Messages

601

The Original W&Q and WW&F: 1894-1933 / Re: W&Q No. 1's boiler

« on: March 26, 2014, 04:58:37 PM »

In his article on W&Q No. 1 in the July/August 1985 issue of Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazette ("Porters on the Maine Two-Footers Part I: Sandy River Cinderella"), Dick Andrews quotes Ruth Crosby Wiggin as saying the location of the culvert was somewhere between Whitefield and North Whitefield.

Is this portion of the right of way still owned by the W&Q?

Perhaps I should go have a look myself if I manage to get up to Maine this summer.

602

The Original W&Q and WW&F: 1894-1933 / Re: W&Q No. 1's boiler

« on: March 26, 2014, 02:31:44 PM »

Three or four in just 2.5 miles? That's incredible. It implies there could be dozens more of them out there.

What did the museum do with those boiler shells? Were they scrapped?

603

The Original W&Q and WW&F: 1894-1933 / W&Q No. 1's boiler

« on: March 26, 2014, 01:37:09 PM »

Forgive me if this topic has been discussed elsewhere on the board, but I'm curious about what became of the boiler of W&Q No. 1, ex Sandy River No. 3, "Butterfly".

Numerous authors, including Linwood Moody and Dick Andrews among others, have made the claim that after the engine was retired from service, its boiler was recycled as a culvert, and was still (as of the second half of the 20th century) in place as such somewhere along the right of way.

Has any attempt been made to locate and/or recover this artifact? If it still exists (and that's a *big* if, even considering the greater corrosion resistance of old wrought iron as compared to more modern steels), it might make an interesting display for the museum alongside the original boiler of No. 9.

(And it also might not be the only one out there, as Jones mentions in Two Feet to Tidewater that the WW&F was in the habit of buying old standard gauge boilers from the MeC to use as culverts. Could there be a whole roundhouse full of lost engines buried along the WW&F?)

Yours in late-winter daydreaming,
Philip Marshall

604

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad / Re: Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Coat of Arms

« on: March 24, 2014, 09:55:16 PM »

That's a good question. The earliest use of the shield logo I've encountered is in the March 1946 issue of Railroad Magazine, accompanying a short article by Frank P. Savage, entitled simply "Two-Foot Gage" [sic], that recalls the author's childhood memories of humorous mishaps during the construction of the F&M in the 1880s. (It's amazing to realize that these events of 60 years before were still a matter of living memory in the 1940s!) It was Railroad Magazine's style in this era for non-fiction pieces like this to feature the corporate logo of the railroad being written about, so the editors appear to have believed it to be the real thing -- a mere decade after abandonment. But where they got it from, who knows?

605

General Discussion / Re: Who Am I? or, Let's Introduce Ourselves

« on: March 15, 2014, 02:48:26 PM »

My name is Philip Marshall, I'm 38 years old, and live in Port Jefferson, NY. I've been a fan of the Two-Footers from an early age, beginning with a fateful visit to Edaville with my parents when I was about seven years old. I was an early member of the WW&F Museum from about 1990 to 1995 when I was just a teenager, but let my membership lapse when I went away to college. This was followed by years in graduate school when I was both too busy and too poor to be useful to anyone. (I am a botanist and forest ecologist by training.) Now I have recently re-joined the Museum as a Life Member, and look forward to getting involved again.

In addition to being a railfan, I enjoy gardening and collecting antiques and rare books. My collection does includes some railroadiana, but the Two-Footer component of this is fairly meager, limited to some photos and paper (a few tickets and timetables) and a handful of spikes (from the B&SR, Monson, and SR&RL).

606

UK (Welsh, British) Two Footers / Re: Early Days of Welsh Steam Preservation

« on: March 15, 2014, 01:37:25 PM »

That answers my question. Thanks, Nick.

-Philip

607

UK (Welsh, British) Two Footers / Re: Early Days of Welsh Steam Preservation

« on: March 15, 2014, 12:35:29 AM »

What a great film! Thanks for sharing.

I'm confused about something in the Tallylyn segment, however. One of the ex-Corris engines looks like it's facing the "wrong" way. Does the Tallylyn have a turntable? I didn't think they ever turned their engines.

608

Other Maine Narrow Gauge / Re: S.D. Warren Builders photo & data

« on: March 14, 2014, 02:26:57 AM »

I hadn't realized the S. D. Warren engines were built as oil-burners. Very neat.

609

Volunteers / Re: Inviting Younger People to get Involved

« on: May 17, 2013, 11:08:05 PM »

Thank you. I will be in touch.

610

Volunteers / Re: Inviting Younger People to get Involved

« on: May 17, 2013, 10:54:27 AM »

That's good to hear! Thank you. Who should I contact to purchase a share?

611

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad / Re: Why weren't the 2-6-2's preseved?

« on: May 17, 2013, 01:05:54 AM »

I'm coming late to this thread, but the Brecon Mountain Railway in Wales has a pair of two-foot gauge Baldwin six-coupled engines (a 2-6-2 and a 4-6-2), built for export in the 1930s, that look for all the world like the SR&RL 2-6-2s. Here is a picture of their #2:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Baldwin_Pacific_on_Brecon_Mountain_Railway.jpg

If you squint your eyes and ignore the European couplers (Norwegian hook type?), the extra sand dome, and the four-wheel pony truck, you might think you were looking at SR&RL #24.

Rumor has it they are preparing to build replicas of additional Baldwins (SR&RL #s 10 and 24 I've read?), but it appears they already have a replica of one of the SR&RL 556-558 series cabooses!

612

Volunteers / Re: Inviting Younger People to get Involved

« on: May 17, 2013, 12:29:26 AM »

At 37 I'm still probably one of the younger people posting here. As a somewhat precocious teenager in the early 1990s I was actually an early member of the "Sheepscot Valley Railroaders" (prior to the group's rechristening as the WW&F Ry Museum), and can claim to have played a very minor role in the erection of the first stall of the enginehouse in the summer of 1990. (Yes, I was there, if only for a single weekend!) I count having met and chatted with Harry Percival one of the most inspiring experiences of my early career as a fan of the Two-Footers, almost (but not quite) on par with having once ridden in the cab of B&SR #8 around the loop at Edaville. But then college and graduate school and adult life in general intervened, and I sort of dropped out and let my membership lapse. I'm still interested, but I just don't have a lot of time or money to contribute these days, and I expect my situation is somewhat typical of those in the 20-40 age range.

That's *my* story, for what it's worth.

(I would love to have been able to purchase one of the shares of W&Q stock Harry was peddling circa 1990 for $100 each, and kick myself now for having missed the chance.)