Narrow Gauge in the West - The restored 2-6-0 steam locomotive Glennbrook will be unveiled on May 25, 2015

The Glennbrook started hauling mine timbers, lumber and cordwood to the
Comstock in 1875. For the rest of the story please see the May/June issue of
Nevada Magazine at
http://nevadamagazine.com/home/inside-the-magazine/history/the-glenbrook/

Reprinting of the Illustrated Atlas of Maine's Street and Electric Railways 1863-1946

Seashore Trolley Museum has reprinted this Atlas

                                 

The Illustrated Atlas of Maine’s Street & Electric Railways covers the early roots of public transit in the state of Maine, including the early horse railroads, electric street railways, and electric interurban lines.

The maps were hand-drawn by Charles D. Heseltine and the plates were annotated by O.R. Cummings.

Both Heseltine and Cummings are notable authors on street and electric railways.

The maps are accompanied by more than 160 images of photographs and postcards from Cummings' research collection, now housed at the Seashore Trolley Museum Library in Kennebunkport, Maine.

To order please visit  http://www.trolleymuseum.org/store/books/The+Illustrated+Altad+of+Maine%27s+Street+%26+Electric+Railways+1863-1946

Trains to Togus VA Hospital

Last month the Maine 3Railers took their mobile layout to the Togus VA Hospital in Augusta. The veterans really liked it and talked to us about their military and railroad experiences.
One of our visitors was a World War II veteran who drove a Sherman tank and remembers riding in the 40 and 8 (40 men or 8 horses) boxcars when he was in Europe. Details can be found at http://www.fortyandeight.org/box-car/

Ken Thorson brought his military train that has cars that represent all the services- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. 

Russ Purkey set up a WWII military convoy with a Big Boy locomotive, Sherman tanks on flatcars, and hospital cars. More on Sherman and other WWII tanks can be found in a book called "Tanks are Mighty Fine Things" at http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1945/46Tanks/Cover.htm

Here the all services train rolls through town and you can the many cars in the consist. One of the veterans told us that the roads between towns were not plowed in the winter because everything came in by rail

The military convoy train passes a small military post on the way to the coast. Quonset huts here are by Lionel.

Maine Train Day on Saturday June 20th - Events and Scenic Railroad Special Fares

Maine Train Day includes the following events and scenic railroad special fares on Saturday, June 20^th.  Rail-related organizations are welcome to join in.  

Schedule of Events

Brunswick – operating layout Maine 3Railers at the Amtrak Station, 10am-1pm

Ellsworth - "Touch A Train" by New England Steam on the Downeast Scenic Railroad, http://www.newenglandsteam.org/home,

Portland – operating layout by the Great Falls Model Railroad Club, at the Maine Narrow Gauge Railway 10am-1pm

Scenic Railroads with special fares for the day are

Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad, City Point Station, Belfast, ME                                       http://belfastandmooseheadlakerail.org

Boothbay Railway Village, Boothbay, ME, http://railwayvillage.org/

Downeast Scenic Railroad, Ellsworth, ME, http://www.downeastscenicrail.org/ride/

Maine Train Day is sponsored by Operation LifeSaver, www.maineol.org. Publicity will begin on June 6^th. The previous National Train Day is now Amtrak Train Days. Events including Maine’s can be found at https://amtraktraindays.com/events/

If your rail-related organization can join in, please contact Fred Hirsch, Maine Operation Lifesaver, Maineol@roadrunner.com, 207-945-6878

Paul Smith's "Make PVC Lumber Abutments" 1-page project in the June 2015 Garden Railways Magazine

Paul has a 1-page project on Page 82 of  the June 2015 Garden Railway Magazine. The title is "Make PVC Lumber Abutments". It explains how to make bridge abutments that look like concrete using "Azek" or "Kleer" plastic trim boards. Here is a picture of the finished product on his outdoor layout.

                   

Train Shows Coming Up in May

On May 17 from 10am-4pm, Hobo Holiday at Great Falls Model Railroad Club, 144 Mill St., Auburn, ME 04210. Dress Like a Hobo. Come and have Fun! Scavenger Hunt, Run Trains, Fish for Prizes, Hobo Stew, Hobo Folklore and Symbols. Admission $4, Under 12 free. www.greatfallsmodelrrclub.org

On May 23rd from 10am-4pm, 4th Annual Bartlett Roundhouse Preservation Society Model Train Show, Bartlett Elementary School, Route 302, Bartlett, NH. Operating model railroads, vendors, raffles and snacks. For more information please contact Show Chairman Peter Davis at 603-759-2173 or via email at granduck@aol.com