Topics

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Volunteers / Fridays May 9th and 23rd - Volunteers Needed for Trail Work at Trout Brook

« on: April 30, 2025, 06:43:30 PM »

These work sessions are being organized by our friends at Midcoast Conservancy:

Friday, May 9, 9:00 AM
Trail Day with AMC
Midcoast Conservancy and the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) of Maine are teaming up for a trail workday at Trout Brook Preserve in Alna. We’ll be replacing wooden steps and improving the trail to make it safer and more enjoyable. No experience needed—just a love for the outdoors!
Details and registration: https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events-list/amc-trailday-may9

Friday, May 23
One of the plank bridges crossing a drainage at Trout Brook Preserve has started to rot out and needs to be replaced. We will walk through a beautiful hemlock grove on our way to the work site and maybe enjoy a picnic lunch along Trout Brook afterwards.

For information and details, email: Isobel Curtis - isobel@midcoastconservancy.org

Note: This is the trail system our visitors aboard "Ride the Rails to Hike the Trails" will be enjoying on May 31, June 28, Aug. 2, and Aug. 30, 2025. It would be good if some of our crew might be available to assist in this effort.

2

Museum Discussion / WW&F Receives $5000 grant from Mass Bay RRE for coal/sand facility

« on: April 22, 2025, 09:00:17 PM »

Good news!

Our friends at the Mass Bay Railroad Enthusiasts have granted us $5000 for a coal and sand facility to be built behind the Morse Engine House on the patch of land commonly referred to as "septic heights". Once completed, the process of coaling and sanding locomotives will be greatly simplified, and be accomplished in a historically-appropriate manner. Most importantly, the bucket loader will no longer be needed to coal the locomotive - eliminating the possibility that the cab or tender could be damaged accidentally.

Thank you to the MBRRE who have granted us many tens of thousands of dollars in funds for various projects over the last 15-20 years.

3

Two Footers outside of the US / Rillé steam railway society

« on: March 17, 2025, 06:07:18 PM »

We received the following invitation and photos from ANOTHER French two-footer...

Please tell your members that they would be most welcome on our train if they come to visit our region some day!

The 2025 season will begin next May and (as usual) we are very busy, preparing the rolling stock and locos.

All infos, photos and videos about our railway and society are on Internet: aecfm.fr

All the best to you all!

Jean

Rillé steam railway society

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US Two Footers / Restoring the Davenports - Private individual restoring TWO 2' "dinkys"

« on: February 11, 2025, 08:02:38 PM »

Check out this YouTube series of someone (unnamed) who has acquired two 2' Davenport 0-4-0Ts and is restoring them to operation. One of the locomotives was (I kid you not) blown apart with dynamite!

It's a great series so far with great explanations, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5kvF2fB-opqyFJwepx6aKFkp0Gc1_mpS

Monthly updates are planned.

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Museum Discussion / Ride the Rails AND Hike the Trails - Article in Times Record

« on: August 30, 2024, 04:57:42 PM »

WW&F's Ed Lecuyer and Midcoast Conservancy's Isobel Curtis share about the joint Ride the Rails to Hike the Trails program, and how it interrelates with rail-trails, conservation, and the future transportation needs of the US.
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/08/29/from-rails-to-trails-whats-the-future-of-midcoast-railroad-tracks/

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Moderator Announcements / Internal Server Error

« on: August 14, 2024, 05:11:12 PM »

We're seeing an "Internal Server Error" message following any post to the Forum. The post still gets made, but the error message makes it look like it failed.

James and I are investigating....

7

Volunteers / Saturday June 15th - NOTICE

« on: June 14, 2024, 12:54:29 PM »

We are anticipating a large crowd on Saturday. All parking will be needed. Please park courteously and carefully, blocking in other volunteers who are staying for the day, if needed.

The spaces in front of the shop will be roped off and reserved for a Motorcycle gang club coming for the 1pm train. Please do not park in front of the shop (except in the handicap spaces, if so needed.)

Help with crowd control, parking, etc. would be most welcome.

8

Volunteers / Volunteer Needed May 11th - Gatekeeper / Greeter

« on: May 02, 2024, 05:41:53 PM »

Is anyone available and willing to be the "Gatekeeper" (public greeter and check-in host) on Saturday, May 11th? Specifically in time to handle the 3pm train?

Both Dave and I have other responsibilities that hour.

The responsibilities include using a phone or tablet to check people in, distribute tickets, and assist passengers as needed.

Message me here or ed.lecuyer@wwfry.org

Thanks!

9

Whimsical Weirdness and Foolery / WW&F to Acquire “Garratt” Locomotive NG79

« on: April 01, 2024, 07:09:44 AM »

April 1, 2024 - The WW&F Railway Museum, fresh off its announcement that it is importing two ballast hoppers from South Africa, disclosed today that a locomotive also will be making the journey to Alna, Maine. South African Class NG G13 2-6-2+2-6-2 “Garratt” locomotive NG79 has been purchased, and will be transported to the museum shops at Sheepscot for a full operational rebuild.

