SR&RL Annual Meeting

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

For the folks who are also members of the SR&RL RR  -

President Eric Hinkley has announced the annual dinner meeting of the SR&RL RR.  It will be held on October 4th, 2008 at the Community House on Main Street in Phillips, ME.  Dinner starts at 6:00pm and the meeting follows at 7:00pm.  The agenda will include reports from the officers and plans for 2009.  Proposals are:

Repairs to Monson Engine #3,  Restoration of cars from Maine Narrow Gauge,  construction of a new car barn (steel or other type),  right of way fund and a proposal from JerryDeVos regarding the epemeral collection.

All Members and a spouse or friend are welcome.

[Pete "Cosmo" Barrington]

Hi Stew,...
I'm just curious, what is this "epemeral collection" of which you speak?
Also, are you going to be there yourself? I'd sure love to hear what transpires at the meeting!

Pete

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Pete,  Sorry, I left the "h" out of ephemeral.  That refers to things in the railroads collection that are not related to Maine two foot or New England railroads.  I plan to attend the dinner but it depends on when my wife arrives.  I'll be in Maine Tuesday but she's not driving up until early Saturday.  I will give a recap of the proceedings if we go.

See you at the track weekend,  Stewart

[Pete "Cosmo" Barrington]

Cool! I'll probably be either "At Sea," or in Florida when it does. I'll watch for the "wrap-up."

[o anderson]

I have heard over the years that the guys in Phillips would like to unload itself of two historic standard gauge coaches.  Maybe these are the ephemera.  Both are in need of work, but are also extreeeeeemly old and rare and I hope someone adopts them soon, whether or not they stay in Phillips.
O. Anderson

[Wayne Laepple]

According to my handy-dandy Merriam Webster dictionary, "ephemera" is defined as "collectibles such as posters, broadsides, and tickets not intended to have lasting value."  In this case, I'd suggest that it's paper items from the Sandy River and associated companies, such as maps, tickets, waybills, equipment drawings, etc.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

There are two standard gauge cars in the Phillips collection.  They sit at the North end of operable track where the (relocated) Sanders station is.  One is a very rare wooden Laconia built car from the Concord and Montreal.  The car is used for Board meetings, etc.  The other is a 70 ton steel car that has been gutted out, no seats.  I have no information on either car being "on the market".   

[Ira Schreiber]

The Downeast Scenic Railroad in Ellsworth, ME has an ex MEC 1910 Laconia coach from the Conway Scenic Railway. They are repairing it for service. I saw it in the flesh yesterday. In addition they have an ex D&H coach home built in 1904. Both are truss rodded cars.

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

I believe the ancient coach at Sanders was the same one which for years sat in a backyard in North Conway, NH between the center of town and the Mt. Cranmore ski slope area.  Then it got moved to the Conway Scenic RR yard and placed on trucks. Next it turned up over at Phillips, ME.  It is a true historic gem and deserves to be indoors.  Close examination last year revealed much rot and deterioration. If vandals don't get it, the weather soon will.  It still has some of its original wooden window shutters in place! Simply amazing.  How/why did it and the MEC steel car end up at Phillips? What was the plan?

Richard W. Symmes

[Bill Sample]

I believe the "broad gauge" equipment was purchased for covered storage, meeting, and future volunteer accommodation space.  The interior of the wooden coach even has some of its fabric ceiling covering intact.

[Wayne Laepple]

Hmmmm. Member accommodations, eh? I know where there is a very nice old wooden open platform coach converted to a work train bunk and dining car. I believe it sleeps eight. It's for sale and will in all likelihood be scrapped if not sold by the end of the year. Just something to think about......

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Here's some news I got while in Phillips last week. 

The standard gauge Laconia built coach will be preserved and eventually restored to it's original appearance.  It is used for Board meetings and was recently used as a display area for the railroad's Halloween weekend.  It retains most of it's original interior.

Monson #3 - a grant request has been submitted for the Albert Webb Memorial Award.  If received, the funds will go towards repairing the 0-4-4T so it can run on the SR&RL in 2009.

The site for the car barn has been graded with large rocks moved away.  There is a proposal to construct a two track pole barn on the railroad east side of the mainline with the switch cut in just north of the Reeds section house.  The building will be about 30X100, there is no start date for construction. 

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

A bit more news;

The Phillips shop crew is building a Model T Ford railcar.  It will be a replica of SR&RL car #2 (which survives at the Owls Head Transportation Museum).   The frame and journal box braces have been built and are stored at Phillips.  The engine and drive train parts have been purchased and are being rebuilt off site.  The car may be on the rails sometime next year if the journal boxes and rear axle assembly can be fabricated over the Winter.


Some of us got to ride the original car #2 when it visited the WW&F Museum during the Annual Picinc a few years ago.  Harry used to run that car as fast as it would go which was probably 35 - 40 mph!

[Bernie Perch]

Stewart,

What kind of wheels are they using on it?

Bernie

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Bernie,  I saw the Model T frame when Zack and I were at Phillips last month.  I'm not sure what wheels will be used but John S. told us that Noah may use a set of Fairmont wheels.  We told John about the heavy cast wheels our Model T will have.  They know that heavier wheels make the car track better (especially on curves) but they don't have any that are the right size.