The Brooks Preservation Society has completed the transaction to acquire the Belfast and Moosehead Lake engine #53 and the Brooks Station House. The goal is to restore both the station and engine back to original condition.
The station house is in need of quite a bit of renovation but much of the original features of the building still exist. The group is confident it can return the station to its original glory and again be the center of Brooks. They are encouraging donations to help with the restorations along with labor and material. The current station was built in the 1890s to replace the first station which was located a short distance away. The station stores our collection of antique and vintage railroad track equipment. Station Agent Linwood Moody wrote many of his writings while an agent here including "The Maine Two Footers".
In 2002 Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions used the Station at Brooks to film parts of the movie "Sarah Plain and Tall".
Engine #53 is a different story. The engine has not seen the light of day since it was moved into a storage building in Brooks. The engine was last in active service in 2004. The engine is a GE 70 Ton Engine built in 1947. It has been on the B&ML line since 1970 when it was purchased from the Montpelier & Barre Railroad out in Vermont.
The engine does need a new cylinder and batteries so it can start. The group has 60 days to move the engine from Thorndike to Brooks. The Brooks Preservation Society is in desperate need of cash donations to raise the $5,000 to purchase the batteries to start the engine and bring it to life. Each battery costs $585 a piece and we need 8 of them.
If you would like to donate toward Engine #53 please contact Joe Feero at 207-991-1635 or 31 Veterans Highway, Brooks, Maine 04921
The station house is in need of quite a bit of renovation but much of the original features of the building still exist. The group is confident it can return the station to its original glory and again be the center of Brooks. They are encouraging donations to help with the restorations along with labor and material. The current station was built in the 1890s to replace the first station which was located a short distance away. The station stores our collection of antique and vintage railroad track equipment. Station Agent Linwood Moody wrote many of his writings while an agent here including "The Maine Two Footers".
In 2002 Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions used the Station at Brooks to film parts of the movie "Sarah Plain and Tall".
Engine #53 is a different story. The engine has not seen the light of day since it was moved into a storage building in Brooks. The engine was last in active service in 2004. The engine is a GE 70 Ton Engine built in 1947. It has been on the B&ML line since 1970 when it was purchased from the Montpelier & Barre Railroad out in Vermont.
The engine does need a new cylinder and batteries so it can start. The group has 60 days to move the engine from Thorndike to Brooks. The Brooks Preservation Society is in desperate need of cash donations to raise the $5,000 to purchase the batteries to start the engine and bring it to life. Each battery costs $585 a piece and we need 8 of them.
If you would like to donate toward Engine #53 please contact Joe Feero at 207-991-1635 or 31 Veterans Highway, Brooks, Maine 04921
