nice weekend at the WW&F railway

The boys and I had a good time on the railway during the annual picnic.

we rode an early train which stopped for some photo opportunities

Train Trip Update

I have been keeping a record for Carl of members who have sent in a check for train tickets.  The official count is up to 39.  Carl said the cars hold 40, so that works out to be perfect.  as Carl said "and one for the conductor".   To help identify us, I am going to print out a special name tag in a little plastic pin on holder.  That way the conductor will know who on the train is with MGRS.  We are not sure right now,  if you will have an actual ticket, but anyone wearing the  MGRS ID will not have to worry about being asked.  If I send you an email and ask for the first name of your guests, that will be the reason.
Thanks, John

It's a start.

     OK !  Carl just talked to the Mall and the paperwork is in process.  So, I asked the Mall Operations Manager if I can come in and measure the "risers" that they will provide us for our elevated line and said anytime. So, it is a start.  Thanks to Dick Cosgrove who is letting us use his trestles for the display.  You can see I was checking the minimum height to clear my tallest engine which needs 9 inches of clearance.  I think the risers are a couple of inches higher so we will need to build them up some more.  I should have an exact measurement tomorrow.  Then the bridge builders will know what height to plan on.   

TheVets may becoming over tomorrow to visit MGRS

 Just to give a possible notice.  Carl has a call in to check with  them and we will post it as soon as we know for sure.
Sorry for any confusion.  It is to hot and if anyone was thinking about coming over they have canceled.   
Thank you and try and stay cool.

Thank you Doug and Marsha and all that helped you.

Congratulation to Doug and Marsha on a great 'Open House' in Gorham.   I am sure they are resting well tonight after entertaining 30 to 40 people today.  I did not count, but it was a big crowd and we all had a very good time.  We met new members as well as old friends and enjoyed a perfect day together. Doug has done an excellent job on his railroad and has beautiful plantings and lots of interesting features.  One of my favorites was an operating cog railroad line. Plus he has an excellent collection of egg liners with the real gem displayed nicely on an inside line.    Click here:  to view a Slide Show

They're coming anyway! 75 State Street is on the way.

Carl just called me and said 75 State St. wants to come out for a outing tomorrow!  Well Carl being a very kindhearted man could not turn them away.  They said they would be gone by 1:30 which gives him just enough time to get to Doug's Open House at 2:00pm.   They will arrive about 10:30.  Sooooooo, if you can manage to stop over and help Carl out tomorrow, I am sure that he will appreciate it.  Thank you!
Follow up: Thank you to the members that responded so quickly and came out to Carl's this morning to help him with 75 State St.  You really did do a good deed and a great job! 

Preview

I  know members are wondering what is going on with the Maine Mall Train Display.  So, here is a peek at a new Web Page that is under development.  We are waiting to release more information only because the Mall is still finalizing the paperwork and we want to be certain before we announce anything.  But, good progress is being made and hopefully soon we will be able to update everything along with some additional very good news.  Web page preview - click here:

A Garden Railroad Diaster

 

I do not know exactly who's railroad this is.  It may not be anyone we know, but I found it posted on the NHGRS web site and I had to copy it and post it here.   

Watch the video

Yarmouth Junction

July 2010 ~ The Junction crossing will be seeing more action when the Downeaster  starts to travel through the area.  Right now, thing are pretty quiet as No. 326 heads down to Rigby Yard.

Doug Johnson Open House is this Saturday

Don't Forget Doug and Marsha's Open House ~ Saturday Aug 28th
Click here for all the details. 

July Iron Horse ~ Now available on line

Thanks to our Iron Horse Editor Scott Gould for another great issue!    View Newsletter

CSX

The original logo for the CSX  Corporation, emphasizing the "multiplication symbol" X

The name came about during merger talks between Chessie System, Inc. and Seaboard System Railroad, Inc., commonly called Chessie and Seaboard. The company chairmen said it was important for the new name to include neither of those names due to its being a partnership. Employees were asked for suggestions, most of which consisted of combinations of the initials. At the same time a temporary shorthand name was needed for discussions with the Interstate Commerce Commission. CSC was chosen but belonged to a trucking company in Virginia. CSM (for Chessie-Seaboard Merger) was also taken. The lawyers decided to use CSX, and the name stuck. In the public announcement, it was said that "CSX is singularly appropriate. C can stand for Chessie, S for Seaboard, and X, the multiplication symbol, means that together we are so much more.

