W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Museum Discussion => Topic started by: Ed Lecuyer on May 19, 2022, 08:27:35 AM
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Listed 5/19/2022 - MLS#: 1528893
108 Alna Road, Wiscasset.
$399,000
Zillow Listing: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/108-Alna-Rd-Wiscasset-ME-04578/84991615_zpid/
Lot includes the site of the WW&F Bridge over the brook just north of the 218 grade crossing. See map.
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You can see the grade in this Lidar Map
(https://i.postimg.cc/JnrvP1tQ/Screenshot-20220519-133010.png)
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This appears to be the property which is the first Wiscasset town property the line crosses from our existing ROW. The power pole sits at the end of what was the ROW embankment before the small bridge and the line crossed 218 just south of the driveway and paralleled 218 for a short distance.
A needed piece to get to Wiscasset (eventually), I have wondered if it would be sound, (financially), to form an LLC and have members invest to buy properties and then use them as rentals and/or air B & B's.
Thoughts anyone?
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It took me a while to figure out where this was. I finally resorted to Google Maps and the address.
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Nice property, though...
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108 Alna Road, Wiscasset is now "SALE PENDING".
Maine real estate is crazy!
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[Moderator's Note]
It is the Moderator's intent to use this thread to highlight properties that may be of interest to Museum Members who would like to "take the leap" and move closer to the railroad, while also obtaining a lot that happens to abut or include WW&F RoW (active and inactive.)
This thread is NOT for discussing the merits of the museum acquiring said properties, feasibility, etc.
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Listed 8/19/2022 - MLS#: 1539438
1517 Alna Road, Alna
$399,000
Zillow Listing: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1517-Alna-Rd-Alna-ME-04535/304658915_zpid/
This property abuts the active WW&F at Humason brook.
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Listed 12/22/2022 - MLS#: 1550035
286 Wiscasset Road, Whitefield
$470,000
Zillow Listing: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/286-Wiscasset-Rd-Whitefield-ME-04353/112665217_zpid/ (https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/286-Wiscasset-Rd-Whitefield-ME-04353/112665217_zpid/)
This property appears to include part of the WW&F ROW just south of the Whitefield Iron Bridge.
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Listed 4/11/2023 - MLS#: 1555865
23 Water Street, Wiscasset
$649,000
Zillow Listing: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/23-Water-St-Wiscasset-ME-04578/91862747_zpid/
This property directly overlooks the former wharfs of Wiscasset and the WW&F. The listing agent has been notified that his representation regarding the use of the Rockland Branch is at best misleading, and likely fraudulent.
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With a lead-in like Ed's in the post above, I just had to read the listing. ;D
Aside from the RR misrepresentation, I laughed out loud (considering the asking price of $649K):
This is the fixer upper you've been waiting for.
:o ::)
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The listing agent has been notified that his representation regarding the use of the Rockland Branch is at best misleading, and likely fraudulent.
The listing has been updated; it's now just slightly misleading - considering that daily passenger service has been announced, but has not started yet.
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...daily passenger service has been announced...
Where? I find lots of articles about the proposals, but nothing that feels this side of 50% probability.
In the realtor's defense, clear information is difficult to obtain for passenger service on this branch, and for freight service in general. I follow the topic with interest, and I know the right words to type into Google, and I still have trouble sorting out which information is still relevant, for as many false starts as we've had with this. Imagine what spews forth when a non-railroad type offers up on the Altar of Google: "Are the train tracks in Wiscasset still used?"
Actually, go ahead and try that one. You might be surprised. ;)
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I give a bit more credibility to the same articles that you cite. It is clear that Finger Lakes/Midcoast intends to start passenger service - its only a matter of time.
As to Googling "Are the train tracks in Wiscasset still used?" - may it come to pass.
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An interesting exercise is to paste Ben's question into Google, but surround the search phrase with quotes, like this:
"Are the train tracks in Wiscasset still used?"
(https://i.postimg.cc/JMb7tBwp/Train-Screenshot-from-2023-04-11-22-29-09.png)
If it wasn't for those pesky folks at the WW&F filling up Google's servers with Museum references :o the Wiscaset Realtor's search would likely be more relevant. ;D
But changing the search phrase to "railroad tracks rockland passenger" brings up more relevant links (but its a bit much to expect a Realtor to know the railroad branch name), including this one which even has a relatively recent photo of a freight train at Wiscasset:
https://railfan.com/maines-midcoast-railservice-drums-up-freight-eyes-passenger-service-next/ (https://railfan.com/maines-midcoast-railservice-drums-up-freight-eyes-passenger-service-next/)
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Graham's results mirror mine, although I didn't need to force it the long way 'round with the quotes. I was initially intending only to fact-check my own cheeky suggestion, and was pleasantly surprised at what showed up.
