Museum Milestones for April, May, and June 2019
Rolling Stock: Several pieces of rolling stock received attention: B&SR Flatcar 34 was completed and put into service in time for the Spring Work Weekend.  MNG Flatcar 205 had passenger platforms and needed refurbishing. As part of the collaboration, the car was delivered and during Spring Work Weekend the platforms were removed, proper end beams and draft gear…
Museum Milestones for January, February, and March 2019
Car Shop: Work began in January to insulate the shop with rockwool insulation. Much of the insulation had been installed by the end of the quarter. In the meanwhile overhead crane installation work proceeded, a coal stove was installed, and work was done to further organize the shop. B&SR Flatcar 34: The flatcar (in derelict condition) arrived…
Museum Milestones 2018
The Mountain Extension: Tree clearing occurred on The Mountain in the winter (the grade north of the end of track), and between ME Rt 218 and Trout Brook. Grading was done on the area between 218 and Trout Brook, so that bridge prep work could happen.  Assisted by WW&F volunteers, crews from Verney Construction and Chesterfield…
Museum Milestones 2017
Boxcar 67: The boxcar was brought to a state of near-completion, however the project paused as additional grab-irons were sought, in addition to door tracks and an impervious roof. Car Shop: The car shop got a makeover: concrete floors, fewer support posts (supported by I-beams), and a clean up. A future coach construction project prompted the work,…
Museum Milestones 2016
Locomotive 9 in Operation, Locomotive 10 Down for the Count: Locomotive 9 took over operations for Locomotive 10, which in January was discovered to have a defective boiler, dating back to its construction. These problems had been discovered in all of the other boilers on the Maine two-foot engines. Rather than chase down problems, it was…
Museum Milestones 2015
Locomotive 9 steams again!! Sorry, that was a big deal. The engine was steamed up and first moved under its own power on December 5. It was a long road getting there. The boiler was insulated with mineral wool at the beginning of the year, and work began on polishing the jacket in-house. Ultimately it…
Museum Milestones 2014
Locomotive 9: Work continued on getting the pattern for the boiler jacket done, eventually completing.  After making sure everything under the cab deck was ready to go, the decking was completed. Work also continued on the cab roof, using an epoxy to seal cracks in the wood. A father-son team from Texas, the Downeys, spent three…
Museum Milestones 2013
Locomotive 9: The year began with work on driving gear and re-wheeling the engine. The wheels were put back on in February but it was decided to leave it on blocks for ease of access to inside frame parts. As the year progressed, nearly everything dealing with the business end of steam received attention: cylinders,…
Museum Milestones 2012
Track work: During the Spring Work Weekend there was track work on Cock-Eye Curve and north of Alna Center. On the Sunday of Work Weekend a crew laid 30 feet of track in Wiscasset for the Creamery Car. More maintenance was done throughout the year. Sixty feet of track on the spur was removed so…
Museum Milestones of Previous Years
1985: Harry E. Percival, Jr. purchases railroad right of way from the Winter Foundation, owner of the original WW&F assets. 1986 – 1988: Harry starts work to restore the railroad. He tries to start a non-profit Wiscasset & Quebec Railroad Company (the name of the original railroad when built) but could not because the company was…