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.

[Bruce Wilson]

Linwood Moody produced two catalogs of his retail railroad photo business. List no. 1 was printed in 1947 and no. 2 came out in 1949. These listings were for postcard sized prints from either his own negatives or those of enthusiasts working with him.

Today, these lists are an excellent resource to identify the many prints. Most all of the prints are numbered and this is helpful to cross reference to the catalog.

For example, if you were studying print no. B-287 (and scratching your head wondering where the photographer took the shot), the catalog lists it as "Track on Gay's Grade, near Farmington. 60lb."

Another print (no. B-319) is described as "Pulp train on grade; engine gone, doubling hill"

Catalog no. 1 contains listings that include the Bridgton, Monson, Wiscasset, Kennebec Central, Edaville and Gilpin roads. Two photos of the paper mill tramway that once operated at Mechanic Falls (Maine) are also included.

List no. 2 is similar, but also has entries for standard gage lines and more two foot material.

I have an original of list no. 2, but only a partial copy of list no. 1.
Would any reader have an original of list no. 1, that they would allow me to make a copy of? I will offer to pay postage both ways and give you a professionally made copy set of list no. 2. The copy set consists of 48 pages  (8 1/2 X 11) and is printed in sepia tone (giving a vintage look to the pages) and produced on archival quality 100lb. paper.

More of Linwood's photos are listed in the three Moody's Magazines that he did just before World War Two.

The copies lend themselves to being set up in three ring binders within archival sleeves. In this way, they can be quickly referred to for photo research.

[Philip Marshall]

Hi Bruce, I'm afraid I can't help you in this quest but I've certainly noticed the numbers on Moody's photos and thought how useful it would be for the modern researcher or collector to have a catalog of all the prints Moody offered for reference. I hope you're successful and can provide copies of both lists to the WW&F archives.

[Philip Marshall]

With regard to Moody's Magazine, was that publication limited to the three issues released in 1941? That's all I've been able to find.

[Bruce Wilson]

Thank you for responding Phillip. Yes, I do intend to make working copies of the Moody's Photos catalogs. I need a complete copy of his first one however. And yes, the working copies should be provided to the W W. & F. Ry. Archives Dept.

You asked about the Moody's Magazine issues and there were just the three you are aware of. He did them in March of 1941, June '41 and a last number in Mid-August, 1941.

Why just the three issues? Linwood stated within the August issue that he needed a minimum of 2,000 paid subscribers to break even. His actual mailings far exceeded that, though he laments at not even receiving a reply to many on his mailing list. The cost per issue at .15 cents included postage.

Perhaps the December 7th attack on Pearl Harbor was the nail in the coffin for the Moody's Magazine. And it might be that many of the earlier promotional copies were sent to men called up to serve in the armed forces.

In the never published fourth issue, was to be a piece on the W.W. & F. Ry. and an article on backyard railroads of the time. It is possible that the manuscript may exist for this and a museum member is currently negotiating on a purchase of some of Linwood's materials removed from the Moody home in Union, Maine after his passing.

In addition to Moody's photo catalogs, another narrow gage fan and photographer by the name of Phillip Bonnet, published a photo catalog with numbered prints corresponding to a brief description. I have Mr. Bonnet's "list no. 3" of February 1, 1941. I'd be interested in talking to any museum members regarding these lists and am looking to  trade my duplicates.

Any questions or comments are welcome, thank you.