Railway Superintendent and CMO Jason Lamontagne exclaimed: “This is an opportunity to boldly showcase the worldwide pinnacle of two foot railway design here in the United States. A Garratt will easily climb our 4% mountain grade, allowing further expansion of our passenger and freight services.” Lamontagne added, “Plus, we really don’t have any stuff to do, so what’s yet another locomotive restoration project.”

The estate of the late actress Charlotte Rae, who frequently vacationed in Maine and was familiar with African railways due to her time in the Peace Corps, has agreed to finance the purchase, shipping, and restoration of the 61-ton locomotive. To celebrate Rae’s life and most beloved character from the series “The Facts of Life”, NG79 will be named “Mrs. Garrett”.

“1979 was the year The Facts of Life premiered on NBC and launched Mrs. Rae to super-stardom; so it is appropriate that NG79 be restored in her honor”, explained four representatives from Rae’s estate: Blair Warner, Tootie Ramsey, Natalie Green, and Jo Polniaczek during a joint press conference. Three of the representatives then began complaining about school and boys, while Tootie roller-skated away.

Locomotive NG79 was presumed scrapped; however, the locomotive had been simply placed into storage. Years of neglect have taken its toll on Mrs. Garrett, and much restoration work will be required. “You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and then you have to improvise”, explained Lamontagne, in a non-rhythmic pattern not reflecting any sense of melodic content.

To supplement the restoration of Mrs. Garrett, WW&F fundraising guru Ed Lecuyer has set up a social media fundraising effort. To learn more and to contribute to “The Tracks of Life”, visit www.wwfry.org/africa

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Work and Events / So. African Hoppers 2806 and 2807 - Official Work Thread

« on: March 20, 2024, 04:34:02 PM »

Today, March 20, 2024, the WW&F Railway is officially launching the Bring Trains to Maine up from Africa fundraising campaign to purchase and transport two ballast hoppers from Sandstone Estates in So. Africa.

Please help us by spreading the word about this unique opportunity to be part of a world-wide narrow gauge movement.

We promise to make regular updates on https://wwfry.org/africa/, Facebook, Instagram, and this Discussion Forum, as the project progresses.

Learn more at: https://wwfry.org/africa/

11

Volunteers / What to Name the new Excavator?

« on: February 13, 2024, 02:04:28 PM »

As you may have heard, we received a substantial donation from Rich and Caroline Tower of the Candelaria Fund to purchase a new excavator. This unit is specifically sized to be used on the railroad (via a special equipment cart) for changing ties, ditching projects, brush cutting, and a plethora of other maintenance tasks.

We have a tradition of applying informal, fanciful names to certain pieces of equipment, such as "Ichabod" crane car, "Millie" the ex-military forklift, "Case-y" the Case bulldozer, etc. The old Kubota was never given a name that stuck (at least in polite company) so that has been just called "the Kubota".

The BOD would like to choose a name that honors the donors, and have proposed two suggestions. We are open to more ideas.

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Museum Discussion / See Us On MaineLife TV!!

« on: January 27, 2024, 06:13:21 PM »

MaineLife - Saturday, Jan. 27th @ 7pm



MaineLife will be featuring the WW&F, SeaLyon Farm, and horses Mike and Ace from Woodfield Farm! This Alna-packed episode is scheduled to premiere this Saturday, January 27th at 7pm on NewsCenter Maine (WCSH 6 and WLBZ 2).  Those outside of the viewing area will (eventually) be able to catch the episode online at www.mainelifemedia.com or YouTube.

13

Volunteers / January 2024 Work Reports

« on: December 31, 2023, 09:02:44 PM »

Brush Cutting 1/6/2024
Start the first Saturday of the new year with us. The weather looks to be good, and we have more brush to cut. It will be a lot of trimmer work, loppers and maybe chainsaw. We will need to make it look neat, so will be moving the brush out of sight.
So please plan to join us. Not sure how long this weather will hold before turning colder and snowy. Trying to get what we can done before it does.
Mike Fox will be gathering a crew at Sheepscot about 8:30, with a 9am departure.

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Whimsical Weirdness and Foolery / What???

« on: October 20, 2023, 04:51:42 PM »

There is a fiasco in Boston where the newly opened extension to the Green Line was built to improper track geometry. Of course hearing the news media trying to explain something like this is always entertaining, I found this quote from a Boston TV station rather, um, interesting...

15

Volunteers / Special Agent Needed!

« on: September 25, 2023, 08:49:09 AM »

We have need of a passenger agent at Top of Mountain for all upcoming weekends. Duties would include reporting meets to the Dispatcher, relaying messages to/from the dispatcher, assisting with passengers during the transfer, and adding as a second check against the scheduled meets.

Please contact Ed or Jason if you are interested. We will train the right candidate.