W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
The Maine Narrow Gauges (Historic & Preserved) => The Original W&Q and WW&F: 1894-1933 => Topic started by: Ted Miles on June 18, 2023, 02:25:35 PM
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Folks,
There is a picture of a WW&F handcar on the Boothbay Railway Village web site.
It does not have a number. Does anyone have additional information about it? Or a source of
information about WW&F Hand cars?
I do know that Fairmont built a lot of speeders and hand cars. Many thanks.
Ted Miles, WW&F Life Member, Built 11 Contributor.
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The handcar was found by Lawrence Brown ("Brownie") in the mud in Wiscasset lo' these many years ago. He fixed it up (probably replacing the wood), painted all the two-footer names on it, and donated it to Boothbay Railway Village. BRV was founded in the mid-60s, so it was long before Harry's vision of restoring the WW&F came to fruition.
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Thank you James for the history of the handcar at BRV. I remember seeing it there in the 1980s and always wondered how it had survived.
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Lawrence Brown had at least two homes that he lived in at which he laid out narrow gage rails. One location was in South Gardiner, the other up in Belgrade Lakes. The handcar was used by friends and visitors for short rides. Mr. Brown laid rail right alongside the standard gage rails of the Maine Central as that line passed alongside his property. After the novelty wore off, he pulled the 25lb. rails and made a marine railway for his boat.