The Monson Narrow Gauge railroad was only one of several narrow gauge operations in the late 1800 and early 1900's throughout Maine but it was the last to cease operations, running until 1943. It began operations with the soul purpose of transporting slate from the quarries to the larger gauge train which ran through Abbot Village.

In this photograph, large crates of slate are being unloaded from the flat bed of the train at the Bangor & Aroostook station at Monson Junction in Abbot. Monson slate was prized for it's black color and was shipped throughout the United States and Canada.

Passenger service was added shortly after the Railroad Company beginnings in the spring of 1883, this enabled Monson residents to enter into the tourist market, making Monson accessible to easy travel throughout the United States.