But in seriousness, the realtor ought to have simply written, "This property abuts an active rail line." This is as specific a statement as I'd put in writing, and conveys the most important bits, namely that you can't park your travel trailer across the track, or use the RoW materials for craft projects to sell on Etsy. If the prospective buyer was interested in more details, then proceed from there.
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Getting back to the original topic, I have seen nothing here that I can afford.
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GREAT OPPUTUNTIY JUST LISTED.
House with 8 acres along Trasks Crossing road. Close to Alna Center station and includes frontage of 850' of active WW&F ROW.
Join the growing commune of WW&F'ers living at Alna Center!
$430,000
3 bd 2 ba
1,829 sqft
1548 Alna Road, Alna, ME 04535
MLS#: 1566188
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1548-Alna-Rd-Alna-ME-04535/304939490_zpid/
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Join the growing commune of WW&F'ers living at Alna Center!
That's a rough crowd, I've heard.
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... includes frontage of 850' of active WW&F ROW.
I'm surprised that the listing agent didn't mention that in the property features or include a photo of the track / train passing the property. Surely the proximity of the WW&F is worth adding say, $20K to $30K to the asking price? 8)
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I think my neighbor just renovated this house. He and his father are carpenters by trade and did a fair bit of work on what already was a nice house. I had the opportunity to check it out when the work was being done and have to say it’s a great looking house situated on a nice piece of land. It’s also very private from both the main road (218) and neighboring homes.
We’d love to welcome someone else with WW&F ties to the neighborhood (wait, is that a pun?!?)
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While not on the WW&F ROW, this one is walkable to Sheepscot (it's effectively across 218 from Jayne's Way.)
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/95242122_zpid/
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Would make a nice Air BnB for members. Anyone interested in forming an investment group?
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It last sold a couple years ago..
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Anyone want to buy a bridge?
Specifically abutting the site of the Whitefield Iron Bridge and including (or spans via easement) WW&F ROW:
7 Spruce Lane, Whitefield, ME 04353
$445,000
MLS: 1572378
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/7-Spruce-Ln-Whitefield-ME-04353/112665255_zpid/
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Head Tide station area (not sure if it includes the actual station site) just came up in Alna:
This is the next property north of the "red cape"
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2155-Alna-Rd-Alna-ME-04535/304658843_zpid/
$359,000
2155 Alna Road, Alna, ME 04535
MLS#: 1577501
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Check out the oddly shaped property on that house - I wonder if the boundary is the right-of-way mound. That was up for sale 10-15 years ago (I forget when exactly) for considerably less money. I don't think the building looked as nice either.
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According to the property tax map, the ROW (which WE own) bisects the property, so that the house is separated from the riverbank by the ROW.
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That was up for sale 10-15 years ago (I forget when exactly) for considerably less money.
I seem to recall it was more recent than that. But maybe not.
Before I saw the boundary map, I was highly suspicious of the "5 acre" claim. Now I see it's more like 1.5 acres of usable land, and 3.5 acres of floodplain.
And I thought my in-laws had goofy boundary lines...
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The tax maps are highly inaccurate in that area, so its hard to know exactly what we own in relationship to this parcel. However, it does appear the W&Q-owned ROW does bisect this property.
The two attachments show the "approximate" property boundary in the real estate listing; the second shows an overlay based on the tax map.
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Right behind the house is the Head Tide Station location - you can see the ROW in Photo 35 & 42 - most of the additional property does not include the ROW - but the property immediately behind the building does include the Station, main track and siding locatiobn
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This is a property that has been flipped. It sold approx. 3-4 years ago for around 90K. From appearances, it looks like they put about 100k into it, so 190,000 total. Not a bad rate of return if it goes in the 300's range.
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This house was the topic of a September 2021 thread, which is currently in the "Members Only" area so I'm not going to link it. But here is the text of Ed's post in that thread:
House for sale in Alna adjacent to Head Tide station site:
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2155-Alna-Rd-Alna-ME-04535/304658843_zpid/
Cheap ("only" $100,000!) but apparently is unfinished. No photos of the interior posted (yet.)
Note that the link in that quote will take you to the CURRENT listing, not the 2021 listing, but as you can see from Ed's message, it was listed at $100K.
If you want find the 2021 thread, its currently on page 4 of the "Members Only" thread list, and has the same title as this current thread.
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When it was sold 2-3 years ago it was purchased by a local builder and his son as an investment property and now he is selling it.
It was in rough shape when he bought it- and I think he purchased it for under 100,000. They put a LOT of work in. Of note is that the small structure up front (of which you can see interior photos in the listing) has been rumored to be of WW&F origin.
Steve
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Nice house near Alna Center is coming up. It is adjacent to Averil Road (Alna Center access road), and you would count Steve P and Ed L as very nearby neighbors (you have been warned.)
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1618-Alna-Rd-Alna-ME-04535/300142826_zpid/
"Only" $565,000.
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I'll wait until 2 Head Tide Rd is available, then I'm all over it.