Linwood W. Moody

[Bruce Wilson]

It is worthy to note today as being the anniversary of the passing (in 1983) of Linwood W. Moody.

[Bruce Wilson]

Do you have any recollections of either having met Mr. Moody or corresponding with him? Anything you might wish to comment on Moody related, relevant to your own involvement in the narrow gage hobby?

For example, my father bought The Maine Two Footers in the mid-1960's, read every word and went on to become involved at Edaville Railroad.

In 1998, as a volunteer with South Carver Rail (a group seeking to restore and reopen the railroad) I worked with a crew in the old Edaville machine shop. Within that structure, was a photographic dark room where (in the late 1940's) the Moody edited "Bogger Magazine" was run off on a mimeograph machine. To be in that little complex and see the actual mimeograph, was quite a thrill.

A friend, and life member, recalls meeting Linwood back in the 70's. My friend was driving the old grade from Kingfield to Carrabasset in an old Scout with only the memory of an exhaust system. Linwood heard the rig coming from a long way off and told my buddy that he had grand visions of a two footer bearing down on him as he was walking along.

Stories such as these give life to old memories. Can you add anything to remember him by?

[Ed Lecuyer]

No stories from me. I will note that we were supposed to host a book signing of: Maine’s Two-Footer Railroads, The Linwood Moody Collection by Michael Torreson this weekend, to coincide with the anniversary of Moody's death. But the author had to cancel at the last minute due to flooding in his home state of Iowa. Signed copies of Michael's book of Moody's photos are available for purchase in the Gift Shop.

[Bruce Wilson]

Thanks, Ed. I did talk with Mike late last night and of course, Mr. Moody was the focus of our conversation. Mike directly corresponded with Linwood back in the day and used to meet him in Phillips on his annual visits to Maine.

I first met Mike in 1993 during a hot/humid work weekend at Sheepscot. One thing I have been able to do for him, was to identify a fellow who was riding one of the excursion trains on the Bridgton road. Picking Lawrence Brown out of the crowd was easy, but Mike didn't know who Mr. Brown's partner was. I told him it was Keith Pratt as I remembered seeing a photo of Keith within a letter that Harry Percival opened one Saturday morning at Sheepscot.

Last night though, Mike and I talked a bit about Linwood's friendship with Newell Martin and their many railfan journeys together. Mike has a list of dates that the team of Moody & Martin visited the S.R. & R.L. and that has been published within the new book Mike has done on "The Linwood Moody Collection" (on page 9).

I might put up a post in a few weeks having to do with Keith Pratt (who was an early member of the W.W. & F. Ryan. Museum) and correspondent with Harry Percival. Meanwhile, to any readers, can you add to this discussiob?

[Allan Fisher]

The gift of the book , "The Two Footers" in 1959 . started my lifelong love of the two-footers. I did write to Mr. Moody in the next year asking about his Moody Magazine - and he sent me a complimentary copy of an issue with a nice note encouraging my young interest in the subject.

In 1960, during my recovery from Typhoid Fever, my parents took me to Maine for a week in our woodie Mercury station wagon. We went to Rangeley to see the stone station, to Philips where I met Joe Boston (SR&RL mechanical department) and Dana Aldrich. Joe gave me a blueprint map of the SR&RL, and I sat in Dana's kitchen looking thru photo albums he had been given of the railroad. With tears in his eyes, he described his fond memories. He was quite deaf, and conversation with him was very hard. We visited a retired conductor's home on the Phillips bypass road where there was some two foot gauge track, and a number of small track carts and pump cars, but Clarence refused to come out and talk to me.

We went to Kingfield and Strong, but retired railroaders there were not at home.

Next was Monson Jct, and finally on our way home, we passed the Wiscasset shops of the WW&F in a driving rain storm.

We also had gone to the B&ML Brooks Station, but Mr. Moody was off that day - but did see the mixed train stop while we were there.

[Bruce Wilson]

Thanks very much for your recollections Allan, very interesting to read. You mention writing Linwood regarding his "Moody's Magazine" and I assume you have the three copies that were published? If not, I have a few duplicates.

You sure covered some ground after recovering from the fever. I imagine you enjoyed that trip in the Mercury wagon! I'll bet you wish you had that car today!

Speaking of blue prints, Mike Torreson and I talked about that subject last night. We both wondered exactly who might have done the printing of those for the railroads back in the day. I told Mike that I was taking in a roughly 2' X 4' blue print of the 1915 track and structure arrangement at Harrison, Maine. My copy is pretty fragile and I want a least one good copy for handling from time to time. The prints seem to standardized and I wondered if a Government agency did that work or how they were done?

Like you, I've been to Brooks and am glad the old depot is being cared for. It is a tangible link to Mr. Moody...

[Cataraga Daniel]

It is worthy to note today as being the anniversary of the passing (in 1983) of Linwood W. Moody.

Yes, it is worth noting

[Bruce Wilson]

Yes, it is worth noting
[/quote]

Thank you Daniel.