Current Newsletter is now On-Line

Click on the picture of the 'Iron Horse' Logo located on the left side of the blog to download the latest copy of the Newsletter - November 2009.
You can also 'Go back in time' and find any issue in the past two years by clicking on the 'rolling wheels' directly underneath the Iron Horse logo. This will bring you to the Newsletter Page on our Website.
Thank you again to our MGRS Editor and Publisher ~ Scott Gould.

Bangor & Aroostook BL2 Diesel Locomotive 557 Walk-through

This video is a walk through of a General Motors EMD BL2 diesel locomotive. This unit was purchased new for the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad back in 1949 and used until the early 1980's.
Watch Video here:

Railroads across Maine - A train song

A slow and easy song with pictures of Maine trains
Excellent pictures set to music featuring Northern Maine Junction Railroads, GP9's, Bangor & Aroostook, Abandoned engines, Freight cars MEC, B&M Guilford, Pan Am, Fallen Flags tribute
To watch please click here:

Maine Central Caboose # 660 Video Tour

This is a video tour of a real Maine Central Caboose.
Click here to climb aboard.

Maine Eastern Railroad EMD FL9 Diesel-Electric locomotive Cab ride.

This is very good! This was footage of the trip from Union station in Rockland, to Brunswick Junction on Sept 4th, 2008 from the cab of #488. Ride the rails on a real Maine Eastern Train. Get the Engineers view. Some of those crossings look dangerous and they really need to blast that horn! Hop on and Enjoy the ride!

Part-1

Part-2

Halloween on the Toot 'n Chug Rail Lines

Dick and Sharon Clark report that about 60 people visited the Toot 'n Chug Rail Lines in Greene on Halloween night. "Everyone got scared, except the little ones," says Dick. About one-third had visited before, a third had come before on Greene Village Celebration Day, and a third were new folks in town who had heard about the Toot 'n Chug by word of mouth.

Dick says the Toot 'n Chug is now down for the winter, with new buildings to be built on the coming winter nights.

Strasburg Railroad

This is a little different. Last night I was looking up Strasburb Railroad annual Troop and Train Veteran Day Event. I did not find a good video on that subject, but this is the train that they use. It is also in Amish country, which I thought was interesting. If you watch you will see a horse drawn vehicle and a classic car that are not intended as part of the video.

It is a nice looking engine and train To see Strasburg Railroad No. 90 Click here

Veterans Day Presentation

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) presents "The Way We Get By," a documentary that tells the stories behind the famous "Troop Greeters" of Bangor, Maine, on Wednesday evening, Nov. 11, Veterans Day. See how flight after flight of war-bound and returning GIs are met by a determined band of patriotic senior citizens.

Announcing a new Arrival!

Our great grandson, Samuel Weymouth Jackson Jr. born on Thursday Nov 5, 2009 in Colorado at Fort Carson Army Base is the newest member of our family. He and his Mom are now home and both doing well. Grandparents are there to help and his proud father arrived in time from Bagram AFB in Afghanistan where he is serving in the United States Army. He will be home to spend time with the family which includes their 2 year old daughter for about 2 weeks before having to return. We are very proud of them all and feel very blessed to have such a nice family.

Other New England Railroads

Very Interesting - Take a Look - Click here

Casey Jones

The "Ballad of Casey Jones" as sung by Johnny Cash.
Please click here to view:

This Date in History - November 7th

Construction of Canadian Pacific Railway Completed (1885)

The Canadian Pacific Railway was originally built between eastern Canada and British Columbia, fulfilling a promise made to British Columbia when it agreed to join the Canadian Confederation in 1871. The railway's transcontinental passenger (click on above logo) service was instrumental in the settlement and development of Western Canada. Today, it also includes US hubs, such as New York, but its primary passenger service was dropped in 1986. Why was the image of a beaver chosen for the railway's logo?

Event Reminder - Train Shows

The Great Falls Model Railroad Club is having their annual Train Show this Saturday, November 7, 2009. The time is 1o:00 am to 3:00pm and the location is at the Auburn Middle School.

While your marking your calendar there is another train show coming up in Brewer at Jeff's Catering on Saturday, November 21, 2009.

Recyling old railroad cars

Here is an interesting article on all the different ways that old railroad cars have been reused and turned back into useful and productive items. Originally from Ernie Bay NHGRS and sent to us from Denneth "tiny" Lee. Thanks Guys!
Please click here to view:

Toe Tapping Time

Here are some old train pictures and train wrecks with a "Country" flavor.
Please click here to view and listen:

Crawford Notch Trip 2008

Very cool picture! This came to me by way of Denneth Lee who received it from Paul at North Conway Scenic.

Keep em Blooming as long as you can.

Geraniums and Hibiscus seem to love to grow all year long. I just bring them inside and they do very well. Of course they are to dirty for the upstairs so they hang around the basement near the walk out area which gets pretty good sun. Even the water plants that the fish like to eat last for quite a long time. I hate to see the cold outdoors kill all the plants, so this way I get to enjoy some of them all year long.

The Top 10 World's Scariest Train Rides

Thank you "tiny" for this article. This is a well written travel article with great pictures. After clicking on the link below, you can then click on the "Next"button within the article to read about each individual train. Enjoy the trip: The Worlds Scariest Train Rides

When a body meets a body

Have you walked the trails behind the Churchill's lately? Be sure you take someone along (who's still alive). Word has it that Pat and Carl, and Mac McLaughlin, have heard strange noises coming from the forest late at night, and that they've taken groups of Buxton kids with them to see what they can find. Would you like to go along? Check with the Churchill's before Halloween, if you dare.