Robin and I drove from Wiscasset to the Boothbay Railway Village and parked in front of their offices.
The sign in front of the Boothbay Railroad Village.
The flags out in front of the Boothbay Railroad Museum. I had contacted them last year and was told steam would be running. Due to the fact that two tour buses switched to the next day, our visit turned out to be a no-train day. But since this is a great Maine cultural museum, I still decided to have us visit. So when we arrived they pointed us to the office of Margaret Hoffman who would give us a tour of the grounds.
Railroad BackgroundThe museum has over three-quarters of a mile of two foot gauge track. Having three steam locomotives available for service along with vintage and replications of Maine narrow gauge rolling stock makes for an authentic experience of railroad history.
Offering the opportunity to ride through our village and visit an authentic station lobby of one of our two historic Maine railroad stations is only a part of your visit to the museum. Also there is an extensive photographic and artifactual exhibit of the history of Maine two-footers.
In addition to re-creating Maine's narrow gauge historical steam trains, the museum offers rural village exhibits in a variety of historic buildings and an exceptional antique vehicle exhibit.
Your visit to the museum can be both entertaining and informative. The museum has an active restoration and volunteer program.
Our visit
The former Maine Central station from Freeport, 39.2 miles away, built in 1912.
Baggage carts behind the station.
Passenger coach 2, ex. Edaville Railraod 21, exx. Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes 21, nee Franklin & Megantic 2 built by Jackson & Sharp in 1903.
Open air car 1.
We first toured the station.
Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes wooden caboose, number unknown.
The State of Maine Merci Car 1880.
The duck pond. Now we will look at the Static Train Display.
Phillip Holzmann Ag 0-4-0T 11 built by Henschel and Sons in Frankfurt, Germany in 1938. In 1964, it was sold to Donald Beckner (Steam Village 11) at Gilford, New Hampshire then in 1968, sold to G.H. McEvoy and purchased by Boothbay Railway Museum in 1969.
Unknown flat car.
24" gauge caboose, built by Boothbay Railway Village.
A garden fountain.
Looking across the Village Green.
The octagonal crossing shanty with the Wiscasset car house.
The wig wag crossing signal.
Sandy River Railroad combine 1, details unknown.
Unknown steam engine.
Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes caboose 551 built by Laconia Car in the 1880's.
Boothbay Railway CLB 4 ton switcher 3, nee Central Maine Power built by Plymouth in 1929 and purchased in 1975.
Open air car.
Franklin & Megantic Railroad coach, number unknown.
Track car shed.
Crossing Tower from Lewiston, Maine. Phillip Nilsson and his wife from Durango, Colorado, joined us on our tour.
Views of the railroad at Boothbay Railroad Village.
Trackside shed.
Next we will visit the Brunswick Engine house built in 1899.
First we walked past the St. George River bridge tender shanty from Thomaston, Maine.
Steam engine in the house!
Tools of the trade.
Another boiler being worked on.
One of the cars from the Auto Museum is in the shop for a visit.
Views around the engine house shop.
More tools of the trade.
Boothbay Railroad Village view.
Bauunternehm Grun & Bilfinger 0-4-0T 6 built by Henschel and Sons in 1934 and purchased by Boothbay Railway Village from William Downey.
One last view of Bauunternehm Grun & Bilfinger 6.
Three views as we all walked the railroad.
The Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad Thorndike station built in 1871.
Inside of the Thorndike station.
Bath Car House now called Summit Station.
Woolwich Car House.
Crossing tower from Bath, Maine. Next we will look at the Narrow Gauge Train Shed static display.
S. D. Warren 0-4-0T 1 built by Baldwin in 1895 for the company in Cumberland Mills, Maine. In 1950 it was sold to Frank Walsh in Fairlawn, New Jersey then in 1969, sold to George McEvoy.
Wiscasset & Quebec Railroad box car 312 built by Portland Company in 1894.
Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad box car 147 built by Portland Company in 1916.
Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad box car 132 built by Portland Company in 1912.
Franklin & Megantic Railroad combine 11 built by Jackson and Sharp in 1885.
The Narrow Gauge Display train at Boothbay Railroad Village.
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