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Messages - Mark Edry

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1
Massachusetts' Two Footers / Big Plans at Edaville
« on: June 27, 2013, 08:54:06 PM »
From some photos they posted on Facebook it looks like there are some big plans afoot to expand Edaville. Looks to me kind of like the idea is Clarks Trading Post -bears +bogs. Unfortunately not much shown in the way of new railroad infrastructure but at least it will be a going concern.

Pictures here:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151657523449837&set=a.10151657523219837.1073741825.32252819836&type=1&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151657523779837&set=a.10151657523219837.1073741825.32252819836&type=1&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151657524079837&set=a.10151657523219837.1073741825.32252819836&type=1&theater

2
General Discussion / Medomak Camp RR film
« on: January 21, 2011, 12:21:49 AM »
At Northeast Historic Film, their catalog for the Medomak Camp collection (Washington ME) from 1929-1930 includes "a train arrives, several men and boys exit, people are loaded into trucks and driven off down the road". Has anyone seen this, or any idea which RR this might be?

Here's the URL:

http://oldfilm.org/collection/index.php/Detail/Occurrence/Show/occurrence_id/358

3
Museum Discussion / November Calendar photo
« on: November 02, 2009, 10:44:00 PM »
So I turned the page on the 2009 calendar and there to my surprise was a scary picture of a big guy with a chain saw!
I thought maybe I was a day late on a Halloween photo but no, it was just Steve Zuppa.
Whew.

4
General Discussion / Railroad bell on auction
« on: October 27, 2009, 08:38:52 PM »
Thomaston Place auctioneers in Thomaston ME is selling an unidentified railroad bell on November 8:
http://www.thomastonauction.com/item.php?id=825225

No idea where it's from, can anyone recognize it?

5
Museum Discussion / WW&F on Facebook!
« on: October 06, 2009, 09:44:31 PM »

With the goal of getting the WW&F message out there in the brave not-so-new world of social media, I've created the official WW&F Facebook Page.

Whether you are on FB or not you can view it at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alna-ME/Wiscasset-Waterville-and-Farmington-Railway-Museum/147279126870

FB users, become a Fan and spread the word!

I've posted a few of my photos and some basic museum information. The goal here is not to duplicate wwfry.org or this discussion group, but to augment them. I'd be happy to take any comments or suggestions for other content, photos to post, etc.

And for what it's worth, it looks like we are the first Maine 2-Footer with a FB Page (although Edaville is there already).

Thanks!
-- Mark E


6
Massachusetts' Two Footers / Walking tour of Pleasure Island this weekend
« on: October 01, 2009, 09:38:42 PM »
The Friends of Pleasure Island amusement park, former home of WW&F #10, are hosting a walking tour of the site this Sunday morning.

http://friendsofpleasureisland.org/

There's also information about a new "Images of America" book on the park, as well as a call for information on Freedomland, where an assortment of Edaville equipment spent some time as well.

7
My wife Rebecca worked for many years with the archives for a major historical society. I asked her to look at this award and here's her report:

"The IMLS Bookshelf is a wonderful concept, and I am sure it includes crucial and vital information about conserving materials held by organizations such as your own.  I looked at the list of recipients and you are in good company. Most of the organizations are small and many have diverse collections like yours.  For example there are the following rail oriented organizations:

Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society Inc. - Pine Bluff, AR
Lomita Railroad Museum - Lomita, CA
Nevada Northern Railway Museum - Ely, NV
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania - Strasburg, PA
Martin & Frances Lehnis Railroad Museum - Brownwood, TX
Northwest Railway Museum - Snoquaimie, WA
Grafton B&O Railroad Heritage Center - Grafton, WV

This is a resource that will be extremely helpful, if you use it.  The next step is to determine how and by whom it is going to be used.  It is a tool to help with planning (especially emergency planning!), and prioritizing your goals. It will also be a great resource for answers to practical conservation questions. I look forward to hearing how the IMLS Bookshelf has helped the WW&F Railway Museum."

8
Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad / Re: SR&RL web site update
« on: April 05, 2009, 09:58:10 PM »
Edaville did a nicer job on the roof of 55 than on 54.

... and Allan sure caught 55 in better days!




9
Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad / Re: SR&RL web site update
« on: April 05, 2009, 10:15:20 AM »
So if SR&RL has leased from MNGRR the B&SR boxcar 54 which Edaville converted to an excursion car, then what about the B&SR boxcar 54 at MNG (photographed in 4/08)? Which is/was the real Boxcar 54? Or did this stuff go through so many permutations at Edaville that it's just anybody's guess?




