Messages

1

Work and Events / Re: Winter 2024 Photo Event Prep

« on: December 01, 2023, 08:38:43 PM »

Glad I just noticed this thread.

The key spots that come to mind are as follows:

- Albee's Field (south end and either side of Albee's crossing).   The south end of Albee's on the east side would be our sunrise shot, weather permitting, but the crossing further north can be used in either direction.
- Rosewood.  Most important is the west side.   Folks like the shot with the "Two-Foot Jukes Tree."
- Top of the Mountain.   Mainly making sure the ROW is clean.   Special emphasis on that spot Mike cleared just east of the cemetery location.   That can be a nice, early afternoon shot of the train arriving.
- MP 6 west side of the ROW.  MP 6 is key, because there are 3 shots there, two of which require the ROW on the west side of the track to be clean.
- Sutter's Crossing.  This shot is good in the morning on the east side, and may be the last shot of the day in the afternoon on the west side.
- Davis Grade / Davis Curve.   Brendan is very familiar with this location.  We've used it before.
- Eastman Lake (the little pond just north of Davis Curve).  The ROW on the west side of the track.

I am going to plan to come up Friday morning before the event and I'll take a look around the campus to see if there are any tools, ladders, buckets that need to be stowed....things folks will not want in their shots.   By then, we should have a pretty good plan for where we'll be going and when.   We can review with the operations folks at that time, if not before. 

/Kevin

2

Museum Discussion / Re: Cell coverage on the WW&F

« on: May 26, 2023, 08:28:34 AM »

I have a 5G phone (Samsung Galaxy Android) on the T-Mobile network and it has always been my experience that I have no service at all when visiting the museum.   In fact, I typically leave the phone in the car, because it is useless dead weight when hiking around.   Anything that can be done to improve coverage is a good thing, particularly with all of the events that the museum is holding and with the hiking trails.   If visitors or hikers have some kind of problem, they can summon help quickly.   In the event of a medical problem, it can make all the difference in the world.   

Cell phones can also be used to locate people, even when they are not able to make calls themselves.   I am the Director of Emergency Services for New Hampshire Wing, Civil Air Patrol, and we used CAP's Cell Phone Forensics Team to save a guy who had become trapped on Franconia Ridge a couple of years back.   We searched by air (visually) for an entire day looking for that guy and could not find him.  Shortly before sunset, the Cell Phone Forensics Team came through with some coordinates, which we passed on to the NH Army National Guard.   They sent a UH-60 Blackhawk up on that ridge at sunset, with the crew wearing Night Vision Goggles.  When they went to those coordinates, the helo crew spotted a guy shining a flashlight at them, and were able to put medics down on the ridge to get the guy out.    Even weak cell phone coverage is better than none at all.

3

General Discussion / Sheepscot Passenger Shelter Move

« on: March 12, 2023, 02:54:13 PM »

Folks,

I was fortunate to be able to travel to the museum last Tuesday to observe and photograph the movement by rail of the Sheepscot Passenger Shelter to the station area at Top of the Mountain.  While it would have been nice to have sunshine, it was probably more dramatic to have clouds and some snow showers.   When it wasn't snowing too hard, I was able to fly the drone and get some different views of the switching operations up at Top of the Mountain.   

The folks who planned and executed this move did a fabulous job.   Although the load looked pretty precariously perched on that narrow gauge flat car, the move went pretty much without incident and took just under 3 hours from start to finish.  I've assembled a Flickr Album depicting the move, so that the folks who could not be there can see what it looked like.

For a look at the pictures, click this link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/112261457@N06/albums/72177720306607384

Thanks!

/Kevin Madore

4

Work and Events / Re: WW&F No. 11 - Official Work Thread

« on: December 13, 2022, 07:56:48 PM »

True, James. But think of the extra eyes that would see it on other platforms -- YouTube, Facebook, etc.

I thought the video was excellent.  It's a great way for members/donors, who can't make it to Sheepscot or rarely get to visit, to see with their eyes how much is really happening, as described by the engineers and craftsmen who are actually doing the work.   Over the last few years, the incredible progress that has taken place up in Alna has created an expectation among members/donors that the funds they contribute will be well-managed and they will see tangible, near-term results.    This is a great way to continue to assure these folks that their expectations are indeed being met.    Perhaps it should be a quarterly thing on a WW&F YouTube channel, which can be linked to various on-line, RR-related boards like RYPN, NGDF, Trainorders, etc.   Our museum already has a very successful information campaign on social media platforms.    This might be a way to expand that even further.

