TransloadX Seeks To Revive Dormant Bucksport Branch In Maine

Published: March 26, 2026

A New Hampshire-based logistics firm is moving forward with plans to restore freight rail service on a long-idle branch line in eastern Maine, a development that could reshape industrial transportation options along the Penobscot River corridor.

TransloadX has formally filed with the Surface Transportation Board to lease and operate approximately 19.3 miles of railroad between Bangor and Bucksport. The Bucksport Branch was formerly a component of the Maine Central system prior to its acquisition by Guilford and later Pan Am Railways. The line is currently owned by CSX Transportation, which acquired it as part of its 2022 purchase of Pan Am.

Maine Central SW9 #335 and SW7 #333 are entering the Bangor, Maine yard under the care of the crossing watchman on June 21, 1978. Doug Kroll photo.

A Long-Dormant Industrial Corridor

The Bucksport Branch has been largely inactive since 2014, when the closure of the Verso Paper mill—its primary customer—eliminated most rail traffic on the line. Since then, only limited movements, such as hauling contaminated soil from nearby industrial sites, have occurred.

Historically, the route dates to the 1870s and served as a key industrial artery linking Bangor to waterfront facilities in Bucksport, including paper mills and marine terminals along the Penobscot River. Today, portions of the line are in poor condition, with missing rail segments and washouts reported in some areas, underscoring the scale of investment required to restore full service.

An excerpt from Maine Central's 1940 timetable featuring the Bucksport Branch, which then still provided passenger service along the line.

TransloadX Proposal and Business Model

TransloadX, which operates logistics and transloading services in New England—including a facility in Framingham, Massachusetts—aims to reposition the line as a flexible, multimodal freight corridor.

According to company statements, the plan centers on:

Rehabilitating rail infrastructure where feasible
Introducing transloading operations to bridge gaps in rail service
Developing “last-mile” delivery solutions for customers not directly rail-served

“Our goal is to… rebuild rail infrastructure, attract new rail-served industries, and strengthen Maine’s industrial and logistics economy,” a company co-owner said in a statement.

If approved, TransloadX would operate the line as a Class III short line railroad, assuming common carrier obligations and actively marketing the corridor to new customers.

Economic Development Potential

The proposal coincides with renewed interest in Bucksport’s dormant industrial waterfront. Notably, a former oil terminal along the route is expected to change ownership, with potential redevelopment that could benefit from restored rail access.

Local and state officials have cautiously welcomed the concept. Maine’s freight logistics office has indicated that reopening inactive rail lines can enhance competition and provide more efficient transportation options for heavy commodities. However, a key challenge remains: the absence of anchor customers. CSX previously noted that reopening the line would require a diversified base of shippers to be financially viable.

Broader Expansion Plans

The Bucksport Branch is only part of TransloadX’s broader ambitions in Maine. The company is also pursuing a lease of another dormant CSX line between Augusta and Waterville, suggesting a regional strategy to revive underutilized rail corridors through targeted investment and logistics integration.

The initiative reflects a growing trend of smaller logistics providers stepping in to reactivate lightly used or abandoned rail infrastructure, particularly where transloading can offset the lack of traditional rail-served industries. TransloadX and CSX have already executed a letter of intent, with final lease terms expected to be completed in the near future. The proposal now awaits regulatory review and approval from the Surface Transportation Board.

If approved, the project could mark the first significant step toward restoring freight rail service to Bucksport in over a decade—potentially reopening a historic line while laying the groundwork for new industrial activity along Maine’s midcoast region.

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