Messages

16

Bridgton & Saco River Railway / Re: Before and After Pictures

« on: January 30, 2012, 05:15:18 AM »

     On my trip home from the Big E ( waved at John and talked with Bob ) I was thinking about the photos that have been post on this link Before and After. Thinking I might take some time and find these spots myself, along with some others. If at all possible Mike, if you could add the GPS locations we all could plot them on Google Earth to get a better understanding were these places are today. However I look forward to seeing more photos of Before and After.

Ed Deere

17

The Monson Blog / Re: Monson Railroad Lanterns: Shedding Some Light

« on: January 21, 2012, 05:30:20 PM »

   A little off topic but, switch lock and switch lock keys with the railroad initials show up often. I have learned that I would be leery about purchasing these and believing fully that they really did belonged to a line with the initials stamped into them. A lantern however with the raised lettering embossed, is really and truly going to have belonged to the railroad represented. And unmarked items always have a story that my great uncle worked on the such and such railroad and that this is the only known thing that is in existents from that line. “Just a buyer beware”, when you are purchasing historical railroad items. I guess all of us have had to learn the hard way one time or another.

Ed Deere

18

Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co. & Museum / Re: MNG Relocation Feelers

« on: October 01, 2011, 08:37:35 PM »

My two cents would like to see the line return to Bridgton (just because many of the pieces came from there).  However the MNGM needs to do what is right for them to survive. I maybe wrong on this but I believe or thought the Hannaford store was set back far enough intentionally so that the right of way was not compromised. Also at one time, I thought discussions included traveling to a recreation area a couple of miles away in the short term. Then continuing on later with more track toward Sandy Creek.
Ed Deere

19

General Discussion / Re: G-Gauge Forney

« on: September 16, 2011, 06:10:54 AM »

Hi All
   Just have to share what my friend Eric has done. His talents and modeling abilities have really impressed me since I met him a few years ago. I have learned a lot from him and wish that I lived closer so that I could pick his brain and watch over his shoulder. I do believe he is a member and has volunteered at the WW&F. Anyway--- check out the You Tube videos of life steam #9 he has built to run on “G”-gauge track. I find this most impressive and really enjoy watching him run not only this scratch built locomotive but his scratch built rolling stock.
Mrdeere –
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb7vfhee020&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uo_vvu-gfQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY-mEZAzCrI

20

General Discussion / Re: Eagle Lake & West Branch *PICS*

« on: August 06, 2011, 06:50:09 AM »

   On July 30th a group of 11,(men and women + a dog) from The Great Falls Model Railroad Club made the hike in to see the locomotives. The weather was just right for short pants and short sleeve shirts. More of the essence was the lack of insects. We found and looked at many of the artifacts that Terry Harper had told us about when he visited the club. Paul, our Train Time Video man has about two hours of videotape to work with. He is hopeful to get together with Terry and preserve information before it is lost forever.
   We made camp on the upper end of Chesuncook Lake at Umbazooksus West Campground on Friday. Saturday morning we started out at 7:30 and drove about 18-20 mile and parked. The last ½ mile or so the vegetation has grown in a lot. So take an older vehicle that you do not mind scratching or plan on walking. The road base is very good but turning around is tight. Terry had given me GPS information and, I never would have found the way without them. The North Woods of Maine is very large and one can get lost in just moments. The groups’ age range consisted of folks from 52 to 73 and it took about 75 minutes to walk in. There are blow downs and mud to contend with so you do need to be in good health to make the walk. The group’s anticipation mounted when we came to the first part of the “Y”and found rail.  Shortly we came onto the other side of the “Y” and found the sad remnants of a Lombard boiler. Then the forest opened up to the two passive giants resting entrenched in the forest. Although I have visited the site once before it took my breath away to see these two locomotives. We spent about 4 hours looking, exploring and eating our lunches. I myself took about 150 pictures during the weekend. I wanted to post a couple on this forum but have not figured out how to do so.
Ed Deere

21

Volunteers / Re: A few stories ...

« on: July 10, 2011, 05:57:33 AM »

   Just a few years ago my wife and I had gotten married a few days earlier. Traveling through the Bangor area they had just painted a couple of the locomotives and I wanted to stop and get a photograph. Into the office of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad we went to sign papers so that we could enter the property with permission. We were both in our twenties but I have always looked a little elder. Anyway the woman at the counter of whom had much more epoch then I, looked up over her glass, from her desk, and asked me if my daughter was going too. My new bride very swiftly resounded with a smile and said “Yes she is!”.
   So now with a solar panel on the top of my head, I keep a engineers cap on most of the time outside. And have done so for years. And the gray hairs that do go around the sides are very precious to some of us.  So those of you with a full head of hair and with few  or all gray —at least you have hair. And enjoy the benefits and the respect of growing mature. I for one have no intention of growing old because of the way I look, or for my age.
Ed Deere

22

General Discussion / speeder wheels

« on: June 19, 2011, 05:48:25 AM »

      The Great Falls Model Railroad club has been donated a fiberglass cab from a Fairmont speeder. Our plan is to build a lawn ornament out of this. What we are looking for is 4-wheels that are worn beyond use that can be donated or purchased at a low price.
Ed Deere