Great day for a picnic !

Yes it was as 3 full car loads of ladies arrived from the Wardwell Retirement Home in Saco to visit Maine Garden Railway Society.   They had perfect  weather under the large canopy with a nice breeze to enjoy their picnic lunch as the MGRS trains rolled past.  The gardens looked great and they said what a beautiful spot to come and visit.  Carl and Pat and there daughter from Holland greeted them as did a bunch of the MGRS "train guys" as we kept several of our favorite trains running through the multiple routes available.  This was the 3rd outing in a row and extra special thanks go out to Carl and Pat for all their hospitality and generosity and the same to all the members who contribute their support through out all these special summer events.       

We have our total of 25 paid tickets for the ME Eastern trip

Thanks to Mike who put us over the top,  we currently have 27 paid tickets and another 15 still expected for a growing total of 42 potential passengers for our train trip on Maine Eastern.  Time is flying by , we will be there before you know it!  

Quick Update

As of today 20 MGRS Members have signed up and paid cash on the barrel head so to speak, or sent in a check for the Maine Eastern train trip from Brunswick to Rockland and back.  We have 20 more members who have signed up for the trip but have not gotten around to sending in their money yet.  So, if everyone comes through and I think we all will,  then we will have a great group of 40 MGRS's  to celebrate the day!   That is an excellent turnout and we are glad to see the support and willingness of the members to get together and have fun on a real train ride.   

More Special Event Days at MGRS

Aug 18th Wednesday, the Monarch Nursing Home from Saco and on
Aug 19th Thursday,  the Wardell Retirement Home will visit Maine Garden Railway Society to enjoy an outing and picnic  lunch at Carl and Pat's Overlook Garden Railway.

Remember

Tuesday Aug 17th  at Carl's about 11:00am the Maine Veterans from Scarborough should be arriving.  If you are available please stop by and join MGRS as we welcome these fine men and women to enjoy the day with us.

Anyone you know?

Here is a very short video of a part of the New Hampshire Chronicles TVseries.  This segment was about the CVRTC speeders.  If you look close you will recognize one of our finest members, Denneth 'Tiny' Lee.

Getting ready for Christmas

Yesterday I was "digging out" some engines that I do not use that often.
Thinking maybe that one could be used at the Mall.  Those little cars could be filled with some miniature wrapped presents.  I imagined what it would look like going around the Christmas tree.  Look,  this one smokes and if you put a battery in the sound unit works well.  It is kind of like a kid rediscovering some old toys!

What can you find that would look good at the Mall?  I do know that we need to borrow two 5 foot circles and two 8 Foot circles of track.

FaceBook - In our future?

Thinking out loud again.  Lets say we are at the Maine Mall doing our train display and we have a handout that tells about MGRS.  My thought is that we will be meeting a lot of younger people.  Almost all of these people will know what 'Facebook' is.  Would not that be a great way to gather together and be able to contact a new generation of train lovers?  I do not know how Facebook works, but I do know that organizations use it to  promote what they do and to generate interest in their activities.  What if our handout included an address to go into Facebook and follow what we are doing?   

I know there are members who use Facebook.  Does anyone  think that it is a good idea or is interested in setting up an MGRS Facebook account?   I thought it might be nice if we had something in place so that people can say "Wow, I was out at the Mall and you should see that train display".  Etc, etc, etc.

