Happy Motherts Day

Mother’s Day ride launches railroad’s 8th season

Maine Eastern Railroad conductor Henry Groth shares a story with Lena Page aboard the annual Mother’s Day Train a few years ago. This year’s annual Mother’s Day excursion will depart from Rockland at 10 a.m. Sunday. (Courtesy of Maine Eastern Railroad)

Published:

Monday, May 2, 2011 2:09 PM EDT

 

BRUNSWICK — The annual Mother’s Day ride aboard Maine Eastern Railroad on Sunday will launch the eighth season of excursion service along the 57-mile stretch of tracks between Rockland and Brunswick.

The Mother’s Day train will depart from Rockland at 10 a.m. Sunday, with stops in Wiscasset and Bath. Mothers ride for half price on Sunday.

Regular weekend round-trip service will begin May 28-29, when the Alewives Special will make special stops on those dates in both directions at Damariscotta Mills to deliver passengers to the annual Fish Ladder Restoration Festival during the Memorial Day weekend.

Five-day service will begin June 29, with two round trips per day, Wednesday through Saturday, and one round trip on Sunday.  There will be no train service on July 4.

The railroad will also make special stops in Newcastle for three events this season. The first will be the annual Damariscotta Pirate Rendezvous, when Maine Eastern will run the Eye Patch Express on June 11; then the Oyster Shell Special for the annual Pemaquid Oyster Festival held in Damariscotta on Sept. 25; and the Pumpkin Patch Special during the Great Pumpkin Festival and Regatta on Oct. 8 and 9.

These special stops in Newcastle and Damariscotta Mills are planned specifically for the unique events on those weekends, while regular service for the rest of the season will be the usual destination and starting points of Rockland, Wiscasset, Bath and Brunswick.

The railroad also will make an additional special stop in Brunswick, directly across the road from the main entrance to the Brunswick Executive Airport for the Aug. 27 Great State of Maine Airshow and Aviation Expo.