More Trains at the Mall and Steam Up for the Holidays!

Here are some recent items from the Mall and other places. Over the weekend a young man noticed that we had the tender and coal car from James (the red engine) near the transformers. He asked to have James put on in place of Percy, and we did that. Another pair of young men noticed that one of the safety gates on the trolley was loose. Fixing that led to talking about the back-and-forth unit for the Trolley and the station stop unit for the Amtrak.

European Freight with Crocodile Engine and Amtrak

Rio Grande Freight

European Passenger Train with Railway Post Office

Because of scheduled maintenance, no Amtrak  Genesis locomotives were available to run at the Mall late Sunday afternoon. A short term contract was arranged to bring in Baltimore & Ohio #5321, a 4-6-2 steam locomotive.

B&O 5321 at North Conway Station

Amtrak under Steam

And here are trains in other places.....

Maine Central Steam and Diesel at LL Bean

And you can find a locomotive at the Hannaford in Yarmouth.....

Steam up for the Holidays!

MALL Trains

It sure is nice running trains inside when it is so cold outside.
I just rebuilt this Bachmann 4-6-0.

11th Annual Candy Cane Train

This year the Candy Cane Train ran on the Amtrak Downeaster  with a round trip from Brunswick to Portland and back. This train is fun for children of all ages, and is the primary fund raiser for Tri-County Literacy in Bath, Tri-County Literacy Web Site

The fun starts when children and parents arrive at the Brunswick Visitor Center, which is also the Amtrak Station. Here they can pick up their tickets, drink hot cocoa, listen to stories read by Mrs. Santa Claus, see model trains, and enter raffles for books and a model train set.

Model train layout

Polar Express and Freight Trains roll through Town

The layout and the rest of the station is crowded until its time to board the train

Then everyone heads for platform...

Amtrak Conductors greet the passengers

On the train small groups of children have stories read to them.

There are cookies, songs from the Noreasters Chorus, fun with the Elves, and a visit from Santa!!!

Here is a video of the Candy Cane Train rolling out of Brunswick toward Portland at 8:30am on Saturday, 12/10

Candy Cane Train rolls west out of Brunswick for Portland

For you Railfans,  the consist includes two Genesis diesel locomotives, four passenger cars, and a dining car. They came in from a Boston to  Brunswick run, made a  Candy Cane trip, and then were off from Brunswick to Boston again.

All four trains were sold out. You can plan for next year! Tickets usually go on sale around November 1st. More information can be found at Candy Cane Train Information

Train Video Runbys on December 7

Here are some short videos of trains running by at close range.


Boston & Maine Coal Train and Circus Train Runby

Steam Work Train and Downeaster Runby

Downeaster and Circus Train Runby

Mall Photos from December 2, 5, and 7

Here are some photos from the Mall, including trains brought in by members

Terry's Greenhouse at the Farm

Norm's House under construction - topped out with a traditional tree

North Pole Express stops at North  Conway Station

North Pole Express Passenger and Baggage Cars

John Middleton's Mixed Freight with Moxie Car

Band Practice at the Circus

Signs about MGRS - thanks to Carl

Young Thomas and Percy have a ride....

Fox on a loading dock????

A small newspaper stand

Crossing Gates down for the Trolley

More Holiday Spirit from the Westbrook Festival of Trees

Here is some more of the Holiday Spirit that Paul Corbett creates through detailed decoration at the Westbrook Festival of Trees.  Take a look - see what surprises you can find...

Welcome to the North Pole

Ice fishing with poles?? From a bridge?? Is the duck cold??

Farm Equipment Dealer. Rusted car body at upper right

A village scene. Can you see the wolf?

Waiting at the station. Do you see the dogs?

Who needs a tow? Maybe that fancy, red car?

Christmas Tree Sale Lot. See the board of Wreaths?

Motorcycle Shop Front View

Harley-Davidson Sign

Alaska Billboard on the Roof

Motorcycle Shop through the glass roof - left side

Motorcycle Shop through the glass roof - right side

Trains at the West brook Festival of Trees from December 3-10

The 16th Annual Westbrook Festival of Trees runs through December 10th this year. It combines fun for children of all ages, the Holiday Spirit, and charity to others.

