The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad (reporting mark BAR) was a United States railroad company that brought rail service to Aroostook County in northern Maine. Brightly painted BAR box cars attracted national attention in the 1950s. First-generation diesel locomotives operated on BAR until they were museum pieces. The economic downturn of the 1980s coupled with the departure of heavy industry from northern Maine forced the railroad to seek a buyer and end operations in 2003.
Though the BAR was a relatively minor player in the reefer trafficing, there are some interesting tidbits worth noting. I've learned through several former employees that a lot of the BAR traffic from Maine was routed west, then down the Delaware & Hudson (D&H) to their produce terminal at Wilkes-Barre, Pa. In fact, that was the route used by their notorius potatoes bound for Philadelphia. They interchanged from the D&H to the PRR at Harrisburg.
Roster
| Freight Equipment | |||
| No. | AAR Class | Type | Notes |
| @ 2099 |
In 1950, Bangor and Aroostook commissioned Magor Car Company to build 300 insulated heated plug-door boxcars for potato service. An additional 150 cars were ordered from Pacific Car & Foundry in 1953. The cars were equipped with ventilators and charcoal heaters. New Haven piggybacked an order of 100 cars with the PC&F lot and factory-decorated its cars in the State of Maine scheme to save money on the purchase. The cars carried potatos in the winter and paper products in the summer.
This car has been produced by Eastern Seaboard Models. |
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| 6000-6999 | RS | Purchased second hand from MDT in 1950 and had original build dates of 1926. Most were retired between 1955 and 1964. | |
Paint Schemes
| Known to be correct for 1950: | |
| Known to be correct for 1966: |  |
| Known to be correct for 1975: |  |