Maine Central Railroad Passenger Equipment

This is not complete, but this version covers most of the MEC's post-WWII passenger fleet

• Roster of Maine Central Passenger Equipment
• Maine Central Pullman-Standard Lightweights
• Maine Central Heavyweight Parlors

This compilation was begun from the January 1951 Official Register of Passenger Train Equipment, with car types obtained from Wayner's Pullman Co. List of Cars - 1950 and built dates checked against Wayner's Pullman Panorama. It has been expanded with information from Kratville's Passenger Car Catalog and John Hay of Philadelphia, PA.

The Maine Central was never a particularly passenger-oriented railroad, particularly after World War I. Service on most branches declined rapidly as roads improved and automobiles became more common. The only services commanding much prestige were the Boston - Bangor expresses operated jointly with the Boston & Maine and the summer-only all-Pullman Bar Harbor Express. Accordingly, with a few exceptions, MEC steel passenger eqipment was originally purchased for joint operation with the B&M and eventually downgraded and reassigned to other runs as it was replaced by newer cars.

Between 1933 and 1955, a "joint management" agreement with the Boston & Maine was in effect. Paint schemes and most new equipment purchases were co-ordinated with the B&M. Thus, the Pullman-Standard 1947 lightweights were built to the same plans as the B&M's, and had maroon window panels. In 1955, a new green paint scheme was developed, but not many cars received it.

Maine Central Passenger Equipment

Maine Central Pullman-Standard Lightweights

Maine Central Heavyweight Parlor Cars

Wayner's Passenger Car Catalog hints that these were from lot 4493, the same as the B&M's three Plan 2417D cars. As with the B&M's parlors, they don't appear to have been operated by Pullman under contract in the post-WWII era.

Maintained by James VanBokkelen.