subsequent decades also found increasing need for milk can cars, and the railroad would acquire and convert insulated cars for such traffic capable of being handled in passenger trains. In that service, the milk cars were seen traveling to southern New England cities such as Boston, MA, and Providence, RI. The dairy industry's increasing move to bulk milk tank cars from the late 1920's, however, would in turn reduce the need for can cars. Consequently, many cars would be retired early or converted for other, more general use.
JUST BEGUN...
Click for .pdf file
MEC 1444 (2nd,) unk date (1926-1937,) cropped from larger image, David G. Larrabee collection, click for full image
MEC 1475, SSC photo, 1908
MEC 1526, SSC photo 1039, 1923, courtesy Keith Retterer, click for full size
MEC 1532, SSC 1923, courtesy Allan Houghton, click for full size
The MEC's Eastman Heater cars have a separate webpage HERE.
MEC 65255, ca 1910, click for full size
MEC 65545, Laconia Car Co photo, 1912, Wayne Gebhardt collection, click for full size
Posted 3/29/25. Maintained by Earl Tuson