W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
Worldwide Narrow Gauges => Massachusetts' Two Footers => Topic started by: Matthew Gustafson on January 04, 2009, 02:07:17 PM
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Are there any left that are still on the property? Ive look at their website but they posted no info on whats still there? ??? ::) :)
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Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh............
(Kudos on looking first then asking, ;) )
There MAY be some original coaches or freight cars there, but if so, it aint much.
I swear I remember seeing the answer to that here somewhere, but that info may have changed since it was first posted.
Anybody? (Beuler?)
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The only Maine equipment that's still at Edaville that I know of is SR&RL coach 21.
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I'm sure there are some trucks and wheels etc. there that came from the SR&RL, B&SR and the WW&F. Used to build the equipment that was made by the Edaville shops.
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Here's SR&RL #21 at Edaville in 2008. It mostly serves on the secondary train:
(http://www.markedry.com/etc/srrl21.jpg)
Also there in 2008 is Edaville caboose 554, which is a rebuilt B&HR boxcar. It doesn't seem to be in service:
(http://www.markedry.com/etc/eda554.jpg)
There's also an old excursion car #130 which is probably reincarnated B&HR equipment. I believe all the other rolling stock is new.
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From the pictures, #21 still looks like it is in great shape. Same with the caboose. Those are not freight trucks under the caboose. Look like some kind of passenger car truck. Any info on that?
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To bad that caboose and coach #21 are from the SR&RL not the WW&F because they would both look good at the WW&F railroad with WW&F coachs #3 & #8! ::) :D ;D
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The trucks underneath the cars are not Maine Two Footer trucks, they are something different. While I haven't seen them myself, I'm told everything sits higher.
There was an auction several years ago as part of a bank foreclosure, at which time I believe we were the successful bidder on #21. Then someone came forward with plenty of money and offered to pay the whole owed amount and the bank took them up on it, so we only owned it for about 2 hours. This was the expected outcome. We were also successful bidders on 202 and the coach that became coach 8. Eventually we purchased them seperately.
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The trucks underneath the cars are not Maine Two Footer trucks, they are something different. While I haven't seen them myself, I'm told everything sits higher.
If I remember correctly, all of the new stuff at Edaville was built by Hamilton Mfg of Burlington, WA -- including the trucks, and extra "truck kits." These are not the best looking things and as James says, everything does sit up higher than we're used to.
These are pictures of new coaches that Hamilton built for the WP&Y
(http://www.wpyr.com/news/railcar/DSCN0300.jpg)
(http://www.wpyr.com/news/railcar/DSCN0301.jpg)
(http://www.wpyr.com/news/railcar/DSCN0303.jpg)
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Stephen,
The car bodies look so nice and strong framed-out in steel tubing. However, I think they lose some of the charm by not framing them in wood. I suspect many members of our museum would have a coronary if we framed-out new cars that way instead of using wood.
Duncan
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Bring an all metal Passenger car to the WW&F and you might end up with a mysterious pile of fresh cut scrap iron.
Duncan hit it on the head. You don't get nostalgic feel with steel. The wood won't creek every once in a while, when you shut the door, it would be more of a clunk than a thud, etc. White Pass can keep the metal. ;)
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If I remember correctly, all of the new stuff at Edaville was built by Hamilton Mfg of Burlington, WA -- including the trucks, and extra "truck kits."
WOW! Wish the WW&F car shop was that big!
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Big shops need big money to survive. Our little shop might be crowded, but we can putter on just about anything we need to in there.
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Also there in 2008 is Edaville caboose 554, which is a rebuilt B&HR boxcar. It doesn't seem to be in service:
(http://www.markedry.com/etc/eda554.jpg)
I wish WW&F would one day buy this caboose because it would look cool with coach #3 & #8! Did the SR&RL made these caboose for passenger trains?
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Well, if you wish it, get us the money and we can talk :)
The 554 was rebuilt at Edaville from a B&H (B&SR) boxcar. Edaville converted a lot of historical rolling stock (freight cars like flats and boxcars) into various passenger hauling cars. The good news is that Edaville was (once) a very successful railroad operation/tourist attraction. The bad news is that some of the historical equipment was compromised to handle the business.
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Does anyone know why did Edvaille sold off #3,#4,#7,#8, and the rest of the rolling stock to MNGM and why after Edvaille was a successful tourist railroad? ??? ??? ???
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That's a long (sad) story.
The short answer is that Edaville *was* a great place and well managed for many years. However, it came under poor management and eventually went bankrupt. The collection was sold at auction.
The majority of the historic Maine equipment (including #3, #4, & #8 - #7 came later) was purchased by Phineas Sprague who started the MNG railroad and museum.
(This is a greatly simplified version of the events, and I'm intentionally leaving out the politics, blame, etc.)
The current Edaville has no real connection to the prior management. They are doing a good job with what they have, but it is not the place it was back in the 1970-1980's.
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Were engines #3,#4,#7,#8 still operating at Edville when most of the rolling stock was sold but before they were purchase by MNGM? ??? ??? ???
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I believe the locomotives and rolling stock were sold at the same time. They all came up together accept for the #7 which was left at Edaville for them to use, either part of the agreement or maybe even a lease deal.
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#7 was left behind with some rolling stock with the idea that there would be a continued push to revive Edaville in 93, 94, etc.
The whole collection was sold outright (much as it was when Nelson Blount purchased it out from under Walt Disney and Gene Autrey in the 50s) to a group headed by Phin Sprague when it looked like it would all be sold off peicemeal otherwise.
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Does anyone think #7 should one day revist Edaville? ??? ::) :)
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Transporting a loco the size of #7 can get costly. Luckily a lot of the trucking was donated when the collection was moved north.
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I for one have no desire to see #7 or #8 return to Edaville anytime soon. I also have no desire to visit Edaville in it's current incarnation or pay the now prohibitavely exhorbitant price of admition they now charge.
It is in fact less expensive for me to travel to Maine, even as expensive as gas is these days.
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Edaville in its current form is a twisted form of Atwood's once blissfull dream. It withered and died under poor management and what grew from the ashes is a rather dark and shallow representation of what once was. I think the management is trying, but they must have awfully little to work with, such that they cannot maintain low admision prices, steam locomotives, and wooden coaches. we all know how much work and capitol this takes. And unfortunantly a buisiness cant always justify nostalga...
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Edaville acquainted many of us with the Maine 2 footers for the first time. Maybe it was not the best example of historic preservation, but it did keep a good portion of the remaining equipment at one location which may have helped the current phase of preservation.
I wish the current Edaville the best, but it has nothing of interest to draw me back there. I'll remember my final visit: the day of Fred Richardson's surprise 80th birthday party, with special guest star ex B&HR #7, and the entire main line was in service.
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Bill, I have an Edaville DVD that was copied from a film shot in October, 1993. The video is a complete trip around the original 5 1/2 mile loop shot from the front of the lcocmotive. I've never been to Edaville so I have enjoyed watching how it used to be. That was a pretty ride - I wish the new Edaville well but I have no desire to see the railroad as it is now. I guess I have been spoiled by the WW&F.
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I don't think we spoil ourselves, just elevate ourselves to a higher set of standards. ;)
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When was #7's last day at Edaville?
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#7 was brought to the MNGRR I believe in late '02
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A few of my co-workers at Conway Scenic used to work at Edaville back in its hay day, and they said that even they wouldn't visit it the way it is now. Now they are down to around a two mile loop, since the house's have been built near the old Mount Uran. Things are far different now from when they were, even in the last 10 years, Edaville has changed a lot. Let's hope that all of the two footers both in Maine, and Mass can stay going for at least our lifetime.