Rockland rail company adds management team Official says aim is to spur jobs, expand services

ROCKLAND – Maine Eastern Railroad of Rockland is making a series of personnel moves that will lead to more jobs and better rail service in the state, says the company’s top official.

Gordon Fuller, executive vice president and chief operating officer, said Wednesday that he is creating a new management team for the betterment of the company. The personnel changes will take effect immediately, Fuller added.

The new team will consist of Gordon Page of Owls Head, who has been promoted to the position of vice president of Maine Eastern Railroad, and Dennis Mohn of Old Orchard Beach, who has joined the company as general manager and vice president of operations.

Page joined the company in 2006 and has been “instrumental in the growth and success of the company’s effort to build passenger rail service in the state,” Fuller said. He will continue to be based at the railroad’s administrative offices at the train depot on Union Street in Rockland. He will be involved in government affairs and commercial business development, while continuing to oversee passenger services and marketing.

Mohn has more than 30 years of experience in the railroad industry, Fuller said. He will be responsible for the operation of the company transportation, mechanical, maintenance of way, safety and training and be involved in government affairs and commercial business development.

Mohn worked most recently as superintendent of the Eastern Division for Pan Am Railway, where he was responsible for operations in Maine and portions of New Hampshire. He will be based at the newly restored railroad station on Commercial Street in Bath.

“We are looking at expanding our service in Maine,” Fuller said. “We are anticipating more work in Brunswick.”

Although Brunswick has no railroad station now, developers are looking into building a “Maine Street Station” that would include a train depot, hotel and retail complex, Fuller said.

The railroad offers year-round freight rail service to the nation and Canada, and a passenger rail excursion service between Rockland and Brunswick. The railroad handles freight for local companies Dragon Products, O’Hara Corp. and FMC Corp., Fuller said.

“We are looking at putting more work in our diesel shop,” he said, adding that the diesel work also could lead to more jobs.

Page said he thought the personnel changes signal that Maine Eastern Railroad is serious about what it’s doing in the state.

Noting a concern expressed by residents of the neighborhood near the Union Street station about diesel fumes, Page said the Maine Department of Environmental Protection had just ruled on the issue.

“The DEP says there is no problem,” Page said. “We have a report today from the DEP’s Bureau of Air Quality, Division of Field Services, which has been doing emissions testing this week,” he added. “We came through with flying colors.”