Maine Heritage Village?

[Stephen Hussar]

Here's a picture I grabbed from the side of the road on Saturday morning...it was taken from the breakdown lane on the northbound side. My back is 100 feet north of the northernmost exit from the Wiscasset Motor Lodge.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Interesting assortment of buildings, I like the school house.  A WW&F flag stop shelter would look good in there.

[John Kokas]

Although the kiosk would be more cost effective, I would still tend to lean towards the flagstop option for the following reasons:
1- Flagstop is more representative of the RR's structures.
2- Interior displays would have more weather protection.
3- The kiosk style just looks like another "billboard" IMHO .......
4- A small (10 ft) of track would really tie it together and create a curiosity to attract people towards the display.

I foresee the flagstop built as such:  Floor/Base Section, 4 wall sections that lag to floor and bolt at corners, roof section that would slide down over the top of walls and either bolt or pin in place; displays simply bolt to the interior studs.  I figure 4 guys about three hours to assemble, if that.

[Mike Fox]

Well, how about a Kiosk shaped like a station. Like a 1/4 scale building or something, without the front wall.

[John McNamara]

I'm a bit unclear as to what the creators of this "village" have in mind. From reading the on-line version of the Wiscasset newspaper, I had the idea that they provided space in buildings that they built, or on pushcarts that they built, and you rented the space. Here are some quoted passages that lead me to that belief:

Interested in renting a 12-foot by 20-foot space to sell your homemade jewelry or crafts – right on Route 1 – for just $200 a month this summer?
[text deleted about meeting details]

Project Manager Tony Casella told the group that in addition to the 12’ by 20’ foot spaces in the farmer’s market barn, now under construction, 8’ by 16’ moveable carts can be rented for just $100 a month. 

[Jock Ellis]

I agree that something representative needs to be in this since the RR cannot be seen from a tourist traffic highway. I assume this is such a road? Does it just open in the summer? Would volunteers want to stay there and not be on the railroad itself? Could you have a sign in front of whatever structure you wish to model in 12" to the foot scale, indicating the operations of the museum without having to have it manned?
Jock Ellis

PS
How do you like my drivers license photo? Having been a newspaper photographer, I pose myself. It makes the drivers license people mad because they are supposed to make everyone look like a prisoner. But to mollify them, I wear an orange tee shirt to make myself look like a trusty on roadside garbage duty.

[Ken Fleming]

Maybe a replica flag stop would be best.  If this heritage village thing does not fly, we can take it "home" and place where we could use it.

[Mike Fox]

After a little research, I think the flagstop at Prebles would make and excellent building for us. Narrow Gauge in the Sheepscot Valley, Pg. 38 for a picture. Judging by the size of the man and the milk cans, the building is not large. An accurately sized replica could be made relatively easy.

[Wayne Laepple]

A small building like Prebles could be designed with a couple of skids on the bottom so it could easily loaded onto a small trailer for movement elsewhere if this doesn't work out. I gotta ask, though, how will the interior be lighted?

[Mike Fox]

Don't know. Supposedly, the brochure that went to the museum said non-profits are free. Maybe a 100W hanging from the ceiling would suffice. Period lighting is more up Stewart's or Josh R's isle anyhow. They can decide on that when and if something like this was to happen.

[Wayne Laepple]

Maybe a couple of skylights on the rear slope of the roof where they wouldn't be visible. I looked at the photo of Prebles in TFTT, which shows a small window on one end. I'd imagine a similar window was on the opposite end, too.

[John Kokas]

I don't have a book with the Preebles flagstop photo, if someone could be kind enough to post a copy of that picture here it would be very helpful in the discussion.    Thanx

[Steve Zuppa]

OK, here's the latest on the Maine Heritage Village gig. It was decided last Saturday to go ahead and construct a replica of the Preble's flag stop. As near as I could figure, scaling it out from the photo, the building will be 6'x8'. Ed Gilhooley is working on getting the framing and sheathing lumber donated.For economy, we'll use asphalt roof shingles and we still have to buy cedar sidewall shingles. I'm gonna try to scrounge the two windows and a door and it'll be worked on over the weekend. Leon Weeks told me that his brother Dick said we could use his trailer to get it over there and Tony Casella (MHV project manager) said to let him know when it was coming and he'd have someone there to unload and place it. I don't think power will be available at the site so we'll use the space for some sort of informative display with directions and brochures.
Steve
PS 'Sposed to be 80 degrees Sat. and Sun. YIPPEE!

[John Kokas]

Glad to see things progressing.  I was hoping for a Prebles picture to work the size & material issues.  Although this would have been an ideal "away" project for some of us, I'm glad its moving forward.  Maybe one of the things that we need to do is come up with a list of "projects" that can be done at other locations and then brought to the WW&F in the summer or during one of the track weekends.  I for one would be willing to sponsor space, tools, time, etc. for the PA gang at my house and then truck stuff up.

[Steve Zuppa]

John,
Time was sorta of the essence in this case. The MHV opens on May 16th and while it isn't required that we be ready by then, it behooves us to be so as not to miss out on whatever hoopla they're planning.