Messages

1

Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: Development in Portland

« on: January 16, 2025, 03:42:22 PM »

At one time the MNG website had a page regarding the projects Bill mentioned, This is a screenshot created from a retrieval from archive.org. (I chose to include the archive.org header to make clear the source. The original MNG page did not have that header.)



My recollection is that the Storage Facility was planned to be sited near the north end of the line, while the Portland Station would be at the other end.

2

Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: Development in Portland

« on: January 15, 2025, 10:39:46 AM »

There is a more informative story here: https://www.pressherald.com/2025/01/13/portlands-narrow-gauge-railroad-to-close-temporarily-to-accommodate-nearby-construction/

A snippet:

Part of the project includes moving the Eastern Promenade trail and the railroad tracks closer to the waterfront to make room for some of the new development. A spokesperson for the city confirmed that Prentice, the city and the Maine Department of Transportation have an agreement to reconstruct the trail and the rail line, which are on state-owned land, according to city property records.

Looks like the "agreement" should have been studied more closely. Perhaps by an attorney.

3

Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: Development in Portland

« on: January 15, 2025, 10:23:16 AM »

Its not obvious to me which portion of track is at issue.  But ... it does appear that some of MNG facilities and track are on property owned by PF LAND LLC. See the Tax Map screenshot.  While that section doesn't seem to be the 'main' track, if there is equipment that must be moved off that property, it has to go somewhere. That 'somewhere' might be the main track.




Here is the area in Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Portland,+ME/@43.6632079,-70.2421491,105m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x4cb29c72aab0ee2d:0x7e9db6b53372fa29!8m2!3d43.670822!4d-70.2843825!16zL20vMGM0a3Y?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDExMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Tax Map link: https://portlandme.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6208128831ea40c7a7c432317527336b

4

Volunteers / Re: December 2024 Work Reports

« on: December 22, 2024, 09:09:25 PM »

Where is this?

I believe its south of Cross Road, close to where this Google Maps area shows a hiking area named "Vernal pool":
 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cross+Rd,+Alna,+ME+04535/@44.0550905,-69.6239974,1369m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x4caded484e7ad2ad:0x5e1d1e973d7f5f11!8m2!3d44.0635469!4d-69.6300293!16s%2Fg%2F1tctf5zd?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTIxMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Beavers might be nearer the "Verney-Leighton Marsh"

5

Work and Events / Re: Coach 9 - Official Work Thread

« on: December 14, 2024, 10:29:54 PM »

I understand that uncoupling requires "slack" to be present (tension removed from the coupler by pushing the cars together) to allow the crewman to operate the cut lever or chain.

This page has more on the Miller system: https://www.midcontinent.org/rollingstock/dictionary/millerhook.htm

6

General Discussion / Mapping railroads, abandoned / active

« on: November 13, 2024, 09:57:17 AM »

This is about an Android railroad mapping app, "Rail Guide". 

I sometimes struggle reconciling  historic railroad location references with modern day map/land features. So I was quite pleased to learn about Rail Guide. A screenshot is attached, showing Monson area.

Users can select various overlays, choosing only active railroads, or only abandoned railroads, or a combination. There are 'historic' railroad names available, as well as 'modern' railroad names.

Free, if you want to put up with ads, or $10 /year to get rid of ads. Its not perfect -- if I look hard I can find abandoned railroads not shown -- but its better than any other tool I have seen.  Yes, the WW&F -- both historic and modern -- is on the map.

Available in the Play Store, some more info here: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=rail%20guide&c=apps&hl=en_US

7

Moderator Announcements / Re: NEWSLETTERS!!!

« on: October 01, 2024, 08:56:40 PM »

Ed, are the Newsletter archives searchable in any fashion, or does one have to look at each issue one by one to find something?

One could download all the newsletters to their local system, then perform searches locally.

8

Museum Discussion / Re: Dynamo Production Charter Video

« on: September 29, 2024, 07:08:25 PM »

Great video!

