This week's Bridgton News

[Glenn Christensen]

Hi Folks,

There are two interesting articles in local Maine papers this week.  


The articles are:

"Narrow Gauge:  Tourist Attaction?"  from The Bridgton News reports on the narrow gauge-related deliberations currently on-going in Bridgton.

http://www.bridgton.com/#


A post by Mr. Sloan on the Railway Preservation News website, lists an article published in the "Kingfield Irregular" that reports on the narrow gauge deliberations currently going on in that town.

http://www.theirregular.com/news/2010-07-28/Front_Page/Could_Kingfield_be_home_for_narrow_gauge_museum_an.html

Unfortunately, I live in Georgia and have no access to either paper.  I'm sure many of us would appreciate a synopsis of either article from someone who does.


Thanks and Best Regards,
Glenn

[James Patten]

The Kingfield paper says we can see all stories in a week.

I'm afraid Dana or Mike will have to get the Bridgton paper and summarize for us.

[Mike Fox]

I'll pick one up right now. I'll provide a summary soon.

[Glenn Christensen]

I'll pick one up right now. I'll provide a summary soon.

Thanks, Mike!


Best Regards,
Glenn

[Mike Fox]

Sorry for the delay, but here is my best translation, and what it may mean for Bridgton.

Bridgton Selectmen have decided to send a letter of interest to MNGRR to try and get them to create a sattelite location in Bridgton.

The idea is the same as Bill's (Shelley), probably created by Bill but no credit given to him in the article. Use the former Depot area as a base, recreate a rail line along the former ROW, heading for the new recreational complex, called BRAG (yet to be built), and hopefully continuing south on the original ROW. The Recreational complex is expected to be built behind Lamprons (now Irving) gas station, on Route 302 South (OR East) of the intersection with 117, in the Sandy Creek section of town.

Everybody was in agreememnt this would benefit Bridgton to have the historical cars return to Bridgton.

Evidently there is a new tourism based organization in town, called Heritage Tourism. They plan to promote this idea, if it looks like it is a go. They have several good ideas of how and what to do it already.


This is definately the missing piece from the other article. Filled in all the blanks for me. Lets hope for the best so more of the historic cars can return home.

[Glenn Christensen]

Thanks Mike!

This is very encouraging news indeed.  Kudos to the Bridgton selectmen, the good folks at MNG, and to my buddy "Bridgton" Bill.  This could really mark a rebirth on many levels!!!


Best Regards,
Glenn

[Duncan Mackiewicz]

Mike,
You are correct to throw some credit Bill's way.  The last time I spoke with him he had mentioned the very same plan.  Regardless of who initiated the idea, it sounds like it would be a win-win for the town and for those of us who would like to see the rails return to Bridgton.
Duncan

[Paul Horky]

Sounds typical of politishions to take someone elses good idea then claim the idea as their own. I think Bill should take the hi road let the town fathers claim the idea IF they want to run with it but know the truth in his heart. Hope this project happens no matter how.

[Mike Fox]

Duncan,
  truthfully, I thing Bill deserves all the credit. He is the Harry Percival of Bridgton. One man with a plan. A dream. Now two former B&SR cars relocated in Bridgton. I think he should have gotten more than just his name mentioned in the paper.

   But maybe they are saving that for the ribbon cutting ceremony.....

[James Patten]

FYI - the Kingfield Irregular page on MNG relocating to Kingfield (at top of page) is now available in full.  There's not much substantive.

[Duncan Mackiewicz]

For those who might be interested in reading the article, I Googled "Kingfield Irregular" and brought up the 8/4 issue.  At the top of the page on the right is a link to search archives.  Click on it and then click on the 7/28 issue.  The article is on the page as James pointed out. 
I wonder if the museum would still see 30,000 to 40,000 visitors per year if they relocated from the more easily accessable location of the Portland waterfront to Kingfield.  Just a guess at distance from Portland to Kingfield but it looks like a good 150 miles.  Obviously, as the article points out they would have to rebuild their volunteer base also.  I guess we will have to wait and see how the town responds to the museum's RFI. 

[Glenn Christensen]

Thanks for the heads-up, guys!


Best Regards,
Glenn

[Ed Lecuyer]

Here's a direct link to the article in the "Irregular":
http://www.theirregular.com/news/2010-07-28/Front_Page/Could_Kingfield_be_home_for_narrow_gauge_museum_an.html

[Mike Fox]

The main(e) reason that MNGRR wants to keep it's operation in Portland is because of the volume they recieve. There is no way that they could achieve those numbers anywhere else in the state. What they are looking at now are sattelite locations.

[Pete "Cosmo" Barrington]

The main(e) reason that MNGRR wants to keep it's operation in Portland is because of the volume they receive. There is no way that they could achieve those numbers anywhere else in the state. What they are looking at now are satellite locations.

True and true. It makes sense that they would look as many places as possible before they commit to any onne (or two) place(s).
However, there is one advantage Bridgeton seems to have over Kingfield in that it already has substantial community support, more so than Kingfield at least. Kingfield would have to be starting everything including it's support group from the ground up.
Also, most of the enthusiasts in that neck of the woods seem to be concentrating their efforts at the SRRP. Would it reaally be fair to ask them to shoulder even as much as 1/4 the effort? Could they?

Questions, questions....