Hello Everyone,
Just thought I would drop in to tell everyone that over this past Memorial Day long weekend my wife, grand daughter and I ventured to Maine. While in Maine we visited the Seashore Trolley Museum where we met some very nice folks. We then headed north again to the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum where I Had a nice conversation with the Station Master when we purchased our tickets and “T” Shirts (very reasonable). We then boarded the train and went to the end of the line (aprox 2 mi.) where a new Flag Stop Station had just been completed and we got the grand tour. At this time the Engineer came back and asked if I was the person that was into railroading to which I answered YES and was invited to ride the Cab of the Coal fired 0-4-4 Vulcan with my 9 year old grand daughter. The Vulcan Iron Works builders plate showed a unit # of 574. It was also interesting to hear that all repair parts for the locomotive we made in house. This was also a great bunch of people. I hope that if anyone is in that area they will visit these two museum’s and support the efforts of all the VOLUNTEER’S.
Ron
You didn’t get the engineer’s name did you?
I know a guy who has worked on that stuff for years, his main job is an AmTrak engineer…
Sorry Dave but I didn’t. I will say that he couldn’t have been more then 45 YOA. Also there was a large group of there members (young & older) cutting grass and doing other required MOW jobs.
Ron
We got a cab ride at the WWF back in August. Here’s Will with his head out of the fireman’s window
Great picture Bob, Some day I will learn how to put pictures in my posts also. Just inside the yard limit they have started to construct a water tower, at this time the base of the tower is completed. The gent I spoke to was not sure when they would continue working on it.
A-No.1 Hobo Experience
Tramp through history - hobo style!
An article about 2 divergent groups coming together came across my news feed today and I found my self using @Eric_Mueller Eric’s Huzzuh! What a great way to get two groups with seemingly opposing interests supporting each other.
On going to the site, I found this adventure.
Has anyone been on this railway recently?
Fascinating! When I was living in Virginia, there were similar clashes surrounding how - or if - to preserve Civil War sites. Generally, these were cases that involved how to develop an area, though, and not environmental. In most cases, parties reached reasonable compromises. If you are curious about a case that went awry for the developer, check out Disney’s efforts to snap up land near the Manassas battlefields!
I’ve talked to Park Rangers in instances where environmental groups have had disagreements about site preservation similar to the case above. These groups wanted to park to revert to wild state. The National Park Service, however, is chartered to maintain the site as it looked during the event in question. The NPS always wins as a consequence of that legal charter, but, while the challenge exists, the site gets harder to restore to its mind 19th Century condition.
Eric
If you are referring to the WW&F, then yes. The 16mm Association had its annual get-together in 2023 at the pavilion halfway down the line, a rather remote place. We got a ride on the full line, and the trains stopped every trip so the passengers could get out and watch us enjoying running little trains. I regret not having time to see the Museum at the Depot/Shops.
Bill,
You might want to check out Eric Schade’s posts.