I was reading through Two Feet to Tidewater and noticed this map of the proposed route of the FS&K. Interestingly it includes a route from New Sharon to Augusta and Gardiner, and another to Norridgewock. Out of curiosity I looked on Google Maps and noticed there seems to be a railroad grade in the form of Kimball road between New Sharon and Vienna, and a crossing on the Maine Central line in Readfield. Is it just a coincidence that the roads on Google Maps match up with this map, or was there a railroad built along this route (assuming standard gauge) that I've never heard of before?
https://i.postimg.cc/2j4qpDzw/PXL-20240703-042605309-NIGHT-2.jpg
Hello Daniel,
You may wish to read a few relevant articles written by the late W.W. & F. Ry. Museum member, Ellis E. Walker.
In his book "Musings, a collection of articles" that were a main-stay of early museum newsletter content,
look for musing no. 3 (Nov./Dec. 2002) and musing no. 5 (Mar/April. 2003).
Ellis wrote about projected narrow gage routes and even provided a map in Musing no. 3 of these hoped for intentions.
If in your interests to exploring these corridors, you begin to physically walk the Gardiner area, there is much still to see. I would encourage you to walk the rail trail to Augusta from where it begins in Gardiner. Also in Gardiner, walk south from the former Maine Central depot (opposite the Hannaford supermarket) and check out the waterfront and short trail that runs along the former yard area. There are still lengths of rail and grading from the once vast docks that Kennebec River sailing vessels tied up to for interchange with the railroad. There are still a few yard tracks present in the South Gardiner yard, along with a preserved former railroad freight shed.
There is also remaining trestle work the once led out and over the Cabosse Stream to a long gone mill. My spelling of that stream name may not be correct. Where this spur ran, is not far from a former producer of narrow gage freight equipment, the building (now gone) but last occupied by the T.W. Dick Co.
I'd enjoy hearing from anyone else who'd like to take a guess at just how a rail line (of any gage) could be brought on from westward points into Gardiner. The topography would make that quite a challenge. The Cabosee Stream trestle work is referenced again as a case in point.
In closing, I will say that a few years ago "Trigger" (the railroad dog) took a leisurely afternoon swim in the Kennebec after a day grabbing for snacks and bites of hot dogs at Sheepscot. He stubbed a paw on something when he came out of the river. That something ( which I still have) is a narrow gage stake pocket casting. Curiously, this casting was found on the west Bank of the Kennebec, opposite from the Kennebec Central terminal.
Happy exploring and I hope you journey up through Hallowell, where I saw remnants of a spur going into an old coal dealers facility. The property looked to be going under the early stages of cleaning up and such that the historical significance was recognized.