 If you are the Social Networking type, please leave a comment or contact John at mgrsadmin@gmail.com

Annual Picnic At the WW&F railway museum

The WW&F railway museum is holding its annual picnic this weekend August 14 and 15. Lots of steam action, Model-T rail car (brand new), special trains and more.

go to the web site http:www.wwfry.org

Proposed Plan for the Maine Mall

Click image to view larger size

Here is the track plan subject to final approval for the Maine Mall Christmas time train display that I hope you all are planning to attend.  MGRS goal is to display a spectacular layout in the eyes of children and adults as they watch  the action on the large double track mainline as it runs trains which pass each other from different directions as they gracefully curve around the layout and travel through a tunnel beneath the elevated section which has bridges and trestles supporting a smaller train winding back and forth over the trains below.  You cannot have a layout without a train traveling around a Christmas tree with presents.  We will have two available with room for Thomas or Trolleys or the every popular Doodle-Bugs.  We will have over a football field length of track packed into the raised stage area which will encompass Santa Claus himself right there in the center court of the Maine Mall.

If you have not yet signed up for this event please do.  We need the support of all our members as we prepare to put on the biggest and best train display that we have ever done.  Call Carl and tell him you are available.  Thank you.

New Photos on Web Site

Calling your attention to some new photos posted on our web site.
If you go to the Web Site and click on "Photo Gallery" you will be able to find a link to GWRGR slide show.

Mike has done a great job on building a large outdoor layout.  Thank you Mike for sending in some excellent photos.  In the last Iron Hose Scott Gould ask members to send in some photos and hopefully some of these will appear in a future issue so everyone can enjoy them.

Thanks Mike, Great Job! 

As advertised in the Iron Horse

Click on above image for easy viewing. 
  

Now taking orders on Maine Garden Railway Society vests.  Please specify size and send order with check payable to MGRS to 82 Carll Rd Buxton, ME. 04093.  We will order in about a month or less.  If you wait to long you will miss out.  If you can pick up your vest from Carl the cost is $25 dollars.  They are being ordered from the same supplier we originally ordered from.

All aboard for Maine Eastern

Please do not forget - Now  is the time to send in your payment for tickets on MGRS day trip to Rockland, Me.

Round trip from Brunswick to Rockland and return:
$33.60 per adult:    Ages 4-15 $18.90

Please make checks payable to Maine Garden Railway Society
Please send your payment to:

Maine Garden Railway Society

82 Carll Rd.

Buxton, ME. 04093

Departs Brunswick Saturday 9/25/10 at 10:20am - Returns 5:50pm
More information:

I don't think that even Superman can bend that much steel

This is an amazing picture of a train delivering 50 strings of steel rail that stretch 1,650 feet long, and they bend as the train carrying them into Brunswick makes its way around the curve near Spring Street on August 1, 2010. The cargo weighs 3.2 million pounds. 
The rail was delivered to Main St. Station and will be used to upgrade the track for the northward extension of the Amtrak Downeaster.

This is the train we will be on next month!

 Maine Eastern on return trip from Rockland stops traffic passing through Wiscasset Click Here:
Quick update - 16 people have paid tickets, 21 more still need to send in ticket money.  It does need to be in this month.  Thank you,  for more details on the trip please click here:

Amtrak Expansion Begins to Brunswick

A train makes its way along a newly laid track in Brunswick, Maine, on Monday, Aug. 2, during a ceremony with officials citing the progress of the project.

The Teen Extreme

Here are a couple more shots of students from the Gorham Teen Extreme Summer Camp, who helped out today (as John mentioned) at the Overlook Garden Railway. The group meets Monday each week to help in various community activities. Today they accompanied visitors from the Maine Veterans Home. They were supervised by Gorham teacher Gregg Morton. What a neat program. Thanks for the help!

Great Day at Overlook Garden Railway

August started out great as the Maine Veteran's came out to visit MGRS.  Today the wheelchair unit visited us and they arrived in their Veterans bus along with a special truck and another van full of enthusiastic kids from Gorham Rec.  The kids were great and very helpful as they assisted the Vets and did all the heavy work.
They really were great! They loved the trains, frog ponds, dogs and cart rides.  I did not know Scott could drive like a NASCAR pro.  Carl was busy with everything and Pat and Mac and John rounded out the MGRS crew.  All together it was a very good way to start out a new summer month.   Dick had 3 trains running smoothly as you can see above.  The Veterans, the Youngsters from Gorham and MGRS all had a great time together!