/Kevin Madore

5

Volunteers / Re: A lovely compliment

« on: November 21, 2022, 11:30:42 PM »

Dave spent a couple of days with us back in early 2021 during Pete Lerro's winter charter at the WW&F.   Here's a shot of Dave posing as a Dispatcher in the railroad office:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/112261457@N06/50899463158/in/album-72157718127341006/

/Kevin Madore

6

Museum Discussion / Re: Boiler work on the WW&F #10

« on: November 21, 2022, 10:12:08 PM »

We anticipate all of those moves to occur in late spring, 2023.  We plan to resume heavy work on no 10 after the train brake system is in service and we have proper working space for 10, and still hope to see it in service soon. 

As an aside- we are sure many other members such as you are wondering what No 10’s status is.  We plan to write a newsletter article which explains its status and the reasons behind it.  The most important thing- we haven’t forgotten No 10 and still look forward to getting it back on the active roster.

Thanks
Jason

So glad to hear this.   While #10 might not be useful on the runs to TBS, for obvious reasons, she could be very useful and economical for many of the other events that the museum hosts, which don't go north of TOM.   For the evening concerts at AC, for instance, she'd be perfect.    Hey, she could save some wear and tear on #9 and in the event that 9 needs to be down for some extended maintenance, having the 10 means we're still a steam railroad.   That's especially important now that the active MNGRR steamers have all left the WW&F campus. 

I still have great memories of the one day when the 9 and the 10 operated together. https://www.flickr.com/photos/112261457@N06/23817817481/in/album-72157662677166485/

/Kevin Madore

7

General Discussion / Fall Colors and a Trout Brook Aerial >>>Photo Album<<<

« on: October 19, 2022, 09:05:45 PM »

I posted this photo album over on the Narrow Gauge Discussion Forum yesterday, but thought some might like to see the photos here.   This is mainly for the "away" crowd, who don't get the opportunity to visit the museum often.   Unfortunately, I missed the Fall Work Weekend due to some previous commitments on the west coast that weekend, so I visited just a week later, looking for some fall colors.   Although it wasn't quite as spectacular as it had been the week before, there were still a lot of pretty trees along the railroad, and of course, a pair of steam trains going back and forth to Sea Lyon Farm and Trout Brook, so lots to photograph.   I also brought the drone with me, and when it wasn't raining, I did get a chance to try out a shot that I have been envisioning down at the bridge.   Those who have been there know it is a difficult location, as the ROW is narrow, and there are not a lot of clean photo angles.....unless you can fly!   Well, now I can.

Here's the link to the photo album on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/112261457@N06/albums/72177720302995921/with/52437024452/

Expect to see more drone stuff in the future.  One of these days, I will get it figured out.   

/Kevin Madore

8

General Discussion / The Great Western Steam-Up at NSRM >>>Photo Album<<<

« on: July 11, 2022, 04:15:16 PM »

Folks,

Both Ed Lecuyer and I were fortunate to be able to attend the 4-day, "Great Western Steam-Up" event at the Nevada State Railroad Museum over the July 4th weekend. This event featured 16 total steam locomotives, 9 of which were in steam and running on the museum trackage. It was probably the greatest gathering of steam engines that I have personally witnessed and probably the closest that we can come to some of the Railfairs that were held at the end of the last century.  Equally impressive was the list of people that I ran into again or got to meet for the first time.   There were a lot of well-known names there.  And yes, both Ed and I had a lot of people notice our WW&F hats.   We also ran into a couple of folks wearing WW&F shirts, who had participated in the SWW.   Small world. 

