Be a Part of Rebuilding Maine's History!
Volunteers are essential to our organization. It is our volunteers that work on our projects, that meet and greet our visitors, and that operate our trains. We have no paid staff.
Our volunteer corps is like a family. Many meet for breakfast before the day begins or for supper after it ends. Others keep in touch with each other throughout the week.
We encourage new volunteers to come and find a place with us. All ages, abilities, and interests are welcome- there is truly something for everyone. Because of the variety of things we do, and the potential dangers of working around railroad equipment, we require that new volunteers only do work under the supervision or guidance of project managers, at least for the first couple of months, so that we can “show you the ropes”.
A few examples of volunteer work on the WW&F Railway include:
- Buildings and grounds construction & maintenance.
- Right-of-way and track construction & maintenance.
- Archival work, including computer assistance.
- Machine Shop and Wood Shop work.
- Communications (magneto telephone) maintenance.
- Train Operations (Car Hosts, Trainmen, Brakemen, Engineers, Conductors, Dispatchers).
- Gift shop and ticket sales. Customer service.
- Backend office (ticketing, customer service, IT support).
- Cooking! We like to be fed.
Volunteers are always present on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Typically, work begins by 8am on Saturdays (9am on weekdays) while “closing time” is after 4 PM. (During the late autumn and early winter months, when it gets dark early, we leave early.) Activities are usually rain or shine, but may move indoors during inclement weather. To get involved… just show up – or email us at [email protected] for more details.
In addition to our weekly Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday sessions, we regularly host volunteer work events which are an easy way to get involved without committing to more than a single day. You can sign-up for these work sessions below:
More Information on Volunteering
A few of our newest volunteers put together these guides based on their own experiences. While they are designed to be printed, they contain many details about making the most of your WW&F experience.