Museum Gift Shop

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WW&F news correspondent Walter Winchcar filed this report via shortwave radio -

Hello Mr. and Mrs. railfan from coast to coast and all the trains on the main, let's go to press ... FLASH!

The WW&F Railway's 2013 calendars have arrived at Sheepscot.  The publication features 14 full color panels depicting museum volunteers involved in operations and restoration work. Each image is complemented by a detailed caption. Photographs are from the camera of lens artist Stephen Hussar, a good friend of the museum.  Stephen is a principal of Preservation Media, Inc., and is a Lighting Specialist and Cameraman shooting HD, Film and Stills for commercial, corporate and broadcasters including PBS, CBS, ESPN, National Geographic, the Discovery Channel and History Channel.

The calendar sells for $17.00 plus tax.  Proceeds go towards restoration projects such as Portland built locomotive #9 and improvements including construction of the new restroom building.

WW out.

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THIS JUST IN -

The gift shop has a new set of photo magnets for sale.  The 8 piece series has images of special events and equipment from 1997 to 2012.  Each magnet has a metal front with a crisp color photo.  The series includes;

- Locomotive 9 in Sheepscot Yard, October, 1997.  After it was restored to run on compressed air.

- An extra mixed train at Sutters with a special covered load on flat 118 from the John Craft charter.

- Boxcar 309 tied down on the siding at Alna Center with the railroads 1930 AA truck backed up to the door.

- Steam in the snow, Engine 10 at the south Alna Center switch.

- Model T Railcar #4 in the siding at Alna Center.

- Engine 10 pulling the Milk Mixed, featuring TCDA Car 65.

- Alna Center station with a special load of freight on the platform.  Items include milk cans, a large wooden crate and a wind up phonograph.

- Sheepscot Station with a mixed train arriving.  In the foreground is a Model A Ford coupe and Model B truck.

Be the first on your block to collect all 8 magnets! 

[Ira Schreiber]

$$$$?

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Thanks Ira,

Photo Magnets are $2.50 each plus tax.  The same price they have been for a few years.

Stewart

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News Flash -

Just in time for cold weather; The gift shop just got a shipment of new fleece jackets and pull-overs that are embroidered in Maine. The pull-overs are medium blue and come in small to 3X.  Jackets are dark blue with a full zipper front and come in small to 3X.  They sell for  $45.95 2X and 3X which is $47.95. 

Just in time to start Christmas shopping; The gift shop has two new Christmas Cards that are printed in Maine.  The cards both feature engine 10 in snow scenes. One view is a sun lit photo taken at Alna Center and the other is a night photo at Sheepscot Station.  The cards sell for $8 for a pack of 10 with envelopes.   

Get them before they're gone!

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Special 25th Anniversary Lanterns -

The WW&F Railway Museum will celebrate it's 25th anniversary in 2014.  To commemorate the event, the railroad is offering a limited edition kero brakeman's lantern.  The lanterns are made in the USA by Adams & Westlake and are marked WW&FRY CO.  The last time lanterns were marked this way was when Carson Peck bought the WW&F in 1907.  The initial run is 10 lanterns which are available now at a cost of $198.90.  The total number of lanterns produced will be 25.  The lanterns are the tinned 300 series with colored globes.  Globe choices are clear, red and green.  The lanterns will be in the gift shop this weekend.  James has photos that he will post, showing the lanterns and their special markings.  

For mail orders, please contact Cindy through the gift shop link or call the museum at TUxedo2-4193, area code 207.  Lanterns will be shipped in the original Adlake factory cartons.

[James Patten]

FYI - I've put the lantern info on the gift shop website.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Thanks James,

FYI - A customer told me he couldn't find the lantern info or photos on the gift shop page. There are a lot of items on there so I'm not sure where he looked.
 
Either way we have already sold 4 lanterns.

Stewart

[Steve Smith]

Four sold already........GREAT!

Its the fourth item from the top in the final category, and is listed as "Kerosene Lanterns."

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Thanks Steve,

Yep, just checked.  You have to scroll towards the bottom.  It's the 3rd item in the "Pins, Patches and Other Fine Gifts" section.