The following is a list of the engines that were present. The ones in bold print were actually operating:

-V&T #1 "Lyon" (partially completed replica)
-V&T #11 "Reno"
-V&T #12 "Genoa"
-V&T #18 "Dayton"
-V&T #21 "J.W.Bowker"
-V&T #22 "Inyo"
-V&T #25
-Carson & Tahoe Lumber & Fluming Co. #1 "Glenbrook"
-Eureka & Palisade #4 "Eureka"
-Nevada County Narrow Gauge RR #5 "Tahoe"
-Southern Pacific #18
-Bluestone Mining & Smelting #1 (Heisler)
-Santa Cruz Portland Cement #2 "Chiggen"
-Antelope & Western #1
-Dardanelle & Russellville #8
-Dayton, Sutro & Carson Valley "Joe Douglas"

I've just finished sorting through a couple of thousand images that I captured at the event and picked the ones I thought best represented the action that I witnessed. Apologies for taking nearly a week to get these out. I'm a big believer in captioning my photos and it takes a bit of time to do that with a collection this large.

Anyway, if the spirit moves you, take a look.  It was a pretty epic event.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/112261457@N06/albums/72177720300447947

Congratulations to the crew at the Nevada State Railroad Museum as well as to all of the other organizations and individuals who made this event the great success that it was!

/Kevin Madore

9

Museum Discussion / Re: Planning a trip to the WW&F

« on: June 27, 2022, 07:55:09 AM »

Tim,
       I have been to several of the Annual Picnics if you can get to that event it would be a good time
to visit.

Ted Miles, WW&F Member Build 11 Contributor

I concur.   When people ask me what’s the best time to visit the WW&F, if they can only come one time, Annual Picnic is probably their best bet.   It’s when they are most likely to see not only a full schedule of operations, but potentially, some equipment or operations that don’t happen at other times.   For folks who are not inclined to come for just a one-day event, this year, they can potentially make it a two-day event, if they sign up for the photo excursion on Sunday.

/Kevin Madore

10

Volunteers / Re: May 2022 Work Reports

« on: May 30, 2022, 08:15:04 AM »

Is the plan for runs from Sheepscot to Trout Brook to turn the  engine at each end or to use the turntable at TBS primarily for a runaround?

Regardless, I’m thinking that #9 would always be facing south on the mountain, because she only sands running forward.....correct?

/Kevin Madore

11

Massachusetts' Two Footers / Re: Edaville 75th anniversary

« on: April 28, 2022, 02:56:01 PM »

Wish I could have gone down there last weekend.   I was already committed to a paid event in PA when this was announced, or I would have been there in a heartbeat, if only to ride over what was left of the original ROW.    When I last visited back in 2013, it was shortly after Christmas, and they were running Christmas Light Trains.   The Hudswell-Clarke 0-6-0 #21 was running that night.    Because it was dark, there was no scenery except for the lights.   The ride was much shorter than what I remembered as a kid.

So, is there another, larger loop that can be run, or is the unused trackage basically a dead-end now?    I hear that the owner has the place up for sale.  Hopefully, whoever buys it will not just subdivide it into housing lots, although I fear that's what will happen.

BTW, my first visit to Edaville was back in the late 1960s.   I took a ride on a train pulled by B&SR #8.   She had a late 1800s-style, coal-burner diamond stack on her at the time.   Of all of the non-authentic stacks I saw at Edaville, that one was the closest to looking real.

/Kevin Madore

12

Museum Discussion / Re-creating the Maine's Bridgton & Saco River Railroad on the WW&F >>>Photo Albu

« on: August 14, 2021, 10:01:46 AM »

On Saturday and Sunday, July 31st and August 1st, 2021, the WW&F Railway Museum, the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company, and Maine Locomotive & Machine collaborated to re-create scenes from Maine's 2-foot gauge Bridgton & Saco River Railroad during a couple of photo events. The first event on Saturday, was organized by the collaborative and featured B&SR Locomotive #7, which is the largest of the surviving, operable 2-footers. This event also featured demonstration trains from the Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad and the Monson Railroad. On Sunday, and additional trip was run for a videography group called Dynamo Productions, which featured just the Bridgton Locomotive.

