The idea of the European and North American Railway was conceived in 1850, with the specific purpose of linking Portland, Maine, with Halifax, Nova Scotia, to connect with incoming European ships.  Although this line was not built as initially conceived, the State of Maine and Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia went ahead and constructed portions of the proposed railway line.  The New Brunswick and Nova Scotia portions are listed below:

    •    Richmond to Truro; constructed between
         1854-1858
    •    Saint John to Shediac; completed 1860
    •    Fredericton Branch - Hartt’s Mills to
          Fredericton; completed 1869
    •    Western Extension - South Bay to
          McAdam and St. Croix;
          completed 1869
    •    Eastern Extension -  Moncton to Truro;
          completed 1870

The Western extension of the line between New Brunswick and Maine was contracted out to a company headed up by William Parks.  John A. Poor was Parks’ counterpart in the American company in Maine.  The New Brunswick line was eventually connected to the Vanceboro-Bangor line in Maine, in 1871.

On 09 November 1872 the Intercolonial Railway took over the European and North American Railway, and extended it north from Moncton to Rivière du Loup in Quebec.  The line was completed in 1876.

---

Document Maintained by:
UNB Archives
Contact Website Administrator
Last Update:  2004/03/31