Vol. 18 No. 11  December 1988/January 1989 Safety - Priority #1   Centennial in Maine   Packard Brook Maine USA - The historic completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway line through the State of Maine 100 years ago was commemorated at a special ceremony here, 18 kilometres east of Brownville Juction.   On 10 Dec 1888, the last rail waslaid here to complete the railway line from Montreal to Saint John, N.B., providing the railway with direct access to a year-round port on the Atlantic Coast. It also enabled the railway to serve the heart of Central and Eastern Maine.   "Upon completion, the railway quickly became the lifeline for many pioneering loggers who seized the business opportunities that rail transportation brought to Central and Eastern Maine", said Fred Green, general manager of the Canadian Atlantic Railway.   "Little railway stations and water towers at places like Holeb, Skinner, and Lowelltown quickly flourished into small communities. Today, towns like Brownville, Vanceboro, and Greenville, among others, remain important railway points for us in Maine".   The ceremony was attended by 90 people, including senior officials from the state and local governments, as well as senior railway officers and historians.   Among them were:  Senator Charles Pray, Representative Robert Hussey, Dana Connors Commissioner of Transportation, Neil Arbo First Selectman of the Town of Brownville, Jerry Angier historian and author, Jim Boyd editor of Railfan Magazine, David Kruschwitz of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad, Dick Burnham of the Maine Central Railroad, and Ernie Phillips chairman of the United Transportation Union.   Four railwaymen also came out of retirement to take part in the ceremony. Roland Larabee and Gilfred Vickers donned their smart-looking conductor uniforms to greet the guests aboard a special train to the site while former section foremen Edward and Warren Brown delighted many aboard the train with their stories of the early days of railroading.   PROCLAMATION   Once at the site, a proclamation from Governor John R. McKernan Jr., declaring 10 December "Canadian Pacific Railway Day" in the State of Maine was presented by Commissioner Conners to Mr. Green.   Omer Lavallee Corporate Historian Emeritus, recounted his many trips to Maine on the railway's paycar. The state and the many people he met there over the years will always have a special place in his heart, he told the crowd.   Mr. Lavallee and Senator Pray then unveiled a plaque commemorating the completion of the line a century ago while Commissioner Connors and Mr. Green looked on.   Senator Pray and Commissioner Connors also drove in a few spikes when the laying of the last rail was re-enacted to conclude the ceremony.   "The completion of the line, I'm proud to say, began a century-long association between the railway and the State of Maine, an important relationship from which we both have prospered", Mr. Green said.   "As general manager of the Canadian Atlantic Railway, I will not only work hard to maintain this partnership, but I will make every effort to strengthen it even more".   The Canadian Atlantic Railway was created 1 Sep 1988 as a CP Rail business unit. It is structured to meet the needs of the unique, modal-competitive transportation marketplace in Maine and Atlantic Canada.                   This CP Rail News article is copyright 1989 by the Canadian Pacific Railway and is reprinted here with their permission. All photographs, logos, and trademarks are the property of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company.