The Bridgton & Saco River Railroad.....later called the Bridgton & Harrison Railroad, was a 33-mile long, 24" gauge common carrier, which existed from 1883 until 1941, running from Bridgton Junction, and its connection with the Maine Central Railroad, all the way north to Harrison, Maine. The line had a total of 8 locomotives during its existence, all of which were Forney types. Two of the engines survived by virtue of their purchase for use at the Edaville Railroad in South Carver, Massachusetts, where they ran for half a century. Both of the survivors, #s 7 & 8 are large, Baldwin Forneys of 33 and 38 tons. They are now owned and cared for by the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company of Portland, Maine. The #7 is operable and has an FRA boiler ticket, and there are long-term plans to restore the 8 as well. Over the past couple of years, these big 2-footers have been visiting at the WW&F, allowing us to present re-creations of the B&SR, as was done on this weekend. For the most part, the consists used were all B&SR original equipment.

I've prepared an album of images from the weekend's two events for those who would like to see what it looked like. My apologies that it took a couple of weeks to get this out. For the moment, I am still working a day-job and preparing for a couple of upcoming trips. I also like to add captions to all of my photos, which takes more time than editing them, but I think some viewers prefer to have a bit of context. Take a look, if the spirit moves you!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/112261457@N06/albums/72157719730751345

Thanks!

/Kevin Madore

13

General Discussion / Re: BUFF B-52, Air Force, Snoring, and French.

« on: March 11, 2021, 07:29:46 PM »

The last models, the "H" model were built in 1962.  The Air Force is working on another electronics upgrade and new engines.  They are expected to be flying into the 2050's.  The famous quote that seems to be true is "the last B-52 pilot has not yet been born."  I am now hearing that the quote has been changed to the father of the last B-52 pilot has not yet been born.
BTW, I have flown on B, C and D models.

Bill,

I've heard that when the last B-2 Spirit goes to the boneyard at Davis Monthan, the crew will be picked up and brought home by a B-52.   

/Kevin Madore

14

Museum Discussion / Re: Lerro Photography Charter on the WW&F >>>Photo Album<<<

« on: February 11, 2021, 01:41:24 PM »

Kevin's photos are great!
And, well done captions. 

Another participant in the Lerro charter was Matthew Malkiewicz, and he has posted his photos to his Zenfolio album. I'm posting a link to a thread he started on the NGDF forum (which links to Matthew's photos)  as his NGDF thread comments on his WW&F Lerro photos are part of the story:
https://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,414418

Hi Graham,

Thank you for the kind comments.   Although I know that many purists believe that a photo should speak for itself, I try to caption everything I post, because I know that among railroad enthusiasts, the history and the context are often just as important as the visuals.   I've also had the experience of looking an old, legacy photos of 19th century railroads that often leave me with far more questions than answers.   Assuming that any of my work survives when I fly west some day, I am hoping that my stuff won't leave future viewers feeling the same way.   

/Kevin Madore

15

Museum Discussion / Lerro Photography Charter on the WW&F >>>Photo Album<<<

« on: February 02, 2021, 09:19:34 PM »

On the weekend of January 16-17, 2021, Lerro Photography of Glenolden, PA held a limited attendance photo charter at the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum in Alna, Maine. Although there have been some photo charters around the US in the last 9 months, they have been few and far between due to major concerns about COVID 19 and some significant travel restrictions as a result. Never the less, with some careful planning, abundant precautions, mandatory testing, a smaller than normal group of photographers....and some significant weather challenges, the WW&F Museum and the Lerro Team were able to pull off a really nice 2-day event in the woods of Maine. The charter featured authentic freight and mixed trains, pulled by WW&F Locomotive #9, and running on most of the museum's in-service track. Day 1 featured some very difficult weather conditions, that included a cold, wind-driven rain pretty much all day. Despite the weather, we managed to get most of the scenes that we planned. Day 2 featured a lot of clouds, but some sun, and much more comfortable conditions for photography. As an added attraction, Monson Locomotive #3 joined in on the show and we had 2 steam trains to work with, both led by historic Maine 2-Footers.

Special thanks are due to Ed Lecuyer and Brendan Barry for their efforts to help coordinate this event, and of course, to the train crews who volunteered to come out and make it all happen, despite the tough conditions on Saturday. 

For those who would like to see how it all turned out, I've created a Flickr Photo Album featuring some of my favorite scenes. Check it out when you have a few minutes!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/112261457@N06/albums/72157718127341006

Thanks for looking!

/Kevin Madore