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Volunteers / Re: May 2025 Work Reports

« on: May 05, 2025, 10:40:46 PM »

This is what I get a few seconds after the WW&F Facebook page loads. Once that come up, there is nothing more I can do.

I'm disappointed in the change in policy that shortchanges the forum while posting photos to Facebook.

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The Original W&Q and WW&F: 1894-1933 / Re: Head Tide Station

« on: April 26, 2025, 09:52:48 PM »

I want to clarify that it was not me that generated that Maps overlay. I came across that link "somewhere" and saved it in 2021, but I can't say where/who generated it.

I did move the map focus point to the area of the two islands,

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The Original W&Q and WW&F: 1894-1933 / Re: Head Tide Station

« on: April 26, 2025, 07:37:21 AM »

There seem to be two islands in the river. My guess is roughly 1000 ft north of the Head Tide Dam. Hopefully this map link works: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1CADkRMDCf9yHz9x8rhuLtGZb8aI&ll=44.11821325877251%2C-69.62958129518984&z=18

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Work and Events / Re: WW&F MoW1018 X-Cart- Official Work Thread

« on: March 08, 2025, 09:55:47 PM »

As the cart operator's seat is in the Kubota excavator, I'd expect the cupholder is likely mounted on the Kubota.

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General Discussion / Re: Cleaning Engines Historically

« on: February 13, 2025, 11:15:42 AM »

This TrainOrders thread from 2006 has a lot of details on high temperature lubricants for steam cylinders:
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,1223469

(Trainorders is a 'pay' site, but you can read the first page of threads without a paid membership. The linked thread is only one page.)

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General Discussion / Re: Cleaning Engines Historically

« on: February 13, 2025, 09:47:02 AM »

I expect that "Engine oil" could be premium priced product suitable for internal lubrication of cylinders, mixed with steam. More on that here: https://forum.wwfry.org/index.php?topic=1580.0

"Car oil" could be a lower priced product as there was no steam involved in lubricating railcars.

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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.

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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:

Quote

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.

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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

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Volunteers / Re: December 2024 Work Reports

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

Quote from: John McNamara on December 22, 2024, 07:42:58 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"

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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

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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

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