Ghost Trains of the Allagash: Abandoned Locomotives in Maine

Deep in the North Maine Woods, miles from the nearest paved road or town, two massive steam locomotives sit rusting in a clearing. They haven’t moved since 1933. Trees have grown up through their wheels, and the forest is slowly reclaiming the tracks they sit on.

These are the “Ghost Trains” of the Eagle Lake & West Branch Railroad—a surreal industrial relic in the middle of the wilderness and one of Maine’s most unique hiking destinations.

The History

In the 1920s, the Great Northern Paper Company needed a way to move thousands of cords of pulpwood from the Eagle Lake watershed to the Penobscot River for the drive down to their mills in Millinocket. The solution? A 13-mile railroad built in the middle of nowhere.

The two locomotives—Number 1 and Number 2—were hauled in pieces over frozen lakes and ice roads during the winter of 1926-27. For six years, they hauled massive loads of wood across the “Umbezookskus and Eagle Lake” tramway.

When the Depression hit and technology changed, the operation was abandoned. The trains were driven into a shed, the doors were locked, and the workers walked away. In the 1960s, the shed burned down, leaving the engines exposed to the elements. They have stood there ever since.

The Locomotives

Number 1: A 4-6-0 steam locomotive built by Schenectady Locomotive Works in 1897. It was originally a passenger train engine.
Number 2: A 2-8-0 consolidation type built by the Brooks Locomotive Works in 1901. It was primarily a freight hauler.

Both engines are massive, imposing beasts of iron that look startlingly out of place against the backdrop of spruce and fir trees. You can climb into the cabs, see the boilers, and walk along the remaining tracks which stretch out into the lake.

Getting There

Reaching the Ghost Trains is an adventure in itself. It requires driving on active logging roads and a short hike.

The Drive

Start: Millinocket is the usual jumping-off point.
Gate: You will need to pass through the North Maine Woods checkpoint (likely the Telos or Six Mile Gate). There is a fee for entry (cash or check only usually).
Route: Follow the Golden Road to the Telos Road. You are heading toward the Chamberlain Bridge area.
Parking: Drive past the Chamberlain Bridge ranger station. Look for a small parking area on the right, just a few miles past the bridge. There is often a small sign indicating the “Eagle Lake Tramway” or “Trains.”

Warning: These are active logging roads. Logging trucks have the right of way—always. Drive slowly, keep right, and yield. A spare tire (full size) is highly recommended.

The Hike

The trail to the trains is relatively short and flat but can be muddy.

Distance: Approximately 1.5 - 2 miles round trip.
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate.
Terrain: Forest path, some boggy sections (boards are often laid down).
The Reveal: The trail emerges from the woods right at the clearing where the locomotives sit near the shore of Eagle Lake.

Planning Your Trip

Best Time: Late May through October. The roads are snowed in during winter (accessible only by snowmobile).
Fees: North Maine Woods day use and camping fees apply.
Facilities: There are no facilities at the site. The nearest outhouses are at campsites along the Telos Road.
Connectivity: There is zero cell service. Download maps offline (Google Maps or Gaia GPS) before you leave Millinocket.
What to Bring:
- Bug spray (the black flies and mosquitoes can be ferocious).
- Sturdy shoes/boots.
- Camera.
- Water and snacks.
- A map (Maine Gazetteer or specialized logging road map).

Nearby

Since you’ve made the long drive, check out:

Allagash Wilderness Waterway: The trains sit on the shore of Eagle Lake, part of this legendary waterway.
Chesuncook Lake Village: A historic village accessible only by boat or a long logging road drive.
Mount Katahdin: You’ll see great views of the mountain from the Golden Road on your way in or out.
Chamberlain Farm: Historic logging camp site along the waterway with interpretive signs.

The Photography Opportunity

The Ghost Trains are among Maine’s most photogenic industrial relics. The juxtaposition of massive iron machinery against the soft greens of the boreal forest creates images that feel almost surreal. A few tips:

Morning light: The clearing faces roughly east-southeast. Morning light illuminates the locomotives beautifully.
Wide and close: Bring both wide-angle lenses to capture the trains in context and telephoto or macro for details like rusted bolts, control panels, and vegetation reclaiming the machinery.
The tracks: Don’t forget to photograph the tracks extending into Eagle Lake—the rails disappearing into the water are hauntingly beautiful.

