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James Patten wrote:Richard Symmes of Walker Transportation Museum sent to the Museum earlier this month a photocopy of plans drawn up in the 1950s of an Edaville roundhouse. Seems that there were talks with Ocean Spray to buy Edaville and turn it into Cranberryland USA (or was it something else? I forget the exact name). Ocean Spray backed out of it after the death of Nelson Blount.
The photocopy is of the roundhouse plans that were to be part of the redesign of Edaville. The originals I understand are 8 feet long. The copies are a couple of feet long, but you can clearly see what they were trying to accomplish. It looked like a little bit of everything was thrown in: some of the WW&F, some of the Bridgton, and some of the Sandy River.
Richard told me the collection is rather sizeable. I'd encourage people to go down and see it. Walker Transportation Museum is on my list of want-to-dos, but I never seem to get into that area of Massachussetts.
James Patten replied:I've edited the first post to change Richard's name from the nickname form of Richard to his real name. Didn't realize the board would edit me out! Apologies for that, Richard.
mwmoulison replied:I live near the Walker Collection and I got the chance about a year ago to look through those plans. They even has some designs for new locomotives and a covered bridge for the train to go through. It would have been a very different Edaville for sure!
-Mike
Bruce Wilson replied:As recently as 1999, old ideas were still being considered for Edaville. The old ideas of a roundhouse for engine storage and a main entrance building constructed faithful to the design of a Maine narrow gage depot among them.
Correspondence between Linwood W. Moody and other enthusiasts in the early 1970's reads that locomotives in Brazil were among those considered to join the Edaville stable of iron horses.
As you say Mike, it would have been a very different Edaville...
And since closing in '92, it has been. Consider under "Edaville Entertainment" the two Plymouth diesels, the German "Jung" steam locomotive and the English "Hudswell-Clarke". Under "South Carver Rail", the line saw Bridgton engine no. 7 returned to service and Monson no. 3 borrowed from the Maine Narrow Gauge Museum. Under Cranrail, two Whitcomb diesels joined the former Edaville G.E. diesel no. 2 and the Hudswell-Clarke.
Yeah, it sure is different and I've got a feeling that there are more changes in store for the future. In my opinion, the very fact that something is still in operation there is testimony to a commitment by the property owner and the dedication of the new management team and the park employees.
mwmoulison replied:Different and new does not always mean worse. Edaville has a lot going for it, there is no reason that it cannot succeed in its new form. I think the biggest setback has already been overcome. That is, the loss of all the original equipment. But for most folks visiting, a train is a train. People like to see steam, but outside of that I don't think it matters.
I've only seen the Hudswell run once, and I was impressed by the thunderous sound it makes with the blower going. I know she was missed this year by many. But even so, the night I was there both trains were full all night.
Just look at the number of patrons you get during the holidays. Edaville still has a place in people's hearts.
I do miss drinking cranberry juice in the old crancentral junction building though.