The Old Somerset Railroad [Paperback]

Walter Macdougall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2000

Born in 1872, the dream of the Somerset Railroad was to link the Maine coast with Canadian businesses. Never finished, it carried people and goods and is an unforgettable part of Maine's history.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Walter Macdougall is a retired college professor living in Maine

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Down East Books; First Edition edition (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892724927
• ISBN-13: 978-0892724925
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,706,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superbly written, magnificently presented railroad history., September 5, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Old Somerset Railroad (Paperback)

Begun in 1872, the Somerset Railroad linked the Maine coast with Canadian businesses. For fifty-six years it carried people and goods from the north woods around Moosehead Lake to Southern Maine and New England. A legend in the annals of northeastern railroading, Walter Macdoughall's illuminative history, The Old Somerset Railroad: A Lifeline For Northern Mainers, employs and easy-reading anecdotal style as he surveys the railroad's construction, rolling stock, employees, and the ways in which the lives of the people living along the tracks became interwoven with this remarkable railroad. The Old Somerset Railroad is a superbly written and presented contribution to any personal, academic, or community library collection railroading histories.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great History, Not Great Literature, December 1, 2009

By 

GBud (Acton, MA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Old Somerset Railroad (Paperback)

I have an interest in Somerset County history, and especially in the route of the rail line since I travel it a good bit. (I have a camp on Lake Moxie, and the road in is the old Somerset Railroad rail bed.) Being familiar with many of the areas the writer talks about is what makes the book fun for me, but I'm not fond of his writing style. It's rather dry and jumps about---I'm often confused by his changing subjects when I think he's continuing a story. He just doesn't transition well from one point to another; he doesn't seem to know how to wrap up a subject or tale.

I recommend the book because of its historical value, and if you happen to drive the Old Canada Road (Rt. 201) between Fairfield, Maine, and The Forks, or know Deadwater Road between Bingham and Moxie and on up to Indian Pond or Rockwood on Moosehead, then this is fascinating stuff.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Past Is Brought To Life, July 20, 2003

By 

Roland J Nadeau Jr (Southwest Ranches, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Old Somerset Railroad (Paperback)

I read this book after my father, who lived in Somerset during his childhood, gave me the book as a gift and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My dad rode the Old Somerset Railroad regularly as a boy and Mr. Macdougall's anecdotes and stories, documenting the history of the railroad in northern Maine, put into perspective for me what it must have been like for my father to grow up in those times. Thank you Mr. Macdougall - I found your work both fascinating and informative.