Author Topic: Monson RR Blog  (Read 15814 times)

Roger Whitney

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Monson RR Blog
« on: November 09, 2009, 01:58:20 PM »
Hi all you two foot fans!  I'm thinking about a Monson Railroad Blog.  I've been a huge fan of the Monson for most of my life and did a book on the Monson back in 1988. There's been a lot of new info lately.  What do you folks think??  Is there enough interest??

Duncan Mackiewicz

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2009, 02:24:49 PM »
Roger,
There's no such thing as too much 2 foot information.  No harm in putting forth a blog on the Monson.
Duncan

Dave Buczkowski

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2009, 05:34:15 PM »
Roger;
  I agree with my Polish brother - more two foot is always better!
Dave

Cliff Olson

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2009, 08:21:37 AM »
Roger,
I'm interested, of course.  How would your proposed blog differ from simply posting stuff on the Monson RR portion of this forum?
Cliff

Jeff Acock

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2009, 11:51:50 AM »
Hi Roger,
I'd definitely be interested.  The Monson RR has long been a particular interest of mine.  Living in Oregon, -about as far away from 2-footer country as it's possible to get and still be in the same country- I have to rely on whatever information others can disseminate.  And there seems to be less info out there on the Monson than any of the others, except possibly the Kennebec Central.  There would seem to be a lot of directions to explore - remaining physical traces (ROW,etc.), industrial operations at the quarries, operational details of the railroad, come immediately to mind.

One particular avenue of exploration has always intrigued me..........A couple of the Monson's last employees, engineer Elwyn French and fireman/brakeman Albin Johnson appear in pictures to have been relatively young men when the railroad shut down.  One supposes they may have lived for years afterward.  Was any effort made to interview them, or to contact their families (if any) for any reminisces or artifacts?  Here in Oregon, where I volunteer with the Sumpter Valley RR restoration group, we have been fortunate that several of the old employees were alive until quite recently.  Every effort was made to trace them and today the museum has hours of fascinating taped interviews.  Interestingly, I posed this question some time back on the "Maine 2-footers" yahoo group and did not even recieve the courtesy of an answer.  That group seems to be all about models and no interest in actual history.

Anyway, good luck with your project.......I look foreward to reading your blog.  Is your book still in print and available?  I have The R.C. Jones volume and the Arcadia Press book, but no other print material on the Monson.

With best regards,
Jeff Acock
Adrian Oregon

Roger Whitney

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2009, 03:46:53 PM »
Thanks everyone for the interest.  I'm not sure if this forum is the right place for a blog.  I'd like to post things that maybe could be kept on the site as well as possibly power point presentations.  I've never blogged before and I know there are a lot of sites to get you going.  What do you guys think?  What does the Facilitator (James) think??

James Patten

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2009, 05:40:36 PM »
Well I'm no longer the chief facilitator (that's Ed), but as facilitator emeritus I'll chime in anyway.

We can have blog software running attached to the WW&F website, but I don't think a Monson RR blog is an appropriate thing for us.  It would be appropriate for a Monson RR website, but one doesn't exist.

I can recommend the host company that hosts the WW&F (TotalChoice Hosting Solutions), it's only $44/year to host a website with them.  That doesn't include the cost of reserving the internet address.

Your question did bring to mind the idea of a "Maine Two Footer" website which could be the home of the Maine Two Footer "brand" if the other 2-footer museums ever decide to go along with the idea.

Roger Whitney

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2009, 06:51:11 PM »
I just found this site. Check it out! I didn't know you could use Microsoft Train Sim to model a two footer!!!
http://www.elvastower.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7519&st=70

Cliff Olson

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2009, 08:07:15 PM »
James (or Ed),
What would be appropriate for the Monson RR category on this forum?  I thought that we were considering discussions similar to the many that appear under the B&SR and Sandy River categories (and formerly appeared under the Monson category).  Not being a computer geek, I guess I don't understand what more a blog includes.
Cliff

Ed Lecuyer

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2009, 10:16:08 PM »
A couple of thoughts....
1. Monson RR for MS Train Sim?! Suddenly, my interest in that software product has been re-kindled.

2. The difference between a forum and a blog is that a forum is designed such that anyone can post a topic of conversation. In a blog, the moderator posts a topic (article, what haveyou) and the readers of the blog can comment on that topic. These comments are usually pretty brief.

That having been said, James and I (and Mark Edry, who is also on the web site team) will discuss the idea and we'll let Roger know what the possibilities are.
Ed Lecuyer
Moderator, WW&F Forum

Mike Fox

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2009, 06:10:29 PM »
Joe Downloaded several two foot equipment downloads (including the 23 or 24, if memory serves) from the Train Sim website for use on ours. He never did much with it after that.
Mike
Doing way too much to list...

Dana Deering

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #11 on: November 13, 2009, 06:36:26 AM »
Hey You Monsonites,

     Please keep posting here while you're setting up your blog.  I am very interested to read whatever you have for info on the "Two by Six" and there are probably others who feel the same way.  Please don't hold back!

Stewart "Start" Rhine

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #12 on: November 13, 2009, 02:59:50 PM »
I agree with Dana.  Anyone having something of interest on the Monson should post it here.  Blogs are ok but this is a good place for it.  Here's my 24 cents worth ...

I have hiked most of the MRR over the last 12 years and the right of way is not like any other Maine 2 footer.  The first things you notice are the large amounts of slate pieces along the line and real stiff grades coming out of the quarries.  You really feel the grade when hiking from the quarry pits up towards the station.  There are all shapes and sizes of cut/broken slate along the line and some have a nice square cut.  (The piece that holds the Sheepscot gift shop door open came from the Monson right of way.)  There are level places in the old grade that are muddy but the railroads trestles were filled in with slate in the early years.  As a result nothing grows in those areas and much of the grade looks like the rails were lifted last year.  Some of the slate fills are substantial.  One is over 90 feet long with about a 1% grade.  I was up there a few years ago and found a 10" diameter hole in the top of the fill.  It looked like it went down a long way.  I saw a iron bar going across the opening about 3 feet down.  After Zack told me there were no poisonous snakes in that area I reached in as far as I could and just barely got hold of it.  I pulled and it came out easily.  The rod was a trestle bolt with a large cast washer on each end.  There was a small piece of wood stuck to one of the washers.  That was an interesting find, the bolt probably had not seen daylight in 100 years.   

Bill Sample

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Re: Monson RR Blog
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2009, 09:27:57 PM »
Back about 20 years ago I found an intact tie tossed of the r o w on one of those slate fills north of the Willimantic road.  It still contained a spike.  Sitting on top of the slate waste kept the rot to a minimum.
I agree with Dana and Stewart on keeping the Monson news flowing here on this site.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2017, 01:06:21 PM by Ed Lecuyer »