WW&F No. 9 - Official Work Thread

[Stephen Piwowarski]

The ultimate "barn find".  Usually we associate such with old cars, but here's the jackpot!  Imagine the odds of it surviving the WWII scrap drives or just having the shed collapse on top of it later on, exposing it to the elements.  Now let's go find the always elusive sunken locomotives in the many New England lakes that are rumored to exist!

I think that the amazing thing that sets 9 apart from other "lost" or "found" locomotives is that 9 has always had someone sort of looking out for her, in a way. To think, saved first by the Kennebec Central then by Frank Winter and the WW&F, then the Ramsdell's, and finally resurrected by the WW&F Railway's current incarnation. She certainly has led a charmed life!

Mike, beautiful photos- I especially like your artistic use of the puddle. Who'd of thought we'd have this weather in December?!

Stephen

[Brendan Barry]

More pics from today.

[Terry W. Shirley]

So, No. 9 finally got to pull Boxcar 309 from the Ramsdell farm, after all these years!!

[John Kokas]

I definitely see some photos for next years calendar !!!!!!   Nice job everyone...........

[john d Stone]

Fantastic photos! I still can't get over how good that boiler jacket looks. The WW&F is two feet wide and larger than life!

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

Hopefully sometime next year they'll have an "SR&RL Day" with the #9 spun around to become #6, and vinyl letters SR&RL on the tank.  Sort of like what was done a few years ago with #10 becoming "Pleasure Island & Western" #5 for a day.   Could even make the #9 "Sandy River" #5 which was its original road name / number before the 1908 merger.
   Richard

[Justin Franz]

Hopefully sometime next year they'll have an "SR&RL Day" with the #9 spun around to become #6, and vinyl letters SR&RL on the tank.  Sort of like what was done a few years ago with #10 becoming "Pleasure Island & Western" #5 for a day.   Could even make the #9 "Sandy River" #5 which was its original road name / number before the 1908 merger.
   Richard

To add to the list of future photo charters, a Kennebec Central charter would be fun since I don't think there has been a KCRR lettered locomotive since the 1930s.

Justin Franz
Whitefish, Montana

[Terry W. Shirley]

That seems appropriate, especially now that there is some old Kennebec Central rail in service on the WW&F.

[Philip Marshall]

But how would we simulate a Kennebec Central consist? Put sideboards on the flatcars and load them up with coal?

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

Sure, why not?  Use real coal or just spray a load of ballast stone with black water paint. 
   Richard

[Ira Schreiber]

Think outside the box.
It is a train of empties returning to Randolph.

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

If we're going to do the KC, then we need to recruit some local geezers to portray GAR veterans living at Togus.  Load up one of the coaches with some of them!   Get some old blue jackets and campaign caps and let 'em have at it.
   Richard

PS: Wouldn't the late Linwood Moody love seeing the WW&F and particularly #9 come to life again?

[Joe Fox]

If memory serves correctly Moody wasn't a big fan of the WW&F or the B&SR.

[Justin Franz]

But how would we simulate a Kennebec Central consist? Put sideboards on the flatcars and load them up with coal?

That is actually exactly what I was thinking; two flatcars of coal, a boxcar and a coach and *poof* Kennebec Central photo freight. Please give ample warning so that I can get a plane ticket home for that one!

[Dave Crow]

Coach 8, being round-roofed, would look closer to the KC passenger equipment than Coach 3...