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EDAVILLE at age "0" has been converted from the pre-July 2008 WW&F Discussion Forum.
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Ira Schreiber wrote:The May, 1948 issue of Trains magazine has an article on the building of Edaville R.R. circa 1946,1947. Great pictures, too.
Ira
Stephen Hussar replied:Ira, Stewart sent this picture today, no doubt inspired by your posting 
Edaville, 1947
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"Give me enough Swedes and whiskey and I'll build a railroad to Hell."
- James J. Hill
Stewart Rhine replied:Steve, Thanks for posting the photo. Yep, Ira's mention of the original "Atwood" Edaville made me look through my EDA file for this shot. It shows B&SR number 7 (Baldwin, 1913) pulling a train on new track around the bogs. The consist is; B&SR 3-door baggage car 30, W&Q Coach 3, B&SR Coach 16 (Mt. Pleasent, Laconia-1882), B&SR Coach 17 (Elthea, Laconia-1904) and the Rangeley bringing up the markers. Bruce W. can probably tell us what location this is.
I've always liked the looks of the 3 door baggage cars that saw service on the WW&F and B&SR. They look great tied to the tank of a forney.
Bill Sample replied:Isn't the ex B&SR 30 still at Edaville, one of the last of the Maine cars remaining? If I remember correctly it was converted to a combine a few decades back, then to a straight coach during the 1990s. Perhaps Bruce can set me straight on this if I goofed.
Bruce Wilson replied:The photo Stewart has supplied (may be a Linwood Moody photo) and can also be seen within "The Maine Two Footers, 1959 edition) on page 45. Moody captioned the photo with the location as being "along the big d**e which separates the Atwood 300-acre reservoir from the cranberry bogs".
This section I believe to be what Mr. Moody later refers to as "Tanglefoot Curve" which is just outside of Peacedale (the old Peacedale, not today's version).
Fairly certain that B & SR no. 30 later became Edaville no. 11 and as of my last visit to Edaville (May, 2006), the coach was still on the property on the location of the former turntable.
I e-mailed the Bridgton Historical Society about a year ago suggesting that they contact the owner of Edaville to see if the coach might be available for purchase and rebuilding to its original configuration. Never received a response from BHS.
Stewart Rhine replied:Bruce, Thanks for the information. Yes, the photograph is by Linwood Moody. It came from a box of old Moody prints that I got at a train show a few years ago. The photos were printed in the 1930's and 40's and have Linwood's writing on the back. They were from a collecton of a fellow in Pennsylvania who liked narrow gauge railroads. I also have a batch of SR&RL prints from the same collection.
Bruce Wilson replied:Lucky guy finding that Moody photo collection...
Don't leave your car unlocked next time you are up at Sheepscot 
Stewart Rhine replied:Hey Bruce, I have a car alarm that detects persons approaching ... it lets out a loud engine 10 whistle blast to warn off railfans and water fowl. It came from the same company that sells the wood detectors. 
Dana Deering replied:Nice photo, Stewart! Much clearer than the one in my original Me2Ftrs book.
Linwood Moody took some great photographs!
Dana
Stewart Rhine replied:Thanks Dana, The photo is a contact print which gives the sharpest image. The original is actually clearer than the post because I didn't send the scan to Steve at the right setting. I have since learned to send him photos at the higher resolution. This is my favorite classic Edaville shot.
Stephen Hussar replied:Ya know, Stewart...this might be a good one to re-do at the higher resolution. Maybe next time you fire-up Cindy's vintage steam-powered scanner you could run it thru again(?)
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"Give me enough Swedes and whiskey and I'll build a railroad to Hell."
- James J. Hill
Bruce Wilson replied:Hey Stewart,
The "waterfowl" in Maine are legendary as I'm sure you know. The things they can do...well, just ask JML (ha!)
Car alarm that sounds like a whistle huh? Funny, I thought you'd have one that just yells out "AFLACK!" at anyone that comes close...
ETSRRCo replied:Here is the #30 in her current state.
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=2006110912594526070.jpg&byrail%3A3%3AEdaville
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Eric Bolton
East Tigard & Southern Railroad Co 1889-1958
Josh Botting replied:I noted today, that in the Friday Bangor Daily News, there was a nice picture of cranberry harvesting in Carver mass, any know if that was the Edaville bogs?
I realize probally most of you donot get the BDN, but figured I would try.
My cranberries have not been put up yet, but soon....
Bruce Wilson replied:Today's "Edaville" has but one cranberry bog within the track loop, and another small area of a larger bog visible from the train beyond where the present location of Peacedale is. Not having seen the article and photo in the Bangor Daily News, I couldn't say for certain if the photo may have been taken at Edaville. In years past, the tracks navigated their way through and past several bogs. Some early photos will show railroad infrastructure making identification possible. Others are without reference points and are rather generic when viewing. Typically, workers at Edaville would bring in the harvest and then immediately "shift gears" to lend a hand setting up for the Christmas festival. Cranberry harvesting at Edaville was usually in its final stages around Columbus Day and modern day Edaville actually closes down for a brief period following the Cranberry Festival to make ready for Christmas.
The BDN photo may have been a "stock" photo, or it may have been taken on Cape Cod. Apparently some of the smaller growers on the Cape are still picking, as I saw a loaded truck heading off Cape yesterday with a partial load of bright red berries.
Years ago there were several large cranberry growers on the Cape and there are still some going concerns there today. From what I have seen, these farms are viable and maintain their bogs in first class condition. There are a few growers with two foot gage railroad equipment, although none that I know of are in active use. Perhaps you recall that the W.W. & F. Ry. Museum "Brookville" was formerly used (on Cape Cod) by a cranberry grower before being donated to us by an antique engine enthusiast and collector located in Wellfleet, MA?
The W.W. & F. Ry "Brookville" was referred to in Brookville Company sales literature as a "Cranberry Special" and many of the little machines toiled in Massachusetts. Another similiar (although lighter weight) machine was made in Carver, MA by a small firm known as the H.R. Bailey Co. They made "lokies" for use on the bogs and these critters are known as "Bailey's".
I am attempting to learn more of the H.R. Bailey firm and am always interested in discussing the little cranberry railroads as well.
Thanks for bringing up the cranberry article in the BDN, Josh. Sometimes Vern saves BDN articles for me, hopefully he will have clipped that one to give to me later at Sheepscot.
Josh Botting replied:The caption to the picture said Carver, Mass.
Cranberries are a bit late this year I suppose.
I have about 4 gallons to process, picked from the shadow of Kahadin on Columbus day weekend.
