Rail Sources, update

[Pete "Cosmo" Barrington]

Well, it's a nice idea, but FWIU, "stimulus" funds are to create paying jobs over the long term. I also understand it that the recent package of funding is already doled out. It was never intended for museums. The rail/transportation stimulus package was meant for and given to transit and intercity rail projects.
Now there may be OTHER grant funding available, but it wouldn't be from "stimulus" packages.

[John McNamara]

I believe that Pete is right on all counts.

[Dave Reed]

There is some track that is over 80 years old in Hallowell.  I wonder if it would be appropriate or available?  Obviously a bit rusty and only a few hundred yards worth....

See the picture associated with this article: http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/old-hallowell-quarry-yields-granite-again_2010-06-14.html

[Ira Schreiber]

Very interesting. The rail is probably useless at this point and it looks too small, but if there proved to be a 2' steam engine under the water, that would be a different matter......................

[Cliff Olson]

These rails look larger than Monson quarry rail, and the gauge looks wider than two foot.  I lived in Hallowell for almost 27 years, but I had never seen this track because the quarries were then filled with water. Apparently, the quarry track did not connect with the MEC at the former granite sheds in downtown Hallowell because of the steepness of the Kennebec Valley ("Winthrop Hill") in that area. According to the Images of America book "Around Hallowell", which has several good photos of this operation, horse teams were needed to move the granite to the downtown granite sheds or waterfront. The granite shed sidings might have yielded good rail, but they were removed about 1985.

[Cliff Olson]

Late this afternoon, I passed two substantial truckloads of used rail heading south on I-95 in Topsham. It looked like medium weight standard gauge rail.  Does anyone know of the likely source?  Calais Branch?

[Vincent "Lightning" LeRow]

If it is from that calais branch then it's 85lb., which is medium wight now-a-days.

[Ted Miles]

Folks,
         I just read about the rail trade in the Newsletter.

That is a good piece of work for whoever made the arrangements!

Taking a donation and turning it into a resource that is really useful for the future  growth of the museum.

i suppose that somebody had to pay for the trucking.

Thank you!

[James Patten]

Actually Kovalchick Salvage covered the trucking.