Monson #3 - running in 2021 at WW&F?

[Benjamin Maggi]

I was born and grew up in Rochester, NY for many years. Imagine my surprise while reading my used copy of Moody's "The Maine Two Footers" book (which I purchased from the WW&F gift shop!) to discover that Monson engines #3 and #4 had ties to Rochester, having been purchased by a scrap dealer there when the railroad closed and disassembled in 1943-1944. The scrap dealer was located at the corner of Lyell Avenue and Mt. Read Boulevard, near where one of my houses was. In 1946, the two engines were discovered by Linwood Moody and rescued by the Edaville Railroad.

I saw sister engine #4 during a visit to the MNGRM in 2017, and saw #3 in steam this year at the Springfield show.

Assuming it is operating again in 2021, I would love to visit the WW&F again and perhaps see it again. Are there special plans for when the engine will be run? I know Covid makes any sort of future planning difficult, but I thought I would at least ask.

Thanks.

[Ed Lecuyer]

There are tentative plans to run Monson #3 on January 16, 2021 as part of "Steam and Sleighs". Operation beyond that date has not been established.

[Benjamin Maggi]

Thanks Ed!

[Mike Arnold]

The two Edaville locomotives I road behind on the Edaville was #3 & #7, I road behind #3 in Portland with my father, he road behind her at the edaville in the 60s. It was like a shared memory. I hope one day to ride behind #7 on the WW&F someday. Off topic, is there ever a chance maybe an open air observation car could be restored in Edaville colors. I know it’s not Maine history but it represents how the bulk of equipment was preserved?
Mike.

[Ed Lecuyer]

is there ever a chance maybe an open air observation car could be restored in Edaville colors. I know it’s not Maine history but it represents how the bulk of equipment was preserved?

The remaining ex-Edaville open air cars are all owned by Maine Narrow Gauge RR Co & Museum. Car 103 is stored out-of-service at Sheepscot. The other two cars are in-service in Portland.

Note that open car 130 is not an ex-Edaville coach; it was constructed (and remains owned by) Maine Locomotive & Machine Works. It is on loan to the WW&F and sees frequent use.

[Bill Piche]

There's also cars 100 and 101 at edaville still (unless they scrapped them years ago).

Car 104 still exists up at Sandy River.

[Bill Reidy]

Do we know the story of the Edaville open cars?  Were all built using hardware from scrapped B&SR boxcars and flatcars?  How many Edaville open cars were built?

[Pat Fahey]

Hi Bill
Edaville open cars were a group of (5) cars # 102 to 106 all home built at Edaville in South Carver in the 1950s. All the open cars moved to Portland, Maine 1993. And yes all built from Hardware from scrapped boxcars.  I hope that answers your question. Pat.

[Bill Reidy]

Thanks Pat.