9

Museum Discussion / Re: Sheepscot Station platform shelter

« on: September 05, 2024, 07:53:58 PM »

The business that bought the MEC depot is Chase Manways. They have photos on their "History" page:
https://www.manways.com/about-us/history







They show that was in 1983-84.  The 'completed' building has been remodeled even more since then.  In Google Streetview all resemblance to the MEC structure is gone:
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.9834397,-69.6398408,3a,60y,117.24h,94.36t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sdr6r5yEEvVE2fPuzsHtqCA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-4.362663123470767%26panoid%3Ddr6r5yEEvVE2fPuzsHtqCA%26yaw%3D117.23712715667912!7i16384!8i8192?coh=205410&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkwMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

10

Museum Discussion / Re: Sheepscot Station platform shelter

« on: September 04, 2024, 06:06:36 PM »

This earlier thread has a photo of the WW&F Wiscasset depot.
https://forum.wwfry.org/index.php?topic=3027.0

And as a bonus, there is also a photo of the Wiscasset MEC depot.

11

General Discussion / Re: Norway, Maine Historical Society - June 2024 Newsletter

« on: August 27, 2024, 04:11:54 PM »

Photos at these two links suggest that piping was added to the steam dome of these stationary boilers [formerly mobile locomotives]:

https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/93800
http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/Steam%20Sounds/PRR-L1s-8283%20as%20Stationary%20Boiler-Wheelspur%20Yd-LI%20City%20-%20c.%201956%20(Keller).jpg

Here is the site for the 2nd photo: http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/Steam%20Sounds/Steam%20Sounds.htm
... scroll down to see it in context, along with an additional photo.

On this one, piping was added (apparently) through the smokebox.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/44544845@N08/8572222576/

As I understand the situation, traditionally, actual 'steam' was the desired output even for heating buildings. Steam will move through a distribution piping system without pumps, so it was preferable to ordinary 'hot water'. A pump might be needed to return condensed steam [water] to the boiler.
More here: https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/heat-distribution-systems

12

Museum Discussion / Re: Annual Picnic >>>Photo Album<<<

« on: August 14, 2024, 09:48:40 PM »

... and thanks for taking the time to prepare excellent captions as well.

13

Museum Discussion / Re: Internet connectivity at Sheepscot

« on: August 14, 2024, 08:37:58 PM »

This Verizon blog page about "fixed wireless" shows a pole top antenna similar in shape to the one near Averill Rd. In the Verizon case the amplifier/controller boxes are close to the antenna, whereas the Averill Rd instance has the boxes below the high voltage wires.

https://www.verizon.com/about/blog/fixed-wireless-access

There is a benefit to having the control boxes below the high voltage wires as the 'normal' wireless maintenance crews may not need training to deal with high voltages, so those with lesser experience can be used. (read: pay them less), and the bucket trucks can have shorter booms (costs less).

The FCC database page says there are two candidates for FWA (fixed wireless) in the Alna area, Verizon and Redzone. I haven't seen anything that suggests who the Averill Rd setup belongs to.

14

Museum Discussion / Re: Internet connectivity at Sheepscot

« on: August 14, 2024, 03:21:21 PM »

The FCC, with state and local partners has compiled a Broadband database for every USA address. Put in an address here:
https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/home

Here is what the FCC Database shows for 97 Cross Road:



I'm don't see anything there that looks like a traditional Telco, so presumably the Museum connection is through the cable company. And I wouldn't be surprised that those speeds shown are not consistently achieved. 

15

Museum Discussion / Re: Internet connectivity at Sheepscot

« on: August 14, 2024, 01:16:57 PM »

Its good that you are able to get your work done remotely.
But according to the BOD Meeting Zoom instructions, there are issues at times.

4. The online Moderator shall, if practicable, provide the Agenda and prepared reports at the start of the meeting via the relevant topic and thread on the WW&F Discussion Forum. Please note that due to the tenuous Internet connection available at Sheepscot, this is not always possible.

I believe that I have also seen a recent reference to [possibly] hosting a server that was deemed problematic due to connectivity, but I haven't found that reference at this point.