Cumberland County, Maine - Payson Tucker
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Biography
Payson Tucker
Biographical Review
Cumberland County, Maine
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1896
Page 344


Payson Tucker, was born in Lowell, Mass., on February 14, 1840. He began his
railroad career on November 14, 1853, at Portland, as clerk in the
Superintendent's and Treasurer's office of the Portland, Saco & Portsmouth
Railroad, a position which he held until 1860. From 1860 to 1870 he was general
ticket agent and paymaster, and from 1870 to 1872 passenger conductor on the
same road. From 1872 to 1875 he was general agent of the Boston & Maine Railroad
at Portland. In 1875 he was called to the Maine Central Railroad, of which
Governor Coburn was then President. From 1875 to 1880 he was superintendent,
from 1880 to 1882 general superintendent; and from 1882 to the present time he
has been Vice-President and General Manager. In 1889 be was elected a Director
of the Maine Central, and has been re-elected at every annual meeting since.

>From January 1, 1883, to December 16, 1885, Mr. Tucker was General Manager of
the Eastern Railroad. From November to, 1891, to November 8, 1893, he was a
Director and General Manager of the Phillips & Rangeley Railroad. He has been
General Manager of the Portland, Mount Desert & Machias Steamboat Company since
1884, when the Maine Central acquired control of that property. He was one of
the promoters of the building of the Portland Union Station, and has always been
a Director in that company. He was also one of the foremost projectors of the
cantilever bridge at St. John, N. B.

When Mr. Tucker assumed charge of the Maine Central, it had a mileage of three
hundred and fifty-seven miles and gross receipts of less than one million six
hundred thousand dollars. Today it has a mileage of over eight hundred and
twenty miles, to say nothing of two hundred miles of steamer lines, and gross
receipts of over five million dollars. As superintendent he introduced many
valuable train rules which have been generally adopted; and as General Manager
be gave the first tests to many valuable improvements in track material and
equipment, the Maine Central being the first railroad to adopt the well known
Sewall system of steam heating for cars. In 1884 he personally superintended the
building of the Bar Harbor Branch, and in 1889 the extension of the Mountain
Division from Fabyan's to Scott's Junction.