Author Topic: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY  (Read 28308 times)

Brendan Barry

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Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« on: July 18, 2019, 12:21:02 AM »
As part of the Narrow Gauge Railway Collection four passenger cars were moved from the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad in Portland to the WW&FRy in Alna. Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes combine 14, coach 19, parlor car Rangeley, and Bridgeton and Saco River coach 16 arrived at the WW&FRy over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday. Maine Locomotive and Machine moved the cars with help from the MNGRR and WW&FRy crews.

The first move was SR&RL coach 19 Tuesday morning. Coach 19 is in need of some restoration work and is being stored at the WW&FRy for the time being.

Loading coach 19 from MNGRR's ramp track.





Coach 19 loaded up and leaving the Portland Company property.





The next move was the Rangeley Tuesday afternoon.

Moving the Rangeley on panel track from the car's display location inside the MNGRR museum to the garage door at the back of the museum building.





The ML&M truck has arrived back from Alna and the Rangeley is winched outside and up onto the trailer. The truck has to park inside the building across the alley way to make the loading angle on the trailer deck work.



























The Rangeley out in the parking lot at the Portland Company.





The Rangeley arrived at the WW&FRy in Alna around 9 pm and was unloaded onto the new ramp track.









Marker lights were hung and everbody present rode the Rangeley from the end of the ramp track down through the north yard, out to the main, and back to bay 1 of the shop building. No. 9 was used to move the Rangeley over to the shop.





Unloading the passengers and shoving the Rangeley into bay 1 of the shop building.







Wednesday morning saw the move of SR&RL combine 14.

Combine 14 being moved out of the museum building and onto the trailer.













Wednesday afternoon B&SR coach 16 was moved out of the museum and onto the trailer. To move 16 out of the museum we had to move the model T inspection car and Monson locomotive no. 4 out of the way.



































Turning off of Commercial St. and heading up Franklin St. in Portland.







Eric Schade's pictures of the Rangeley, combine 14 and WW&F  9 / SR&RL 6 together in the Sheepscot yard Wednesday afternoon.















« Last Edit: July 18, 2019, 12:26:58 AM by Brendan Barry »
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Joe Fox

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2019, 03:06:09 AM »
Well done to everyone involved both over the last several months as well as the extremely long days you guys and gals put in. Seeing these cars together makes me really look forward to the future of both groups, and the wonderful things yet to come.

Mike Fox

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2019, 06:52:15 AM »
I am very glad we can be a part of Maine Narrow Gauge's future. They have preserved Maine Two Foot history for 26 years, and we can help them continue on. No matter if the collection stays in Alna, or moves to a new location at some point, we have worked together, forming a continued bond between the two organizations that I hope lasts a long time.
Mike
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Gordon Cook

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2019, 07:48:17 AM »
Very impressive that all those moves were accomplished smoothly and without incident.  Thank you to everyone for all your efforts.
Questions:
Does anyone have or can point to pictures of the original move from Edaville to Portland?
When was the last time the Rangely was out of the museum building and was part of a train?
And...
What is the lever for on the rear platform?
« Last Edit: July 18, 2019, 08:24:28 AM by Gordon Cook »
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Ed Lecuyer

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2019, 08:59:51 AM »
What is the lever for on the rear platform?

This one I know. It is the remnants of the Miller Coupler:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_Platform

These were used on the SR&RL (and WW&F) during the transition from Link and Pin to Janney couplers. The platforms on WW&F coach 3 has similar remnants, but the lever itself has been removed.
Ed Lecuyer
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Roger Cole

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2019, 09:06:40 AM »
Regarding the building in Portland where the cars had been stored--is that property being repurposed for some other use?  I assume that building was leased and not owned by MNGRR.

Ed Lecuyer

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2019, 09:24:55 AM »
Regarding the building in Portland where the cars had been stored--is that property being repurposed for some other use?  I assume that building was leased and not owned by MNGRR.

Yes, the former Portland Company complex is being redeveloped. The most historic buildings (including the one that MNG was leasing for their exhibits and offices) are being repurposed, rehabilitated and incorporated into the new mixed-use development and marina. MNG has secured a long-term lease on the railroad right-of-way, and will be continuing (and expanding) their offerings along the Portland waterfront.
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Jeff Schumaker

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2019, 09:26:35 AM »
Does anyone have or can point to pictures of the original move from Edaville to Portland?


There was a VHS tape produced called Moving Maine History (I think). I don't know if it ever came out in DVD format. I also think there are a few videos of the move on Youtube.

Jeff S.
« Last Edit: July 18, 2019, 04:52:23 PM by Jeff Schumaker »
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Jeff Schumaker

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #8 on: July 18, 2019, 09:28:11 AM »
Thanks for the photos, Brendan. It's great to see the equipment running on the WW&F.

Jeff S.
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Mike Fox

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #9 on: July 18, 2019, 09:32:25 AM »
Hi Roger. The whole Portland Company parcel was sold a few years ago by the then owner and MNG co-founder Phin Sprague. MNG was able to continue their lease while plans were made and approved as to how develop the property. In the years since, there have been several drawings in the paper as to what was going to be built.

Today, the whole place looks different. I relate it to a war zone. Buildings being removed, and one being done so brick by brick to supposedly be reconstructed on the property. Yet, MNG continues it's daily existence through out it all. I could not imagine how tough it is on them.

The whole area there, all the way to India Street, has seen some huge growth in the last 5 to 10 years. Big buildings. Redesign of the Marine Terminal. Lots of activity.

I have seen so many designs for the property I forget what the final is.
Mike
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Ed Delory

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #10 on: July 18, 2019, 09:58:09 AM »
Are there going to be more moves to the WW&F?
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Ed Lecuyer

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #11 on: July 18, 2019, 10:19:23 AM »
Are there going to be more moves to the WW&F?

Yes. This is just the beginning - but is of all the full-length coaches. The remaining moves will not require the trailer extension, which is cumbersome to add/remove to the ML&MW trailer.

Some of the equipment is going to ML&MW for storage/rehabilitation. Much will remain on the Sheepscot campus for outdoor display - including B&SR locomotive #8.
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Ed Delory

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #12 on: July 18, 2019, 10:32:51 AM »
Thank you
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Mike the Choochoo Nix

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #13 on: July 18, 2019, 10:59:00 AM »
Here's a video of the original move to Maine.
Mike Nix
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=crSSzDh2tms
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Chris Dadson

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Re: Moving passenger cars from MNGRR to WWFRY
« Reply #14 on: July 18, 2019, 11:15:21 AM »
Chris