Why This Matters

The Ghost Trains represent a piece of Maine history that’s easy to overlook: Maine’s industrial heritage. Before tourism, before recreation, the North Woods were a vast engine of production. Millions of cords of wood traveled down these rivers and rails to feed paper mills that employed thousands. The trains sitting in this clearing are monuments to that era—and to its end.

When you stand beside these locomotives, you’re standing at the intersection of human ambition and nature’s patient reclamation. The forest is slowly winning. Trees grow through the wheels. Rust consumes the iron. In another century, there may be nothing left but foundations. For now, though, the Ghost Trains remain—silent witnesses to a chapter of Maine history that few visitors ever see.

The Ghost Trains are a poignant reminder of Maine’s industrial past, frozen in time. Standing next to these iron giants in the silence of the deep woods is an experience you won’t forget.

Respecting the Site

These locomotives are irreplaceable historical artifacts on public land. Please treat them with respect:

Don’t remove anything: Every bolt, every piece of glass, every fragment of rust is part of the historical record. Take only photographs.
Be careful climbing: The metal is old, rusted, and potentially sharp. Climb at your own risk and be gentle with the structure.
Pack out trash: Leave the site cleaner than you found it. This includes any litter you find from previous visitors.
Minimize impact: Stay on established trails and viewing areas to prevent erosion and vegetation damage.

The Experience

There’s something profound about standing in the cab of a locomotive that hasn’t moved since Franklin Roosevelt was president. The silence of the North Woods—broken only by wind, birdsong, and the occasional loon call from the lake—creates a contemplative atmosphere that’s hard to find in more accessible historical sites.

Many visitors describe an almost spiritual quality to the experience. Perhaps it’s the juxtaposition of human ambition and natural patience. Perhaps it’s simply being so far from the modern world, in a place that time seems to have forgotten. Whatever the source, the Ghost Trains tend to linger in memory long after the visit ends.

The remoteness is part of the appeal. You’ve driven hours on unpaved roads, dodged logging trucks, swatted black flies, and hiked through mud to reach this place. That effort creates investment in the experience and ensures you won’t be fighting crowds for photo opportunities. The Ghost Trains reward those willing to make the journey.

Planning an Extended Trip

The Ghost Trains work well as part of a larger North Woods adventure:

Weekend Itinerary:

Day 1: Drive to Millinocket, stay at a local lodge or campground
Day 2: Ghost Trains hike in morning, Chamberlain Lake exploration afternoon, overnight at a wilderness campsite
Day 3: Paddle the Allagash or drive to Baxter State Park for a day hike

Combining Attractions:

Katahdin and Baxter State Park are accessible from the same region
The Allagash Wilderness Waterway passes by the trains
Chesuncook Village offers historic context for North Woods life

The Preservation Question

The Ghost Trains present a conservation dilemma. These are significant historical artifacts deteriorating in an uncontrolled environment. Some argue they should be moved to a museum; others insist their power comes from their location. For now, they remain where they were abandoned nearly a century ago.

As a visitor, you’re witnessing something that won’t last forever. Rust continues consuming the iron. Trees grow larger each year. Eventually, nature will complete its reclamation. The trains you see today are less intact than they were a decade ago and more intact than they’ll be in another decade.

This impermanence is part of what makes visiting meaningful. You’re not seeing a restored exhibit in a climate-controlled building. You’re seeing history dissolving back into the landscape, a process that makes each visit unique and irreplaceable.

Final Thoughts

The Ghost Trains aren’t for everyone. The drive is long, the roads are rough, and the payoff is two rusting locomotives in a clearing. There are no gift shops, no interpretive centers, no amenities of any kind. But for those drawn to industrial history, wilderness adventure, or simply places that feel genuinely remote and untouched, the Ghost Trains deliver an experience unlike anything else in Maine—or anywhere else on the East Coast.