Boston and Maine Train Engine

Downtown Lowell hosts an old Boston and Maine Train. It was the first major railroad to ever run through the state of Massachusetts. The Boston Manufacturing company founded by Francis Cabot Lowell was the first textile company in Massachusetts to invest in a railroad company to transport their goods. With the different season in New England, transportation of goods became a huge problem when there were excessive amounts of snow or rain, so that companies were late or could not deliver their goods to their costumers.

The first set of tracks was laid from  Boston to Lowell. It was constructed with a granite bed of rock as the base. However this made the tracks too firm so that the railroad cars would bounce around too much and jolt so that every night the train cars would need to be repaired. The Boston and Lowell Railroad Company decided to change the design of their railroad tracks, and they used wooden railroad ties so that they would not have to make as many repairs. 

The Boston and Lowell Company was very successful in the amount of goods that they transported, despite the troubles with the railroad tracks. However, they did not expect to be so popular among transportation for the public. They were. The profit from the people that they transported rivaled that of the goods that they transported. Thus the company created another railroad for transportation of the public in 1842. This railroad made 6 stops rather than the straight shot to Boston from Lowell or vice versa. The popularity of the company's transportation made them a highly competitive company.

With the company's success, the Boston and Maine Railroad was formed. It took a long time to construct this railroad, because it extended from Portland, Maine to Lowell, Massachusetts, where it would then use Boston and Lowell's railroad. With all the extra traffic the Boston and Lowell line became congested. In response, the Boston and Maine Railroad company made another line that went from Haverhill, MA, which was already a stop for the Boston and Maine Train, to Boston. With the loss of the Boston and Maine Railroad Company the Boston and Lowell Company began to loose business, especially since they were no longer renting the lines to Boston and Maine. Eventually, the Boston and Maine Railroad Company leased Boston and Lowell to save them from their crashing business. 

For quite awhile after the Boston and Maine Company leased the Boston and Lowell Company things were going well, and business was steady. However with the invention of the automobile and highways, the train were no longer a primary means of transportation for most people. Freight was also being brought around the country by truck. Boston and Maine's business began to decline. Eventually the commuter rail run by the MBTA sprung up. Boston and Maine trains were used for this but the MBTA bought the company. After sometime Boston and Maine Railroad Company went bankrupt and allowed the MBTA to use their own trains. However, the MBTA does still use some of the Boston and Maine Company's lines.

The Boston and Maine Train Engine in downtown Lowell, MA signifies a period of great success that was centered and operated out of Lowell.  The train is in front of Lowell's National Park to commemorate the success and importance of the companies to Lowell's success during the industrial revolution, and later years. Also, it serves as a reminder that Lowell was one of the first city in Massachusetts, and for that matter in America, to have a railroad. Their innovation in creating the line from Lowell to Boston was key to the success of many textile companies in the Lowell area during the Industrial Revolution. Now since the train that run through Lowell are mostly passenger based, the Boston and Maine Train is a great way to remember the significance that the Boston and Maine and the Boston and Lowell Railroad Companies played in the Industrial Revolution and the start of railroads in America.