I was very impressed with the talk that Donnie Carroll gave at the National Narrow Gauge Convention. However, there was one element of the presentation that baffled me. They seem to want to pay for others to construct their buildings and their track so that they can attract paying riders on Day 1. The revenue thus received would be used to pay off the loans for the aforementioned construction. The WW&F has been very successful growing in "baby steps," and I think many visitors come to see what's new. If everything is done on Day 1, it creates a huge debt, and undermines the idea of repeat visitation because people have "been there and done that."
I think Gray is a fine choice because of proximity to I-95, to Portland, and probably to their volunteer base. The existence of a possible right-of-way is the frosting on the cake. They are part of the two-footer fraternity and part of the attraction to two-foot enthusiasts (and other tourists) visiting Maine. I think we should help them in any way we can, including building track if they'd let us.
-John