The Flying Yankee returns...

I was reading the Boston Globe this morning and came across an interesting article on the restoration project of the famed Flying Yankee train. Introduced in 1935, at the height of the Great Depression, this Boston and Maine service gave New Englanders hope that times were changing. The train boasted exceptionally quiet service, due to the use of electric/diesel power and cushioned underframes, as well as recessed lighting and many other luxuries. The train operated routes between Boston and NYC and the Maine cities of Portland and Bangor through the 1950s (for daily routes reaching 750 miles!). It was then stored at a railroad museum, where the exterior was gradually dismantled by vandals and the interior rotted.

The train was purchased in 1993, and work has been underway for the past 10 years to restore the train to its former glory. The job is expected to be completed in July 2009, and plans exist to have the train operate excursion routes in New Hampshire.

The original globe article can be found here. The Flying Yankee Restoration Group has a nice website that allows visitors to view photos of the train in the past and present, as well as read up on the progress of the project.