�

Wiscasset, Waterville &Farmington

Railway MuseumSHEEPSCOT STATION, PO BOX 242, ALNA, ME 04535-0242

May / June 20�0

Visit our web page at: http://www.wwfry.org

Removing a collapsed culvert immediately south of Alna Center StationPhoto by Steve Hussar

What a GREAT weekend, and that is an understatement! There was so much going on in every “department” and so much was accomplished! I know I didn’t see it all, so I can’t comment on all that got done. Although I was quite physically tired by Sunday afternoon, I left feeling quite energized. The work, the food, the fun, and the fellowship were all first rate.

You never really get to know a person until you’ve replaced a culvert with them, and to the ones who showed up to help on the Big Dig, I can’t say thanks enough. I now know just how dedicated you guys are. That was a tiring, wet, dirty job and one of the most important of the weekend. There was a good chance that the railroad could have been shut down mid operating season had we left it and had it collapsed completely, as it was close to doing. Now we don’t have to worry about that possibility, and it’s all because of the efforts of those who showed up on Friday to deal with an unromantic task. Thanks!

The Spring Work WeekendDana Deering

Then there are those of you who worked all day Saturday and half of Sunday refurbishing the track on the “Ladder.” That section had not been touched since we put it down. It needed major attention, and it got it. It looks great now, and I hope someday to continue on across Albee’s Field. The tamping crew kept right on going despite a couple of minor, and one potentially major, mechanical failures. Kudos to the guys who manhandled the one jitterbug and kept on tamping while we waited for the new part to be fabricated in the shop. Thanks to the shop crew for the quick turnaround!

The station at Alna Center looks great inside, as does the freight shed. The painters were busy, too! I saw the telephone crew out working at least one day. The shop crew treated the Sunday crew to a tire installation demonstration on Number 11’s pilot wheel, and that was very interesting. I’d read about it but had never seen it. Thanks for waiting for us to come down from “the North” so we could see it.

2

I was also pleased with the way my “spot board” worked when surfacing track. I had read about them a couple of years ago, and had been toying with the idea of making one with the blocks and peep sight. It wasn’t until Bob Gabriel got tired of hearing me talk about it and kept giving me hints to “put up or shut up” that I finally went to work and made it. Thanks, Bob!

Everyone was great; the food was delicious as usual; the music was fun, and we got a lot done. What more could we ask!

Installing a new culvert immediately south of Alna Center StationPhoto by Bob Cavanagh

WW&F Railway Substitute Post Office CarFrom “The WW&F Two-footer, Hail and Farewell”

by Clinton Thurlow

2-foot Musing No. 48Before I start on this Musing, I have a little unfinished

business with the last one, which was about the Chicago Tunnel Railroad. Member Jeffrey Mora wrote suggesting as a good reference the book The Chicago Tunnel Story, Exploring the Railroad Forty Feet Below by Bruce Moffat, Bulletin 135, Central Electric Railfans’ Association (2002), available from http://www.cera-chicago.org/books.htm. Moffat also wrote an earlier book Forty Feet Below, The Story of Chicago’s Freight Tunnels, published in Interurban Special Number 82, Interurban Press (1982). With either or both of those books you will probably learn more than you ever thought possible about the Chicago freight tunnels.

Now to the business at hand. I think it is safe to say that practically everyone in the 2-foot fraternity knows that the last 2-foot railway post office route in the USA, and probably the world, operated over the WW&F. What may not be so well known is that the RPO route kept running for several weeks after the last train ran. How could that be?

Our old friend Frank Winter was no slouch about money matters, and he saw no reason to give up the $9,200 per year mail contract just because his trains stopped running. He bought a panel truck, installed the RPO clerk in the back,

and proceeded to serve the post offices along the railroad by truck. Earl Keef swapped his steam throttle for a gas pedal and became the driver (I hope he remembered that with this thing you had to steer.) Undoubtedly, the Post Office Department was not happy with the situation, but it took time to make other arrangements.

The wreck happened on June 15, 1933. Four days later, according to Earl’s time book, he began driving the mail truck, and the last trip was October 14. The next day, Earl drove the truck to Auburn, and big-hearted Frank gave him a lift back to Albion. That ended the last official operation of the WW&F.