10
Whimsical Weirdness and Foolery / Historic Locomotive Returns to WW&F
« on: April 01, 2009, 08:41:19 PM »
1 April 2009
Alna ME


The Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum announced today the return to its rails of a unique piece of Maine's railroad history. A small crowd was on hand at the Museum's headquarters at Cross Rd in Alna as Fred the Forney steamed up to Sheepscot Station and chortled to a stop for the first time in over a century.

"It's a great day for the Museum and for two-foot fans around the world," said Museum spokesman Jason Lamontagne. "Until barely a month ago we didn't even know Fred the Forney still existed, and now here it is."

At the turn of the last century, the small steam engine saw service on the WW&F, leading excursion trains through the coastal Maine countryside. When a tragic accident saw the sole WW&F excursion car withdrawn from service and rebuilt as a combine, Fred the Forney was retired.

The tiny 0-4-4T had been thought to have been scrapped ages ago. However, on February 29th of this year a team of Museum members on a routine expedition discovered Fred the Forney slumbering under a tarp in a barn in Benton, Maine. The antique locomotive was a bit crusty, "no more than it ever was," but none the worse for wear. The Museum, a group of mostly older, male, train enthusiasts, quickly arranged for its transportation to Alna. Lamontagne supervised the locomotive's restoration to running order.

"The rediscovery of Fred the Forney answers two big questions about which I have been musing for ages," said narrow-gauge historian Ellis Walker.

First, the presence of the locomotive in Benton explains why the WW&F's Burnham extension was left in place despite the railroad's inability to secure a Maine Central crossing in Burhnam. Though no revenue service was ever seen on the extension, the rails remained in place for years. Evidently the line served to ferry the locomotive to and from its shed in Benton.

Secondly, the fate of Fred the Forney after it was withdrawn from service has long been the subject of speculation. Most historians speculated that it had simply been scrapped, with its boiler used as a culvert along a Maine Central branch line. The most intriguing theory, popular among conspiracy buffs, was that the locomotive went to the Bridgton and Saco River Railroad in the same shadowy transaction that sent WW&F Coach #10 to the B&SR. The theory was what when Ellis Atwood bought the bankrupt line, he brought the locomotive to South Carver and painted it blue. Historians were always puzzled by the utter lack of photographic evidence of the locomotive's supposed stay at Bridgton.

But now those questions are answered.

"With Fred the Forney back home, we plan to put it to good use," said Lamontagne. Initial plans are to return the locomotive to excursion service, leading nature expeditions to the north end of the restored railroad.

Fred the Forney Back On Home Rails


11
Museum Discussion / Re: Museum Gift Shop
« on: March 31, 2009, 11:49:29 AM »
I'm glad people are happy with the page.
I had tried to make it slicker but ran into problems with how different web browsers "interpret" the standards, so without going into scripting or animation, in the end it is a simple table. But that being said, it gets the information across.

12
Whimsical Weirdness and Foolery / Re: Photoshop Fun
« on: February 04, 2009, 10:34:06 PM »
Gee, he's got it up to 140 mph, and he's not even up to the south switch of the Sheepscot runaround! By the time he gets to Alna Center, the car will be even shorter than it is now due to Lorenz contraction.

It's gotta be a real chore to signal for those grade crossings at hypersonic speeds.

Also, too bad the main line isn't double tracked.. I'd be racing Dave in my two-foot gauge Mini!

13
Whimsical Weirdness and Foolery / Re: Photoshop Fun
« on: February 04, 2009, 10:18:59 PM »
We may not have the Edaville tank but we don't have the 2-ft Thomas the Tank Engine (TM) they keep in their shed either.
And though bringing Thomas to Alna might be a good fund raiser, (a) we don't have room for the crowds, and (b) it's not very prototypical for Maine.

So I propose we bring out...

Fred the Forney!



A true Maine prototype if there ever was one!

-- Mark E

14
Whimsical Weirdness and Foolery / Photoshop Fun
« on: February 03, 2009, 10:54:33 PM »
It's tough to find a steam-powered helicopter in flying condition, but thanks to Jason for his hard work in keeping it airworthy (when weather permits, of course). It's really a sight when it's hovering over Alna Center.

15
Museum Discussion / 2009 Calendar
« on: February 02, 2009, 12:13:13 PM »
I just turned the page on the 2009 museum calendar at my desk...

After flipping through it, I just wanted to say what a great set of photos Steve Hussar put together for it!

We are lucky to have someone with such talent so closely involved with the museum.

-- Mark E

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