The cans I have seen had two numbers on them - the top number was the milepost of the station, i.e.Sheepscot 5, Head Tide 13, etc. , and the lower number was the farmer's number.

In talking with old timers, most of the farmers in Alna used Alna Center Station to leave and retrieve their cans. Almost every farm over 60 acres had two or three cows, and therefore shipped milk not needed to the Creamery - Based on many discussions I would estimate that there were 3 farms leaving cans at Sheepscot , and 8 farms leaving cans at Alna Center. in the teens and early twenties.
The output of each farm was probably no more than one can of milk and one smaller can of cream only every three or four days.

Photo 1 is shown in Gary Kohler's new Monson Book on Page 22 at the top. with no credit. It is also in Bob Jones Book on Page 87 at bottom - credited to Ed Bond Collection.

Photo 2 is shown in Bob Jones Monson Book on Page 70 at the top, credited to photographer Linwood Moody - from the Edward Bond Collection 

Another thing to consider is that the Monson never had more than 4 or 5 trainmen (the last 10 years probably only 3 or 4) at any one time, and so the Vesta order would have lasted until the railroad went out of business - I'll bet an unused Vesta may show up sometime in the future from a Monson garage or barn that could be attributed to the Monson - ah - but how would you prove it if they never were marked.

Of course , you all know that the two large tires on our front end loader at Alna Center are filled with Calcium Chloride.

What was very good is now superb!

No - that is Elmer's Barn. Anyone who has not visited Elmer's Barn will never fully understand Maine.

The guy who has the junk yard across the street from Elmer's is also not the guy I am talking about.

The guy I'm talking about swears to this day that you can see No 6's tender poke up from the swamp in Whitefield occasionally and the  whole engine is there in the swamp.

The fellow who used to own  "No 6's headlight" was one of our early members by the name of Brann. He had a car dealership on Route 17 in Washington. He may have died ; the guy who sold him this item lived in the old Post Office building in Coopers Mills. He may be trying to sell it for the family. The headlight is mounted on a block of wood and is in beautiful condition. It is an oil headlight and may have been a rear headlight for a standard Gauge locomotive. Ten years ago, I was offered this item by a Grange Member friend, a Ken Brann for $1500, and he showed me other items he owned from the two footers - non of which was very interesting or unique.

I checked the headlight out on every picture that was every taken of a Maine two foot engine, and the only resemblance was to Monson #1 or # 2 headlight.

The "dubber" who lived in Coopers Mills claimed that the big house up the river from his house had original lights from a WW&F Coach. He also claimed to have oil lights from WW&F cars. I was never able to verify any of this. He claimed to have owned the two boxcars that were left on a siding above the Coppers Mills station, but they had been burned and the Sandy River boys got all the hardware.

I would definitely follow up on the fellow from Coopers Mills to show you what he has. But don't buy unless you can verify their origin. His name was Clinton (Clayton) Whitehorse or a similar name.He made his living gathering antique items by somewhat questionable methods and selling them on the cheap. to the wealthier people he know, like Mr. Brann.

On the front foldover cover of the California State Railroad Museum Fall 2011 Newsletter On Track!to the left of the address label and postage stamp is a small picture with the following description, "The Signal" October 9, 2010. Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum, Alna, Maine. This photo by Stephen Hussar of Reading, Massachusetts, is a winner of the Center for Railroad Photography and Arts 2011 Creative Photography Awards, now on exhibit at CSRM.

The Left Coast of the United States does know a good sight and a good Museum when they see it.

Congratulations Steve!

They also have another combine, a box car  & a caboose that were from the 2 footers.

I hope everyone knows that long-time member Richard Moody and his wife go all over New England doing the Civil War reenactments. He asked whether we at the WW&F would want an"encampment" seven or eight years ago - and we said no - Civil War was way before the WW&F.

Either way, when the word gets out, I'm sure it will be a lively part of the Discussion Forum.

The Archives has such a map - I got a copy of their ICC filing from 1924? - which was late as it was due to the ICC by 1917.

I have a complete set of all newsletters which I was intending to reproduce into three books. I think the forum e newsletter is a better solution. - What do we need to complete the project - I will send them off to Dave for scanning.

Ellen & I took the entire trip from Carcross to Skagway in August. The WP & Y runs up to 14 passenger trains a day. And if you think the Durango & Silverton "High Line " is spectacular, wait till you experience the trip down the mountain from the Summit into Skagway at speed. (and I don't mean 6 or 7 miles an hour) If you do go - do the full trip from Carcross - the only unspoiled town on the Cruise Ship destination list. The lunch stop at Bennett Lake is reminiscent of the Old Harvey House Days on the Santa Fe. And the scenery is spectacular the whole length of the line. And as a Rules man, I found the crews to be very competent.

I had always rated the Alaska Railroad trip from Anchorage to Seward in June to be the best railroad trip in North America - but now think the White Pass is in the running for this honor.

There's a possibility that they may get the use of an operable 2' gauge Porter engine last used by the canal museum in upstate New York. Locomotive was overhauled by former Edaville Mechanical Foreman.