As a footnote, in the 1950s when local passenger trains were being discontinued, the Post Office Department experimented with highway post offices. At least one route covered the South Shore communities of Boston and another served northern New Hampshire, I believe out of Concord. At the time it was hailed as a novel approach, but no mention was made of the fact that the WW&F beat them to it 20 years earlier.

Ellis Walker

3

During the Spring Work Weekend, Dave Crow was among those adding insulation and completing the interior sheathing within Alna Center Station.

Photo by Steve Hussar

During the Spring Work Weekend, Duncan Mackiewicz used Steve Zuppa’s nail gun to complete the Museum Store ceiling.Photo by Steve Hussar

4

2010 Annual MeetingPresident’s Report

The 20th Annual Meeting of the WW&F Railway Museum was held on May 1st at the Alna Meeting House. President Steve Zuppa reported on the events that had taken place since the previous Annual Meeting.

He reported that the 2009 Spring Work Weekend was successful with the addition of a home-built tamper dubbed “Big Joe.” It was designed and built by Jason Lamontagne to “tamp” or put stone under and around the ties. In the past, this was all done by hand using steel bars, and was an exhausting job. In June we built a replica of Prebles flag stop which used to be in Whitefield. This small structure was moved to the Maine Heritage Village in Wiscasset and is used to promote the museum. By June the shop extension was completed. A huge milestone was achieved on June 14th, when the new boiler for Number 9 was delivered.

In July, the overhead crane that is in bay 2 was extended into the shop extension, making it easier to move heavy equipment. Work started on the disposal field that will serve our future rest rooms, and the future parking area was cleared of trees. Right-of-way brush cutting began with a small crew cutting several hundred feet each weekend. In August the Annual Picnic was a great success, with hundreds of people riding the train and enjoying the traditional grilled food served by our talented “kitchen staff.”

The annual Fall Work Weekend was very successful, as 400 feet of track was surfaced and lined, and 158 feet of new telephone line was added. The Halloween train was only moderately successful, as the train was run on Halloween this year. Students from the senior class at Wiscasset High school helped with the preparation and operation.

In November, the Museum received a very substantial collection of Monson Railroad company paperwork, as well as other company items. Later that month lighting was added to the parking area making it much safer at night.

Our annual Victorian Christmas train was very successful with some trains hauling as many as 99 people. Many of the museum members were dressed in Victorian Era clothes, making the whole event seem like you were living 100 years ago. As usual, the sleigh pulled by Steve Ackley’s Norwegian Fjords was a popular attraction. Santa was at the Alna Center station to hear the requests of many young children as to what they wanted for Christmas. The end of December saw the close of our Capital Fund Drive achieving our goal. Also at this time, the overhaul of our small gas locomotive, Number 51, began.

January and February were spent continuing work on Number 51, and the important work on Number 9’s frame was progressing. We also did additional clearing work on the new parking lot behind the Percival House.

Director ElectionsBob Gabriel, John Robertson, and Roger Whitney were

re-elected to three-year terms from 2010 to 2013.

Treasurer’s Report - Summary

Treasurer James Patten reported the financial results for 2009.

IncomeOperating $62,579.811

Museum Store 33,638.54Capital 64,984.792

Total: $161,203.14

ExpenseOperating $ 63,379.20Museum Store 28,610.393

Capital 71,918.69Total: $163,908.28

Gain or Loss: -$2,705.14

During the year we lost some members, but tickets and Museum Store sales were good until late in the summer, when ridership dropped off faster than anticipated. About 30% of the store proceeds were shared with the General Fund. Capital income included gifts to the annual fundraisers, the restoration of locomotive 9, and other specified gifts.

The largest expense was the final payment on the boiler for Number 9. Our two largest operating expenses were insurance and the mortgage on the house.

Our MortgagesWe hold a mortgage with a local bank, Damariscotta Bank

& Trust, for the Percival House, and with Kenneth R Boudin of Wiscasset for the land west of the house. Additionally, we have loans from Museum members that were given to help to pay down the bank mortgage.

For Percival House, we owe $69,386.81 in a 5.25% fixed rate (for 3 years) expiring 2037. (We refinanced the mortgage last year.) The members’ notes are $30,000 at 6% simple interest expiring 2017. For the Boudin parcel, we owe $22,963.04 on a 6% note expiring in 2019.

