Annual Picnic 2012

[Kevin Madore]

Folks,

I've been browsing the forums every few days, just checking to see what might be in store for the Annual Picnic weekend.  Are there any special activities planned?   I'm looking for a good excuse to put my compass on NE next weekend.

Thx,

/Kevin

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Hi Kevin,

As always, there'll be cookout with great food both days and Irish music on Saturday.  There will be a special mixed train Saturday evening at 6pm with action at Alna Center.  Sunday morning's extra will go out at 8:30 and feature a run-by at Abee's field.  I don't have the final consist or scene list in front of me so I can't add anything else. 

It will be tough to top the "milk mixed" but we're gonna try!

Stewart

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

There's a chance we may not have an extra on Sunday morning so Saturday is the best bet.  Either way Saturday will be the better event with more time to arrange scenes and a special combination of equipment that has not been at Alna Center in years (if ever).  More complete information will be posted as soon as it is available.

Hope to see everyone this weekend.

Stewart

[Kevin Madore]

Thanks Stewart!  Let us know the plan when you have it.  If there's a Sunday extra, I will need to grab a hotel someplace.

/Kevin

[Bill Reidy]

The flyer for the annual picnic, as well as a flyer for the ice cream social planned for August 25th are now posted on the wwfry.org website.  Look for the links below the scrolling photos on the front page.

- Bill

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Update -

As things stand now, Saturday evening will feature two photo shoot locations.  The first will be Rose Wood crossing.  Guests will assemble along the woods road on the west side of the track as the mixed train charges up the grade.  A period truck may be at the crossing.  The second location will be Alna Center and may feature a three-way meet with a handcar, Model T railcar and the mixed.  Period trucks may be in the scene.  The equipment we use depends on the available crew and the weather.  Rain is forecast Friday through Saturday so the Saturday evening special may be cancelled.  If that is the case, we will run special trains Sunday morning. 

The latest forecast is for on and off showers on Saturday, decreasing as the day progresses so we should be ok.  If the special runs Saturday, the Sunday extra would be cancelled.  There may be another announcement regarding weather as we get closer to the weekend.

Stewart

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

Don't forget, as per the usual weather forecasting "hype", we may get violent thunder storms with baseball size hail.  And beware of the infamous funnel clouds which may signal a tornado or two. I swear, lately, with the appearance of every dark cloud, we get a "Weather Emergency Alert" warning us that the end is near.

To the point that when something serious really is in the offing, nobody will pay it any heed.  Boston's Channel 5 weather reports have for some time been known as "STORM CENTER 5". 

I yearn for the days of Don Kent and Bob Copeland with their weather maps on a blackboard and their only instrument a piece of chalk.  Or for that matter, old E. B. Rideout on the radio. Anyone remember him? I think they did a better forecasting job than all these Hollywood types and their computers.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

The weather service has revised the forecast.  Rain will arrive Friday evening and may be steady into Saturday morning.   Precipitation will lessen as the day progresses.  Sunday will be partly sunny.  The forecast indicates little or no rain by Saturday afternoon so the evening special trains should be able to run as planned.  Final operating decisions will be made Saturday but at this point things look good.

Stewart 

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

The weather was good here north of Boston all day. Hopefully it was the same up in Sheepscot.  We had other plans this weekend, so we'll be looking forward to seeing photos of the event.

[James Patten]

The weather started out pretty overcast and blah, and got better as the day went on.  I even saw blue sky.  Things have started filling in since then.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Despite a forcast of "you may not see the sun until September" the 2012 Annual picnic brought over 200 passengers to ride the trains and railcar.  A couple of new exhibits were at Sheepscot this year.  Inside was a display of period entertainment and communication equipment that would have been carried on the W&Q in the 1890's compared to items shipped on the WW&F in the 1930's.  Outside was a wonderful display of historic speeder/track car engines brought by Jon Bontrager from Indiana.  Roger Whitney and Richard Verney brought antique engines as well.  Great food and music rounded out Saturday.

About a dozen guests stayed for the Saturday evening special trains.  The highlight was two run-bys, held at Rose Wood.  The other scenes were set at Alna Center and included the T railcar, handcar #2 and AA truck.  One scene had the mixed on the main, railcar on the siding and AA truck parked next to the siding.  All three "noses" were lined up facing south and the photo line was in front of the station.   

Sunday was a bit more low-key but many came to ride the trains and enjoy the museum. 

A number of members took still photos of the event, some may be posted here.

Stewart

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

I'm sure that the "iffy" weather kept lots of folks away.  It's too bad that it "leaked" on the one weekend you'd like it to be nice.  I watched the video above, and it looked like those who did go had fun.

Maybe it'll be better next year.

[Steve Smith]

Hansel. belated thanks for posting your video of the proceedings on the first picnic day. I was sorry to note how few folks were riding, but then it occurred to me that a scarcity of passengers made the scenes all the more representative of the WW&R toward the end.