I have always been intrigued by the unique switch stands
which seemed to dominate the yard at Wiscasset (and date to
the W&Q days I assume) but are to the best of my knowledge seen nowhere else
on the line or on any other railroad that I have seen.
These are not to be confused with the switch stands seen elsewhere on the
road which we have an original example of and several reproduced
examples of. (One or two of which were also used in Wiscasset at the
entrance to the yard)
I do not have an image which I can post here but they can be seen
throughout Jones & Register’s book - Two Feet to Tidewater. Photographs on pages 117(lower
right), 209 and 293(which is owned by the museum) clearly show the switch stands in question
but not with enough clarity to use as a guide to fabricate one. Poorer images can be seen on
pages 174, 182, 201, 204 and others I’m sure.
Fairly unique in design - appearing roughly like a tall necked bottle in outline,
their cast bodies appear about as tall as the distance between the rails.
There may possibly be writing cast on their sides. If anyone is aware
of an image clearer than those mentioned above it would be much
appreciated if they could share it here.
Jones/Register mention that the W&Q procured rail from Carnegie but there
is no mention whether they too supplied switches and switch stands.
While looking over Two Feet to Tidewater I observed at least four types of
switch stands used on the WW&F - The type I mention in this post - The type
the museum has an original of and has reproduced - a low (what I think of as
a ‘yard swich’) seen at Cooper’s Mills - and some taller (possible standard
gauge) examples seen on the Winslow Branch (and possibly directly in front
of the shop building at the time of scapping).
Esoteric I know but the little details make up the whole.