The EndowmentAt the start of 2008, our endowment was invested in the

stock market. As the market started to tank at the end of that year, we took the endowment out of the market and invested it in a year-long 4% CD. We fortunately did not lose any of the value of the endowment. Currently the endowment is invested in CDs that get less than 2%. As of the end of April 2010, the endowment stands at $15,667.57, including interest of $86.99.

1Does not include transfers from the Museum Store

2Annual Capital Fundraiser plus other directed income

3 Does not include transfers to the General Fund

5

Treasurer’s Report – DetailsOperating Income

Donations $24,613.66Dues 18,785.00Tickets 14,993.00Other 4,188.15Total: $ 62,579.81

Operating ExpenseBuilding maintenance $ 866.63Insurance 11,167.56Leases 5,981.35Mortgages 12,443.35Publications/Communications 8,490.98Publicity 8,199.26Rail equipment maintenance 1,588.54Special events 2,437.38Tools and equipment 1,386.14Track maintenance 831.40Utilities 9,119.98Miscellaneous 866.63Total: $63,379.20

Capital IncomeNumber 9 fund $ 2,159.00Number 11 fund 2,022.002008 fundraiser 1,885.002009 fundraiser 50,916.31Endowment donations 520.00Endowment interest 542.48In-kind 700.00Rail and Track 510.00Restrooms 3,000.00Shop extension 2,730.00Total $64,984.79

Capital ExpenseArchives $ 667.08Car shop extension and electrical 7,551.33Grading and work for leach field 9,575.50Handcar construction 300.00Locomotive 9 29,828.02 Office and administration 1,349.00Other restroom work 1,946.11Percival House 625.20Prebles Flag Stop construction 502.44Railcar construction 7,128.04Railroad track and materials 10,458.00Tamper construction 1,987.97Total $71,918.69

Museum Store IncomeMail-order sales $ 5,262.09Show sales 5,408.51

Store sales 22,262.28TRAINS article reprint 451.89Other 253.77Total $33,638.54

Museum Store ExpenseAdvertising $ 494.95Donated items 178.45Fees 811.13Mail-order costs 814.09Merchandise 23,586.64Shipping charges 878.43Supplies 641.61Taxes 844.53Other 380.56Total $28,610.39

Balance Sheet

AssetsCash & Current Assets $ 59,840.68Inventories & Other Assets 52,662.75Fixed Assets 969,070.69Investments 13,414.37Total Assets $1,094,988.49

Liabilities and EquityCurrent Liabilities $ 1,756.57Long Term Liabilities 123,304.76Depreciation 140,583.67Equity 829,343.49Total Liabilities $1,094,988.49

WW&F at DiscoveRail 2010The Massachusetts Bay Railroad Enthusiasts (Mass Bay

RRE) presented its fifth annual DiscoveRail exposition April 17th from 10 AM to 4 PM on the main floor of South Station in Boston. Representatives from the participating museums answered questions from the passersby and handed out brochures.

Mark Edry and John McNamara represented the WW&F. Other museums represented were the Bedford Depot Park Museum, Berkshire Scenic Railway, Cape Cod Central Railroad, Conway Scenic Railroad, Edaville Railroad, Flying Yankee Restoration Group, Green Mountain Railroad, Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad & Museum, Naugatuck Railroad, Old Colony & Fall River Railroad Museum, Seashore Trolley Museum, Shoreline Trolley Museum, Wayland Station Railroad Historic Site, Wenham Museum, and the West Barnstable Depot Museum. In addition to these organizations, nearly three dozen New England railroad museums and tourist railroads that could not send representatives supplied brochures and flyers promoting their trains and activities.

�

At Alna Center, Courtney Fox, Dawn Beck, Abigail Moore, and Danica Moore assisted children with various craft projects during the Easter Express event on April 3rd.

Photo by Bob Cavanagh

Leon Weeks has been constructing a Model T rail car for the Museum. There is still some work to be done on it, but it should see service this summer.

Photo by James Patten

�

To join the W.W.&F. Ry. Museum or to send a contribution (tax deductible) please use the form below.

Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway MuseumSheepscot Station, PO Box 242, Alna, Maine 04535-0242

Please sign me up as follows: Additional Contributions:

Life Membership .................. $300 #9 Fund _________________________Annual Membership ............. ..$30 #�0 Fund ________________________ Rail Fund ________________________ Endowment ______________________ Unrestricted ______________________

NAME ________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS ____________________________________________________________

_______________________________________ ZIP/POSTAL CODE _______________ Please make all checks payable to “W.W.&F. Railway Museum.”A receipt will be sent for all contributions received.

WW&F Railway Museum Spring 2010 CalendarJuly 19 – 23: Summer Work Week

August 14 – 15: Annual Picnic

WW&F Volunteers in 2009The following people volunteered their time to the WW&F in 2009. This includes hours worked on administrative and other

tasks off site. Thanks to all of you.Pete Barrington, Bill Baskerville, Josh Botting, Hans Brandes, Tom Brown, Dawn Buck, Dave Buczkowski, Devon Buczkowski,

Gregg Buczkowski, Tori Buelow, Duncan Burns, Steven Butterworth, Robert Cavanagh, Fred Clark, Jon Chase, Dennis Collins, Troy Congdon, Al Cook, Gordon Cook, David Crow, Bob Curran, Paul Crabb, Denis Dandeneau, Gordon Davis, Dana & Linda Deering, Chuck Denlinger, Hank Dillenbeck, Dan Ditullio, Hunt Dowse, Richard Edling, Mark Edry, Bob Ellis, Tom Evans, Chuck Ferguson, Ellen & Allan Fisher, David Fletcher, Ken Fleming, Bill Fortier, Joseph Fox, Mike & Jody Fox, Courtney Fox, Ed Gilhooley, Bob Gabriel, Erin Gallagher, Joan Geisler, Aaron & Jeannette Gonthier, Ross Hall, Bob Haines, Galo & Francis Hernandez, Randall Hess, Rick Hess, Austin Hewitt, James & Carol Higman, Bill Horton, Stephen Hussar, Lawrence Irving, Alexander Keck, Brad Kippen, Frank Knight, Don Konen, Tews Koll, Karsten Kroeger, Wayne Laepple, Jason & Sheila-Ann Lamontagne, Ed Lecuyer, Emily Lecuyer, Vincent LeRow, Jon-Luc LeRow, Marcel Levesque, Cindy Longo, Robert & Susan Longo, D C MacDonald, Duncan & Barbara Mackiewicz, Ken Maguire, Richard Mauser, Wendell Mauser, Graham McKay, John McNamara, Bob Meckley, Monroe Mechling, Deb Mevoli, Abby Moore, Danica Moore, Fred Morse, Russell Munroe, Brian Murphy, Patrick Murphy, Beatrice Nahrendorf, John Nall, Greg Nazarow, Dave Newton, Dean Odiorne, Cliff Olson, Patty Osmer, James Patten, Charlie Pidacks, Lee Pidacks, Sam Powers, Joshua Recave, Isaiah Reid, Michael Reid, Bill Reidy, Dale Reynolds, Stewart & Cindy Rhine, John & Jane Robertson, Lexxus Ross, Michael Ross, Bill Sample, Donald Sanger, Thomas Schminke, Ira Schreiber, John Schruefer, Jeff Schumaker, Glenn Schwass, Vernon Shaw, Scott Sidelinger, Richard Sisson, Skip Small, J B Smith, Steve Smith, Rider Strano, Julius Stuck, Jonathan St. Mary, Richard Symmes, Keith Taylor, Don & Jan Thomas, Rebecca Tourville, Christopher Urbanski, Matthias Warmbold, Madeline Warmbold, Marcel Warmbold, Bob Wattecamps, Bryce Weeks, Dick & Nancy Weeks, Leon Weeks, Jody West, Brad Whittemore. Bruce Wilson, Dwight Winkley, Roger Whitney, Zack Wyllie, Linda Zollers, Morgen Zuppa, Steve Zuppa.

158 people gave 14,561.70 hours to the Museum last year. Our grand total of hours since we began tracking in 1997 is 144,053.67.

Our deepest thanks and gratitude to everyone who helps “make it happen”.James Patten

�

Wiscasset, Waterville & FarmingtonRailway MuseumSheepscot StationPO Box 242Alna, ME 04535-0242

Tired but well-fed Spring Work Weekend volunteers enjoy “The Roberts” —dinner theater 1910 stylePhoto by Steve Hussar