Whitin Machine Works

[Bruce Wilson]

Thanks for posting that information Allan and great story! I wonder if you knew of the two foot rail that Sonny Fairbanks laid on his property in Avon in the 1930's? He had a small handcar railroad as it has been described. Equipment consisted of a velocipede and a four wheel handcar.

Another question...were all three of the G.E. 23 ton diesel- electrics at the Whitin Machine Works? I've not been able to figure if one unit went to the Koppers tie plant in Nashua, New Hampshire either directly from G.E. or sold from the machine works.

[Allan Fisher]

Bob Beal and I laid the track on Sonny Fairbanks property - so it was the same railroad 

All three locomotives were at the Machine works when we were there.

The Whitin locomotive that had been destroyed in an accident was still at the very back of the Maine Narrow Gauge yard at Portland when they were cleaning up and consolidating their freight equipment on two tracks. I was told it would be scrapped at Portland  as everything usable had been stripped over the years.

I don't believe it ever went back to Edaville.

[Bruce Wilson]

Allan, I can recall seeing the wreck of the 3rd unit at Edaville. Unfortunately I can't recall what year that was, but it was down where the new Edaville engine shop is, out back. That move from Portland back to Edaville may be when MNG started to move surplus equipment from their site.

I have two photos of Sonny Fairbanks handcar line that were just given to me by Allan Socea. I had estimated the track distance at 300', so that dovetails in with what you found when you worked there. The Socea collection photos are from 1936 and '37 and in one, Sonny is looking like he's having a lot of fun. The second shot shows his dog on the handcar looking like he'd rather be doing dog things.

[Allan Fisher]

I misspoke - Retired SR&RL Conductor Sonny Fairbanks lived in Philips on the Bypass. He had about 300 feet of track next to his driveway, and had many   handcars and etc on this track.

Just down the street SR&RL engineer Dana Al drich lived with his daughter. I visited Dana and was invited into the kitchen where he went through photograph albums that had been given to him. Tears came to his eye when he recalled his happy days working on the railroad.

I tried to visit with Sonny Fairbanks at his home but he shooed me off.