Stewart

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The museum recently purchased a set of commemorative railroad plates produced by the Hamilton Collection from 1984 through 1996 .  The plates are gold edged and are 8 1/4" across.  Each one features a steam era passenger or freight train.  The plates are previously owned but are in mint condition in their original containers.  Each plate has the artist's name and scene information on the back.  A couple of plates have small marks on the back, left by a plate hanger but it is not visible when displayed.  Most plates still have the original MADE in the USA sticker on the back.

The scenes on the plates are printed from beautiful color paintings done by artists Ted Xaras and David Tutwiler.  Tutwiler is the artist who produced the WW&F print "STEAM ON THE WISCASSET WATERFRONT".  The plates will be sold for $16 each and there is only one of each image.  

2111A - New York Central 4-6-4 Hudson by Ted Xaras
1463A - Central Pacific #10 with train meets an American Indian hunting party, "Confrontation"
2090A - Frisco #1522, "Blue Bonnet"  by David Tutwiler
1956A - Long Island Railroad #21, "Sunrise Limited" by David Tutwiler
1511A - B&O RR #5300 at "Darby Crossing" by Ted Xaras
1469A - Steam powered passenger train. "A Welcome Sight"
3585A - Southern Pacific #4449, "Daylight Run" by Ted Xaras
1976A - Union Pacific #3985, "Sherman Hill Challenger" by Ted Xaras
2570A - Union Pacific #4002 "Big Boy"
1702A - D&RGW #473 on stock train "Spring Roundup"
2309B - Western Maryland Railway 2-8-0 #837 on a coal train, "The Long Haul" by Ted Xaras
2202A - Rio Grande Southern engines 3 and 15 on a trestle, "Winter Crossing" by Ted Xaras

Please contact the gift shop via the web site or call the museum for information and shipping rates.

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Note to gift shop patrons regarding the sale of WW&F lanterns: 

Of the initial offering of 25th Anniversary lanterns, all have been sold except 2.  When these are gone a second (and final) group will be ordered from Adlake.  The second batch may be available by the time of the Spring Work Weekend, April 26th - 28th but we can not guarantee it.  Please contact the gift shop folks if you would like one of the two that remain, otherwise wait until May to place an order.  See the above post for more about the lanterns.

Thanks, Stewart 

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THIS JUST IN  -

The gift shop just received the latest Maine Two Foot book, Volume III of the Jerry DeVos series The Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad and Predecessors.  The hard bound 256 page book is filled with building, rolling stock and motive power photos.  Equipment charts, maps and drawings compliment each chapter.  There are many new photos - the 1892 era view of Sandy River #5 (our WW&F #9) on page 15 is fantastic!  Jerry does a wonderful job explaining each subject and how things changed as the railroad(s) expanded. The section on structures, stations, engine houses, etc. is nicely done.  Images of the P&R's shop complex south of the bridge in Phillips are interesting. There are even some rare 1930's era aerial photos of Phillips and Strong with maps to explain what is pictured. 

The book sells for $60 and will be available in the gift shop this weekend.


Stewart

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Please note that the price of the previously listed railroad plates has been reduced.  Quite a number of plates have been sold this year and the price of the remaning ones has been reduced to $16.  The December 2012 post has been changed with the "sold" plates removed from the list.  Anyone interested in a plate should contact the gift shop manager via the museum's web site, telephone number or stop by the gift shop.

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Special 25th Anniversary 2014 Calendars are coming -

Just a note to advise members to be on the lookout the forthcoming 2014 WW&F calendars.  Next years edition will be a special 25th anniversary calendar featuring the lens artistry of Stephen Hussar.  The all black & white calendar will be a special larger sized production with retro styled panels and captions.  Each photograph will highlight museum equipment, volunteers and operations in O. Winston Link style ... mostly at night. 

Think of this production as a new photo album / photo essay on the museum that just happens to be a calendar.  The special 2014 edition should be available by the Annual Picnic.

Another announcement will be made when the calendars are on hand, listing the price and other information.