The Maine Slender Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum is elevating funds to construct a brand new storage facility in Portland, Maine, after its earlier store constructing was demolished by builders.
The nonprofit devoted to the preservation of Maine’s famed 2-footers is seeking to elevate $100,000 for the brand new construction. Building will start as soon as the cash has been raised and the museum receives the ultimate permits from the Metropolis of Portland. The Maine Slender Gauge Railroad has referred to as the Portland waterfront house because the Nineteen Nineties, when the historic assortment of slender gauge gear got here “house” after a half-century at Massachusetts’ Edaville Railroad. New developments alongside the waterfront, nevertheless, have affected the railroad museum.
As a result of the railroad doesn’t have an simply accessible storage facility, it’s unable to function its largest steam locomotive, Bridgton & Saco River 2-4-4T 7, fairly often; it should both be wrapped as much as defend it from the weather or saved off-site. Donations for the brand new constructing will be made on-line at mainenarrowgauge.org/buildingsteam.
The locomotive will, nevertheless, be operating in early Could as a part of a weekend of steam-powered occasions throughout the state of Maine. In Portland, locomotive 7 will lead excursions on Could 9 and 10. In the meantime, on the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum in Alna, Monson 0-4-4T 3 will probably be collaborating in a photographer’s particular the afternoon of Could 9. The WW&F’s personal locomotive, 0-4-4T 9, may also be beneath steam. Tickets for the WW&F occasions will be bought at WWFRy.org, whereas these for the excursions in Portland will probably be at MaineNarrowGauge.org. Proceeds from the occasions in Portland and Alna will go towards the restoration of two different Maine 2-foot gauge locomotives: Monson 4 and B&SR 8, each owned by Maine Slender Gauge.
—Justin Franz
