Guess who just picked up a copies of Ride the Sandy River and The Maine Two Footers. 31 years later, the C&DR is going to get me yet.
It's easy enough for anyone to catch C&DR fever. I have been an admirer of Hayden & Frary ever since... Not that I haven't ever done some HOn30, but there are a batch of T&T kits on work bench right now. Have barely been touching my beloved N scale....
I'll admit that I also think that the Maine 2 foot has charm. I do have a lot of opportunity to spend in narrow gauge territory. I often "commute" between Brownville Jct. Maine and Lac Megantic Que. This "commute" takes me through Kingfield Me where I intersect the Sandy River and Rangely lake. I follow it for many miles up to Bigelow along the Carrabasset river. I short side trip takes me to Strong Jct. Me. and down to the main shops at Phillips Maine. Once in a while I'll nose around in Farmington Me on the Sandy River, the South end of the Sandy River RR . Often I have to drive to Jackman Me. This drive takes me through territory once occupied by the Monson RR that met with the Bangor and Aroostook line from Derby Maine (home) to Greenville Maine at Monson Jct. Both railroads have been gone from the area for many years but there is still a road named Monson Jct. road that takes you directly to the Monson Jct. station that is still standing. My doctor is in Waterville Maine, a short drive south brings me to the Wiscasset Waterville & Farmington RR territory. I have been exploring and learning about my new home , I am originally from Wisconsin so there is quite a lot to learn!!! Randy
Happens some times. I found some distressed hollow core closet doors 18" wide that I think would make fun a semi-modular 2' gauge line. With all the Colorado NG available, why do I have to get interested in Michigan copper haulers, trench railways, and flatland NG? Maybe because nobody else does it? That's cool. I moved from the Chicago area to Northern VA/Washington D.C. area in 2006 so I've been learning some of the local ne'er do well railroads such as the Washington & Old Dominion (Standard Gauge) as well as other VA short lines as they interest me more than CSX and NS. I recently ran across a reference to the Surry, Sussex & Southampton (3' Gauge) and now have to go exploring SE of Richmond VA. I got interested in 2' Gauge from 600mm WW1 Trench Railways. Andy Tetsu Uma
A late friend of mine, who collected keys and locks, used to come over and use my eBaY to bid. He not only found an SS&S key, but a lock. The latter was not good shape, but it was still clear what RR of origin. Rare, rare, rare stuff. I have some W&OD paperwork in my collection. Along with EBT, SR&RL, etc. Not easy to find!
To find an SS&S lock and key - Wow. They were so small, I wouldn't have thought they would have marked equipment. I guess since they were a common carrier . . . . I used to live right next to the W&OD trail and walked home from the East Falls Church Metro stop on it. The Commonwealth paid a lot of money for the W&OD ROW to build I-66 (and to eliminate the only Interstate grade crossing on I-395) so I guess it paid off for the C&O in the end.
