W.W.&F. Discussion Forum
WW&F Railway Museum Discussion => Whimsical Weirdness and Foolery => Topic started by: Ed Lecuyer on March 31, 2019, 10:15:52 PM
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For release: April 1, 2019
Fresh off their unprecedented Narrow Gauge Collection collaboration with Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad and Museum, the WW&F is pleased to announce today the Narrow Gauge Connection which will build 14.5 miles of new track between Sheepscot Station in Alna, Maine to Boothbay Railway Village in Boothbay, Maine.
"The all-new route is a stunning display of narrow gauge theory," gushed WW&F Superintendent Jason Lamontagne. "It features seven sweeping S curves and a spectacular new bridge over the Sheepscot River. Folks will come from all over the world just to marvel at how the trains navigate the terrain." A map of the route is shown below.
Moreover, this route bypasses the tourist mecca of Wiscasset, instead drawing visitors to Alna, Edgecomb, and Boothbay. It is expected that the line will attract those commuting to Edgecomb from the north and south. Both of Edgecomb's residents are very enthusiastic about the prosperity the narrow gauge promises to bring to the town.
No longer will visitors to Boothbay Railway village be limited to a trip around a short circle of track. Instead BRV's collection of historic stations and structures will be relocated throughout the route. "The possibilities are dizzying", said one BRV representative.
Because the route does feature some significant grades, a new class of narrow gauge locomotive will be constructed as part of this collaboration. The 4-8-8-4T "Little Boy" class will be the largest 2ft gauge locomotive ever built. Essentially a scaled down "Big Boy" (made famous by the Union Pacific), the "Little Boy" will have an attached coal bunker and large water tank over the boiler. The Union Pacific railroad is sponsoring its construction, and will assist with the project under the condition that it be painted armour yellow and feature a large UP shield on the smokebox.
The funding for the Narrow Gauge Connection is being provided by an anonymous rich guy who likes trains. He owns a small island off the coast of Maine and has frequented both the WW&F and BRV. "It has long been my dream to connect these two attractions", he stated. "Now I will be able to travel freely between them, avoiding the traffic going to Maine Botanical Gardens."
Mr. Joe Fox, who will be required to maintain the nearly 20 mile railroad, was unable to comment in a manner suitable for inclusion in this press release.
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BRAVO!
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And, Happy Yad Sloof Lirpa! ;) ;D
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Well done Ed! I know you guys have been using to working miracles for thirty years , but still this one looks like being too foolish. Maybe, I'm but a naysayer.
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The loop should be maintained so that the train can reverse direction without any switching maneuvers.
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The loop should be maintained so that the train can reverse direction without any switching maneuvers.
Good point! (as opposed to a good stub)
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Two more interesting developments have been announced:
1. Four derelict Henschel locomotives currently stored out of service at BRV will be rebuilt at Maine Locomotive and Machine for service on the new route. However, to supplement the 4-8-8-4T "Little Boy", they will be articulated into a single locomotive with a 0-4-4=4-4-0T wheel arrangement. In homage to the father of compounding articulated locomotives, Anatole Mallet, but in gratitude to a long-time WW&F volunteer, the new class of locomotive shall be known as a "Marcel". (To be commonly mispronounced as "Marsill" (one syllable) by the railroad community.)
2. In order to silence the critics claiming the recently-erected Trout Brook Bridge is not a true "covered bridge", the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges has arranged the donation of a covered bridge WITH A ROOF to be used to span the Sheepscot River. "That will show 'em" quipped everyone who is tired of explaining that a Boxed Pony Truss *IS* a covered bridge.
Marty the Mouse Trout was unavailable for comment.
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As opposed to the Union pacific's "Big Boy" 4000-class locomotives, the proposed new 4-8-8-4T should probably be known as the "Tiny Boy" or even "Miniscule Boy" type.
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No wonder Joe couldn't comment appropriately. He is so ecstatic that he will soon have another 14.5 miles of track upon which to play with all the new machines that ROMO Manufacturing keeps coming up with.
Now we all know the blood relationship between Mike Fox and Joe Fox couldn't have anything to do with collusion between lucrative contracts for maintenance equipment and maintenance services for the WW&F Ry.
Alna, Maine is way too far north of the major metropolitan city's to the south for the mob family to worm their way into it's lucrative railroad contracts. However, inroads into our once small family owned and operated railway has already been corrupted by the newest union labor contract with the United Timber Bridge Workers, Local 1894, Alna, ME.
One must always be circumspect of local political corruption. It is already rumored that there is a lurking danger of outsiders taking over the Work Weekend cookie and Moxie contracts because of the excessive per capita consumption during those events. The local baked goods consortium is complaining of undue competition from cut rate Oreos baked in Mexico. Sonia was heard to exclaim "who moved my cheese?" and "Where did all the fig nuwtons go?" during her recent daily activities.
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Will the proposed Alna & Boothbay Division cross over or under the Central Maine & Quebec?
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The extension will pass under the CM&Q (former Maine Central Rockland Branch) just east of the CM&Q's crossing of the Marsh River. The WW&F/BRV will cross the Marsh River due south of the CM&Q crossing using a high fill.
It will require some environmental permitting, but Marty the Mouse Trout is going to put in a good word for us.
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It won't cause any trouble with high speed traffic in Wiscasset, cause nothing could go slower than that!
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The extension really needs a spiral loop over itself.
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Why not combine b&sr 8 and the yet unbuilt 11 into a 2-4-4-T?
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The extension will pass under the CM&Q (former Maine Central Rockland Branch) just east of the CM&Q's crossing of the Marsh River. The WW&F/BRV will cross the Marsh River due south of the CM&Q crossing using a high fill.
It will require some environmental permitting, but Marty the Mouse Trout is going to put in a good word for us.
Mouse Trout :o???
Jeff S.
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Mouse Trout :o???
Jeff S.
Marty Jr..
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Micky the Mouse Trout.
Marty the Moose Trout.
Whatever.
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Ed, that map looks very familiar..
Are you sure it isn't one of the Wiscasett bypass maps from a few years back? ???
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Hi Gordon,
Actually, the route chosen for the Narrow Gauge CONnection is completely compatible with the Wiscasset Bypass proposed several years ago. Please refer to the attached map showing the ByPass and the CONnection.
That said, due to local opposition to the now-dead bypass proposal, I suspect that the Narrow Gauge CONnection would actually stand a better chance of being built.
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I thought the by-pass project crashed and burned when a bald eagle nest was found along the route.
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Yes, the by-pass project is dead. I think the cost of the preferred alternative (N2a on the map) coupled with the lack of local support outweighed the benefits. So, instead they put in a traffic light at the Fire Station/Rte 27 and took away all of the parking on Rte 1 in downtown Wiscasset.
The Narrow Gauge CONnection, however, lives on in the hopes, dreams, and feeble minds of those who concieved it.
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I have a thought! (First one this year)
In view of the failed bypass proposal, I can see a narrow gauge park-'n-ride revenue producer just waiting to be harvested or jumped on or slaughtered!
A parking lot and auto-train loading facility could be constructed at the 218 crossing, with a similar setup on the east side of the Sheepscot at the route 1 crossing.
Daily departures from either end could whisk trainloads of impatient auto folks around that pesky highway bridge!
We could avoid the common carrier complications by pointing out that such service on a two footer is quite uncommon!
In keeping with "Precission Railroading", which is all the rage these days, I think distributed power is the way to go, sprinkling Henschels and tiny Baldwins throughout the train. Throttle commands would be transmitted via state-of-the-art bell cord, or chord, if multiple bells are employed.