Here is a link to the Current story about the Festival

Festival of Trees Rolls On

Trees at the Festival

Tree Titles, Sponsors, and Decorators

The Festival includes both Special Events and visits by schoolchildren. On the snowy morning of December 5th a number of Kindergarden classes came to see the trees. They arrived by bus, came inside, and took off their coats. Next they began to visit the Trees. Some are upstairs, and then they come downstairs to see more Trees and the Trains. Did I mention the Trains??

The model train layout has been part of the Festival for over a decade. It got started when the Police Chief happened to mention to Paul Corbett that the Festival wanted to add something "new".

Paul has brought the trains every year since then.

When the children enter the Train Room, they see the snow-covered Christmas Village with train running through it. Then Paul turns out the lights so they can see the lighted decorations and the lights on the train. When the lights come back on its time for another look at the layout and questions from the children.

Train Time

Steam Train at the Festival Video

Steam Train Runby

Diesel Train Video

After the trains its back upstairs for a Snack and Story Reading before the children return to school

Snack Time.....

Story Time with the Trees

The kids had a great time, and many more visitors will come during the rest of the Festival. Please join them. The Festival takes place at the Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church, 810 Main St., Westbrook, Maine. The viewing hours are

Tuesday, 12/6 10am-noon, 2-4pm

Wednesday 12/7, 10am-noon

Thursday 12/8 10am-1pm

Friday 12/9, 10m-1pm, 6-7pm

Saturday 12/10, 9am-noon

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train 2016

The Canadian Pacific (CP) Holiday Train is back for its 18th year in an effort to raise money, food and awareness for local food banks. ​

As in years past, two trains will operate coast-to-coast under the Holiday Train banner, with approximately 150 shows held in November and December.

The train that operates primarily through the U.S. will launch in the Montreal area on Nov. 25, while the all-Canada train's first shows will come a day later, also in Montreal. The U.S. train will complete its final shows in Saskatchewan on Dec. 15, and the final show of the tour will take place Dec. 17 at Port Coquitlam, B.C.

YouTube Video 1 minute 16 seconds

Vimeo video 27 minutes 32 seconds

Model Railroad Celebration at Maine State Museum

The Maine State Museum holds its annual Model Railroad Celebration each year in early December. Children of all ages come to see operating model railroad layouts from the

--Maine 3Railers O-Scale Club
--Great Falls Model Railroad Club
--Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington (WW&F) Railway Museum

Here is a story and video from WABI TV about this event. Be patient with the ad the comes before it...

Model Railroad Celebration at Maine State Museum

And an article from the Portland Press Herald

Young and Old All Aboard for Holiday Train Show

The Maine State Museum has railroad engines of their own. One of them is the LION, built in Boston by Maine native Homes Hinkley in 1846. Purchased new by the Palmer and Machiasport Railroad, this freight engine was used for nearly fifty years to carry lumber from the sawmills at Whitney to the wharves at Machiasport. The LION, and a sister engine the TIGER (1842) were in continuous service until 1892. After being sold to a Portland scrap dealer, the LION was saved in 1898 and given to the University of Maine in 1905. It was transferred to the Maine State Museum in 1986. and today is 8th oldest Amercan-build locomotive in existence.

The LION at Maine State Museum

Here are some pictures and videos from this year's Model Railroad Celebration.

Add caption

Christmas Village

Christmas Train - locomotive with flashing lights

Great Falls HO Layout - scale comparison cars at left

WW&F HO and N Scale Layout




Great Falls Z Scale Layout in a Suitcase

A Little Yard  Work....

Logging Train Operations

Portland, Saco and Portsmouth Through Train

Today a train from the Portland, Saco, and Portsmouth Railroad passed through on way Portsmouth via North Berwick and Eliot. It was running with leased motive power from the Boston & Maine. 

The train provides a test platform for new stadium and office chairs produced by Hussey Seating located in North Berwick. It tours a variety of tourist attractions with discounted fares so people will try the chairs and complete a survey about them.

Here is another short video

Portland and Saco through train

B&M Motive Power

Paul Corbett's Holiday Display

Terry Norton's Greenhouse

Thomas Raffle Set

This year's really big raffle ticket box - Scott Gould in the baackground

Steam and Traction Action on November 29

Here are a video and pictures from Tuesday, 11/29. Thanks to Art Shean for bringing in his steam train and trolley.


Click on "Here that Whistle Blow" to see the video.

Here that Whistle Blow!

Over the switch at the Tourist Cabins

Last Stop! Change here for North Conway Train Station!