1st Steam back in Phillips, Maine since 1936

Word has it that ex-Monson RR 0-4-4T #3 will be running at Phillips, Maine on the restored section of the Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes RR this weekend as part of the annual Old Home Days festivites. The locomotive last was at Harrison, ME a couple of weeks ago, and was transported directly from there to Phillips instead of back to Portland, her home base.

This will mark the first time a steam locomotive has turned a wheel at Phillips since the last scrap train departed in 1936. The SR&RL operates about 3/4 mile of track on the original roadbed of the old Phillips & Rangleley segment of the SR&RL across the river from town. They have a museum, many pieces of original rolling stock, restored buildings, etc.

Well worth the trip!

Yep!,

Know all about it!

Don't you know this is the weekend of my Nephew's engagement party and I'll be headed to Philadelphia instead!

This is Steam in Phillips for crying out loud! Couldn't they have gotten engaged after the SR&RL closed for the season??

My only hope is that it's the beginning of a trend!

It's probably a cinch that the #3 will be there for a few days after, maybe you can convince the newlyweds to neymoon special? I know MNGRR would probably jump at a deal for the right $$$$.

Well, Monson #3 ran successfully this weekend at Phillips. We were there Saturday and it was such a thrill to see and hear a working steam locomotive on the old original right of way, pulling a real SR&RL coach and caboose. The whistle brought local folks out of the woodwork all day long, and rides continued into the evening. The volunteers are doing great things at this museum, and it should get a big boost from this event.

That's really great news! I'm glad things went well.
I'd really like to see someone post some photos of the event on the SR&RL homepage, or at least to someplace like nerail.org
A couple questions this brings to mind:
1) What are thoughts on SR&RL obtaining a steamer, either thier own or a loan/lease from someone like Boothbay or MNGRR, for regular operation on thier line, now that it's been proven possible? What do locals think of the idea?
2) How much support is there, from townsfolk and/or SR&RL members, for the RR to cross the Sandy River into Phillips?
I understand both ideas have been "bandied about" for quite some time now, but does having an actual steamer run there make a difference, change any minds, make any "dreams" seem closer to reality?
LONG LIVE THE NARROW GUAGE!!

Pete "Cosmo" Barrington,
"Pushing from the south end"
Norwich, CT

We spoke with Bill Berry on Saturday. He's the president of the SR&RL Museum. The idea of crossing the Sandy River into downtown Phillips has been discussed, and the depot which is now occupied by the American Legion Post is apparently available, but that all take lots of money. Also, crossing the river requires the rebuilding from scratch of the covered bridge. A huge project in itself. Then you'd have to cross the main street to access the depot and former yard area, and so you'd then have to deal with the FRA and all their requirements.

Going the other way, north, you have another road to cross immediately at the end of the present track... so again you'd have the FRA in on the deal. Right now they have enough on their plate with all the rolling stock and building restoration work ongoing on the property, not to mention the estate they recently inherited ("Ambleside") with its big old mansion.

Rumors were circulating Saturday that Monson #3 may stay at Phillips at least for the winter, and perhaps longer. It needs a secure place out of the weather, and it can't be run at Portland due to FRA problems. No decisions have been made.

But, the engine performed well on site, and gave a big morale boost to the struggling and long-suffering operation and its volunteers. That alone was a step forward.

Thanks for the speedy reply, Steam. Most of the issues you mentioned, (ie: bridge, FRA, $$) I already knew about, but at least the SR&RL guys are discussing the options. Last I remember, (Springfield, Big E) the Fellah' they'ah told me there were issues with the property lines on the Phillips side of the river. I can't remember all of what was, but part of it involved some zoning law preventing the funeral home to sell the RR enough land for an easement without "sucking up" the rest of the property in the deal. Also, property was an issue at the opposite end of the line. I belive the first road on the north end of the line was not an issue as far as FRA was concerned, due to it was a town road and not a State Highway. The FRA would come into play if they ever wanted to cross the next road out which IS a state road.

As I said, I couldn't go because I had to go in exactly the opposite direction for the weekend, however, something interesting happened.

I told the story to a railfan I know who didn't even know the museum was there in the first place, and on the spur of the moment he grabbed some cameras and his car and headed North.

He sent me some pictures and I posted this one:

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... bydate%3A4

More are on the way.

The SR&RL owns about 3 miles of ROW through some pretty country beyond the current northern end of track. The problem that they ran into is the guy right across the road from Sanders station wouldn't let them cross . There was a pretty prolonged legal battle back in the 1980s and 90s, which actually ended with this character offering to buy up the line so he could put it out of his misery (I didn't realize lama farming was so profitable...).

IIRC, the sandhouse talk at the SR&RL table at Big E the past couple years was that the guy might have been willing to be talked into letting them cross at some point for some price, but I could be confusing him with one of the people up around Sheepscot way (actually, Head Tide,) with property along the ROW up there. Of course there could be two similar stories, but I seem to recal the guy up in WW&F territory was more friendly, but that the RR has a long ways to go before that parcel becomes an issue.

This may be true.

I recall after all the legal battles settled down there was talk about meeting the Lama Guy's (actually a Veterinarian) price for the corner of the property that the ROW crosses by members of the railroad pooling their money, buying the land, and hopefully re-couping the cost by selling the unused portion off. It never went further than a proposal.

Around the same time a military construction battalion proposed bridging the Sandy at the former site of the Covered Bridge, but this proposal was only for a foot bridge.

Hmmmm...
The thought did cross my mind these past few hours that perhaps a bridge could be built as a footbridge WITH A PROVISION that, should the RR show enough interest or ability or cause or such, the bridge would be able to be utilized for RR purposes.
Just a thought, but what a thought?

Was there ever a "Y" at either Madrid Jct. or at Kingfield? Where else in the Phillips area might one be able to 'turn' a consist?

IIRC, yes, to both. There was also a turntable at Phillips, and one at Kingfield. Problem is though, that the line from Phillips goes the wrong way to get to Kingfield, and Madrid Jct is on the wrong side of the State Rd., and too built up over the old ROW. It would be kinda' cool to see them get up to Small's Falls, something thats not necessarily impossible, but would take a "humungouos" ammount of time, material and $$$.
Incidentaly, Smalls Falls was the terminous of one of the many branches off the line to Rangely, the same line SR&RL is rebuilding on, and is also quite a picturesque little destination point.

Smalls Falls would be an awesome terminus! Whenever we go through there we always stop and take in the view. It will be interesting to see whether a human landing on Mars or this happens first!

I don't believe a lengthened SR&RL would actually need a turning facility at both ends. The WW&F just recently completed a passing siding at Alna Center and they are now running with the engine at the head end in both directions, but running tank first northbound and boiler-first southbound without turning anything (Strassburg style). This would work on the SR&RL as well.

Forneys don't really have a front or back. On the Billerica and Bedford, George Mansfield ran the Ariel and Puck as a pair of pre-historic Cab Forwards (Take THAT, Southern Pacific!) with the pilot on the tank and they did just fine that way until the Sandy River bought them and turned them boiler first.

...Smalls Falls, possibilities..... where's my map?