The WMC began about 1955 or 56 as part of the Trained Bears, etc. attraction at Clark's Trading Post. They began operating with an 0-4-0T Porter which is still operable today, though rarely used due to its small size. The line originally was only a short stretch alongside the river backing up to their museum. Many years later they crossed the river with a covered bridge which they purchased from one of the Vermont short lines, disassembled and trucked to the site and rebuilt. They then extended the track across the bridge and up a grade through the woods on the far side, to a point where they intersected the old right of way which ran from the "wye" in Lincoln into the woods toward Franconia Notch. That was once a B&M connection to the Johnson Lumber Company railroad which ran up into the local hills. The Clarks pushed track out on that right of way until they got beyond where the proposed I-93 highway was proposed to be built, in order to force the highway people to put a bridge over the tracks as well as the river. Otherwise the railroad never would be able to go any farther. The WMC now ends just under that highway overpass. There has been talk of further track extensions, but I have no idea how much right of way is available to the Clarks. They seem content with the operation just as it is. Refer also to Belcher's book on Logging Railroads of the White Mountains.
