On Tuesday, the first two pieces of equipment, Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad coach No. 16 and parlor car Rangeley, will leave their longtime home in Portland bound for Alna. Coach No. 16 will be delivered to Maine Locomotive & Machine Works (a private shop located along the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington main line) where it will be restored to operation and the Rangeley, the world’s only 2-foot-gauge parlor car, will go to the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington. In the following days, more passenger cars, a caboose and two locomotives will follow.
Next week’s move will be the largest migration of 2-foot gauge equipment since 1993, when the Edaville Railroad collection returned home to Maine to help start the Maine Narrow Gauge on the Portland waterfront.
Earlier this year, Maine Narrow Gauge and Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington announced a new partnership to display some of the Portland group’s equipment in Alna. Maine Narrow Gauge has been forced to vacate its museum space on the Portland waterfront and instead of putting the priceless equipment outside in the elements or in storage, it forged an agreement with the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington to display it in a newly-expanded carbarn. The equipment, much of which has been inside for years, will also be occasionally used on the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington.
Executive Director Wesley Heinz says the partnership is a win-win for both museums.
“There is growing culture of collaboration here in Maine,” Heinz says.
Heinz says Maine Narrow Gauge plans to continue offering excursions on the Portland waterfront for decades to come and in the coming months will break ground on a new station near downtown. The railroad also recently started leasing a warehouse in South Portland that it is using as its own restoration space.
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Will the Maine narrow gauge relocate elsewhere on the waterfront? I know it had cut back somewhat.