Eastern Maine Railway (EMR) - operator of Maine Northern Railway - has completed an agreement to purchase the 28 mile line between Madawaska and Van Buren (known as the Van Buren Subdivision) from the Montreal Maine and Atlantic (MMA) Railway.  All regulatory approvals are in place and the transaction closed yesterday afternoon (June 10, 2013).  The purchase also includes acquisition of the international bridge that crosses into Canada to St. Leonard, with connections to the CN line.

“These 28 miles of track is a vital supply chain link for raw materials and finished products from large forest products manufacturers on both sides of the border,” said Wayne Power, Vice President of J.D. Irving Transportation and Logistics Division.  “This is a strategic investment in seamless, efficient rail service that will mean less freight transfer and the related savings in time and costs associated with direct service.”