Sandy River RailRoad Baggageman Hat Badge

[John Meixel]

Hello, I am new to this forum and look forward to sharing with all of you.

I started a topic on the Narrow Gauge Discussion Forum and it was suggested that I also post it here.

Back in the late 70s early 80s my wife and I were following the route of the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes in Maine. In Farmington we met an antique dealer who sold me a hat badge that says "SRRR Baggageman." See attached picture. I am guessing that it is from the Sandy River RailRoad. Has anyone seen anything like it before. In all of my Maine two foot books I haven't see any SRRR hat badges. If I wanted to donate it to a museum which one would want it and treat it properly, i.e. put it on proper display and not sell it off?

He also sold me a single chime whistle supposedly off one of the SRRL engines. It isn't marked so there's no proof. I showed it to Bob Werner years ago and he thought it was from #15. I want to eventually donate it too unless one of my sons wants it. They're not "train nuts" like me!

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Philip Marshall]

Welcome, John.

As I said on NGDF, I haven't seen a badge like that before but I seen no reason to think it's not what it purports to be, especially if you acquired it in Farmington.

Do you have a picture of the whistle? I'm really curious to see what it looks like, and I wonder what Bob Werner's reason was for thinking it might have been from SR&RL No. 15 in particular if it's not marked.

Both pieces are very rare and deserve a good "forever" home, and I hope that you would consider donating them to the WW&F Railway Museum archive (which includes artifacts from all the Maine Two-Footers and not just the W&Q/WW&F).

-Philip Marshall

[John Meixel]

Philip, I will post a picture of the whistle.  Hopefully tomorrow.  They will go to a good home.

[John Meixel]

New whistle topic posted!