Messages

1

Museum Discussion / Re: Property/Houses for Sale Along/Including WW&F ROW

« on: November 17, 2023, 03:40:49 PM »

Right behind the house is the Head Tide Station location - you can see the ROW in Photo 35 & 42 - most of the additional property does not include the ROW - but the property immediately behind the building does include the Station, main track and siding locatiobn

2

Moderator Announcements / Re: NEWSLETTERS!!!

« on: November 15, 2023, 06:00:18 PM »

Link requires password - I'll go back to getting a paper copy.

3

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad / Re: Forster Toothpick Mill

« on: October 10, 2023, 11:00:45 AM »

Brings back memories of the six months I spent living in Phillips, and working in Strong after graduating and before reporting for duty as an Army  Transportation Corps Officer at Fort Eustis, VA.

I worked first trick as a laborer at the Starbird Lumber Company and third trick as the night watchmen/fireman at the Forster Worlds Fair Toothpick Factory.

The people in Franklin County Maine were some of the nicest people I every met, and I fondly remember the Toothakers, Pillsburys, Stinchfields, Beals, and many others who made me feel like I was a member of their wonderful community.

4

Volunteers / Re: Trimming/ Weed Whacking

« on: July 20, 2023, 09:16:02 PM »

When Fred sharpens them, they cut through the weeds easily. The fact that they are old is irrelevant.

5

The Original W&Q and WW&F: 1894-1933 / Re: Historic Photos

« on: March 09, 2023, 05:03:09 PM »

I agree with James - this wreck happened along the Sheepscot River in lower Whitefield in the mid to late 1920s. Right up until the end, WW&F trains ran at 30-35 mph when the engineer (Earl) felt conditions were right.

6

Museum Discussion / Re: Needed-photos of the Museum and it’s members for a book

« on: August 14, 2022, 11:09:18 AM »

I had been asked by Arcadia Books to do a history of the WW&F over twenty years ago - but was too busy. There are literally hundreds of these "Images of Rail" books that have been published. We sell over 100 of these books at our Western Railway Museum store,

The nice thing about the Arcadia "Images of America" and " Images of Rail" series of books is that they are never out of print. They do an initial run of 500-1000 copies, and when these are all sold, they wait until they have orders for 25 or more copies, and reprint the book.

7

The Original W&Q and WW&F: 1894-1933 / Re: RPO & the WW&F

« on: January 31, 2022, 11:53:51 PM »

You will recall that Bob Richardson left only three bequests to railroad museums in his will. The WW&F was one of them.  Bob visited in the last year of his life and rejoiced over the cab ride he was given at Sheepscot.

8

Massachusetts' Two Footers / Re: Whithin Machine Works

« on: March 31, 2021, 09:09:19 PM »

If I'm not mistaken, the wrecked Whitin locomotive was also moved to Maine from Edaville where it was at the very back of MNG's rail yard at the Portland Company. I remember there was nothing - nothing - nothing left to salvage when Edaville and MNG got done with her - and she was scrapped when MNG had to get rid of property they were using to reduce their foot print at the Yacht Company (Sprague)

9

Other Narrow Gauge / Re: East Broad Top Feb. 20

« on: March 03, 2021, 08:04:20 PM »

I have been a life member of FEBT for many years. Back in the days, a FEBT group (including Lee Rainey)  used to come up and help with our work weekends. Many are members of the WW&F also. Good group - and I know the backers of the railroad - this renaissance should become quite a success story.

10

Volunteers / Re: January 2021 Work Reports

« on: January 22, 2021, 12:37:22 PM »

Stating the obvious - if we do use loaded cars in trains, we must ensure that the load is properly spaced in the car and secured.

11

Museum Discussion / Re: Switch lanterns on high mast switches

« on: November 25, 2020, 07:36:27 PM »

As the Curator of one of the larger railroad archives in the United States, and a member of the Museum's Collection Committee, I am also not in favor of keeping dead items for people to study. Present and future researchers get a better picture of what your museum is all about by seeing artifacts used, and when the need exists - overhauled and renewed.

12

Whimsical Weirdness and Foolery / Re: A Fictional Day

« on: November 24, 2020, 02:27:36 AM »

Your story is beautiful! Never stop dreaming, Jason. I haven't.

13

Museum Discussion / Re: Switch lanterns on high mast switches

« on: November 23, 2020, 09:49:02 PM »

Keep the original & add a WW&F tag

14

Bridgton & Saco River Railway / Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos

« on: April 17, 2020, 05:48:58 PM »

The Railbus was made in the SR&RL Shops at Phillips and was Standard Gauge.

I believe the chassis and motor of this bus wound up at Starbird Lumber in Strong Maine and was used until the late 1950s to move finished and in process lumber around the yard.

15

Bridgton & Saco River Railway / Re: Arthur Griffin B&H 1940 excursion photos

« on: April 09, 2020, 02:02:25 PM »

As the curator of a very large railroad archive, I can tell you that these photos are a gold mine for an archives and for future researchers.
Many railfans don't seem to understand that 3/4 and side shots of railroad equipment might be wonderful for railroad modelers and for those junkies that want to have a picture of every piece of a railroad's equipment, but for historical purposes, shots like these with many passengers and early railfans all over different parts of the equipment are what will be important one hundred years from now.