Future Visitor Center and Museum Exhibits

[James Patten]

Signage like we used to have when I first joined up, such as mentioned by Stewart, was mentioned in the long range plan that we put out about 5 years ago.  All that's needed is for someone to step forward to do them.

[Bill Reidy]

Signage like we used to have when I first joined up, such as mentioned by Stewart, was mentioned in the long range plan that we put out about 5 years ago.  All that's needed is for someone to step forward to do them.

If signs of the type I did for our display at Maine Heritage Village work, I'd be willing to put together signs for Sheepscot and Alna Center, if someone can provide me historic images to use.  However, I share Win's concerns about how intrusive these signs would be, even in Sheepscot and Alna Center, and I've heard these concerns from others as well.  Where would we post an informational sign for the section house, for example, without it marring photos people are trying to take of our grounds?

Perhaps one or more large signs near the entrance to our museum grounds showing a map and historic images of our various (replica) buildings would do the trick.  In the meantime, the museum guide booklet handed out to ticketed passengers seems a reasonable compromise.

- Bill

[Stewart Rhine]

The great thing about Sheepscot is that it looks like an old station, shop and rail yard that has been there for over 100 years.  One can take photographs that depict narrow gauge scenes from the early 20th Century with little modern intrusion.  I agree that any new signage should be done with that in mind.  Bill, The museum guide booklet is a great way to describe things to visitors.  My suggestion stems from the need to have information available to people who show up during the week when no one is around.  A few small, well placed signs would help.  Another possibility ... Years ago there was a small kiosk out in front of the shop that had information about the railroad.  Maybe we should build a new one.  It could be over on the West side of the shop building, near the road.  That way it would be away from the station "photo op" area but still seen by the public.  A roofed over bulletin board would work. 

[Fred L. Kuhns]

Stewart, I would have to agree with your idea of some type of kiosk placed out of phot op areas of the museum.  Possible other locations for some type of information signs Alma Center Station, Head Tide, Wisscaset, and Albion.     Fred L. Kuhns

[John McNamara]

I think that Win makes a good point. The whole issue of signs is a very complex one. On the one hand we would like to tell visitors what they're looking at, but on the other hand we want to transport them back to 1910. The color scheme that we use, the board and batten siding, the clear light bulbs, the crank phones, the use of hand signals, and innumerable other aspects of our operations are all there to transport people back in time and fulfill our mission statement of educating people about what life was like in the early 20th century and of the role that railroads played in that life.

Other railroads that are "frozen in time" have very few if any signs. I am thinking in particular of the Cumbres and Toltec and the East Broad Top. Back in 2000, James Patten and I visited the Cumbres and Toltec where we received a handout that explained what we would see in the yard. This was the inspiration for the subsequent development (by Bill Reidy) of the brochure that we now hand out at the WW&F. The beauty of the brochure is that it educates the public without having signs in the "historic area".

Some of us have occasionally talked about an imaginary dotted line, which I envision to be someplace around the Percival driveway, that would separate the present day world from the "historic area". I think that signage would be appropriate on the present day side of this line but not on the "historic" side of this line.

-John

[Stewart Rhine]

I like Bill's idea of locating the kiosk by an entrance.  We could put the covered map and photo sign near the foot path from the parking lot so visitors see it on the way to the railroad.  It will show them where to buy tickets, gifts, etc.  Yard guide (handout) maps could be placed on the kiosk that explain the structures and their purpose.   Visitors would use the yard handout for a self guided tour.  The maps would be especially useful to people who show up on days the museum is closed.  The handout could be a new one page guide that covers just the upper and lower yard.  The present WW&F guide booklets would be saved for people who ride the train.      

As mentioned before, our yard and buildings look like everything has been there for over 100 years.  John made a good comparison of Sheepscot to the East Broad Top.  The EBT is truly timeless and Sheepscot is too.  Over the last 10 - 15 years the museum has adopted a "historic zone" around the yard complex.  There are members who research the type of building materials, light fixtures and telephones to use and it has paid off.  The Percival home, parking lot and restrooms would be outside of the historic zone so a picnic area (suggested by Wayne) could go by the parking lot.  If the restroom building resembles a old fashioned railroad structure it would be inside the "zone".  A period authentic fence could go around the parking lot and picnic area.  The fence would guide people to take the foot path over towards the station.

If the Board deems it appropriate, they could make the yard an official Historic Zone with a boundary to control what is placed inside.  Any signs, walkways and other suggested enhancements would be reviewed by the Board to be approved.  

[Allan Fisher]

The present Museum Guide costs us just over 62 cents to produce. Brochures costs about 6 1/2 cents. A one page black and white yard guide could be produced on our computer and printer for about 4 cents.

This info is why we try to limit Museum Guide distribution to one to a party taking the train and hopefully gives our membership a boost to add that "something extra" when they renew their dues each year.

[Matthew Gustafson]

I like Bill's idea of locating the kiosk by an entrance.  We could put the covered map and photo sign near the foot path from the parking lot so visitors see it on the way to the railroad.  It will show them where to buy tickets, gifts, etc.  Yard guide (handout) maps could be placed on the kiosk that explain the structures and their purpose.   Visitors would use the yard handout for a self guided tour.  The maps would be especially useful to people who show up on days the museum is closed.  The handout could be a new one page guide that covers just the upper and lower yard.  The present WW&F guide booklets would be saved for people who ride the train.      

As mentioned before, our yard and buildings look like everything has been there for over 100 years.  John made a good comparison of Sheepscot to the East Broad Top.  The EBT is truly timeless and Sheepscot is too.  Over the last 10 - 15 years the museum has adopted a "historic zone" around the yard complex.  There are members who research the type of building materials, light fixtures and telephones to use and it has paid off.  The Percival home, parking lot and restrooms would be outside of the historic zone so a picnic area (suggested by Wayne) could go by the parking lot.  If the restroom building resembles a old fashioned railroad structure it would be inside the "zone".  A period authentic fence could go around the parking lot and picnic area.  The fence would guide people to take the foot path over towards the station.

If the Board deems it appropriate, they could make the yard an official Historic Zone with a boundary to control what is placed inside.  Any signs, walkways and other suggested enhancements would be reviewed by the Board to be approved.  

Great idea, Stewart. I like it.