You can contact us at  gfmrrc@ne.twcbc.com 

23

General Discussion / Re: Eagle Lake & West Branch *PICS*

« on: April 22, 2011, 07:12:02 AM »

   Last night at The Great Fall Model Railroad Club Terry Harper did not disappoint us. His narrative throughout the slide show was superb.  The story of why and how was most informative and interesting. Little side line stories filled with humor also gave you the sense of what life was like in the Maine woods in the early part of the 1900’s.  It was a most interesting evening for those of us who were there. A gentleman from Mapleton made a trip all the way down just to see Terry’s presentation. (Mapleton is just West of Presque Isle).
   This forum does, and has, the potential to promote the education of railroading not only in Maine but, throughout the world. Separating fact from fiction can be difficult however sharing history and keeping an interest is so important.
    A public thank you to Terry for sharing with all of us last night. I think I can say for all of us in attendance that it was a most interesting presentation. A job well done! 

A Great Falls Model Railroad Club member
Ed Deere

24

General Discussion / Re: Eagle Lake & West Branch *PICS*

« on: April 16, 2011, 07:14:56 PM »

 Just a reminder

    All are invited to the Great Falls Model Railroad Club House next Thursday, April 21st to hear and see Terry Harper speak on the Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad. The presentation starts at 7:00pm and will last about an hour. So please be our guest (No Charge).

Ed Deere

Link to club Address and Location Map
http://www.greatfallsmodelrrclub.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=47

25

General Discussion / Re: Eagle Lake & West Branch *PICS*

« on: March 25, 2011, 07:35:57 AM »

   All are invited to the Great Falls Model Railroad Club House onThurday, April 21st to hear and see Terry Harper speak on the Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad. The presentation starts at 7:00pm and Terry will have the floor for about an hour. If you have been following the forum here, Terry needs no introduction. However his research and knowledge about the Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad is extremely extensive. So please be our guest (No Charge).

Ed Deere

Link to club Address and Location Map
http://www.greatfallsmodelrrclub.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=47

26

General Discussion / Re: Eagle Lake & West Branch *PICS*

« on: March 04, 2011, 06:21:45 AM »

     Very interesting photo. This is an angle I have not seen before, nor have I ever seen the shed. It clearly does not have a door on the right hand side were number 1 sits today. Also the shed looks to be the same age as the other structures in the photo. Ruling out the fact that perhaps #1 was boxed in at a later date from this end.  And looks like operations are still going on. On my computer I am hard put to see much more than silhouette of a locomotive behind the shed.

Ed

27

General Discussion / Re: Eagle Lake & West Branch *PICS*

« on: February 11, 2011, 11:03:36 AM »

   Went over to the Great Falls Model Railroad Club's library last night and signed out a copy of the July/Aug 2007, Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette.  The 5 page article (Maine's Eagle Lake & West Branch Railroad) that Terry wrote is excellent. It has not only the historical facts but, local individuality and flavor. The side account of the pilot who lands his plane, and exclaimed he followed the railroad to both ends is countless. (I will not deprive the punch line). If you have access to the publication, and you have interest in the Eagle Lake & West Branch Railroad, I would recommend you check this out.

Ed Deere   

28

General Discussion / Re: Eagle Lake & West Branch *PICS*

« on: February 04, 2011, 08:49:56 PM »

      Wow Terry,  You sure have filled in some blanks. Thanks for sharing your photos and drawings. My wife and I are thinking we need to go back again.  When we went before we camped at Indian Stream and canoed up Eagle to the tramway.  That last 1/2 mile of paddling into the wind was real work. I understand you can drive in, with-in a mile, and walk in from the north.

And my wife remembers Principle Harper

Ed Deere

29

General Discussion / Re: Eagle Lake & West Branch *PICS*

« on: February 04, 2011, 06:35:43 AM »

        Going back a moment to the video of the rail car that Terry posted. The woman in the Video is Dorothy B. Kidney.  My wife was able to identify her because she was a school teacher in the town of Washburn, Maine. One of the men most likely is her husband Milford Kidney.  Here is a link to their obituaries http://freepages.folklore.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~jankidney/MilfordKidney.htm . Dorothy wrote about living their summers at Lock Dam, just a short distance from where the two locomotives are now sitting.

   In the video is a cabin. Now maybe Terry can help me here. At first I thought it possibly was the cabin at Lock Dam. But I think the porch was added years later than the sixty’s. And the two up-stair windows do not look right to me. Plus there is what I think is a Forestry Service sign, on the cabin, in the video.  Now the biggest part was they show the rail car right behind the cabin. I do not believe the tracks ever came over to Lock Dam. Having in the summer of 2006 exploring some of the area, Can you fill me in where this cabin is or was?

Ed Deere

30

Bridgton & Saco River Railway / Re: Anyone got a good photo of the B&SR caboose?

« on: October 27, 2010, 06:10:05 PM »

Hi Zak     

The Great Falls Model Railroad Club in Auburn Maine has a collection of scale drawings by John T Derr. Being a member of the club and also having an interest in building 1/20.3 scale models of the B&SR I do know they have the drawing of #101 without the top. It also has an inside drawing as well. Get  a hold of Terry the libarian and he will know just were it is. Here is the web-site for the Great Falls Club.

http://www.greatfallsmodelrrclub.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Ed Deere