Edaville Discussion

That's an awful shame.

Steamer wrote:
Where does the track actually end now? Anyone know?

Steamer

Watching a slideshow of this years Christmas trains, the track that used to lead that way is still intact from the current mainline, but friends tell me that it is impassable and deteriorating rapidly. Ties are rotting fast.

Mike

You're right Mike, I am angry and bitter over the senseless destruction of Edaville.

It's meaningless that 2 foot started in MA, the B&B was not successful. It wasn't until they were tried in Maine that they became successful.

Edaville was a great continuation of the Maine two footers. Bigger than some, carried more passengers than all of them combined, and lasted longer than the two footers in Maine did.

Railfans weekend was a lot of fun down there. All of the Maine locomotives in operating. The railbus and the Model T inspection car in service for riders. The full 5.42 mile loop.

It's sad that such a nice place was destroyed.

oldrr wrote:You're right Mike, I am angry and bitter over the senseless destruction of Edaville.

Add my name to the angry/bitter list too, Mike. I think that your pen is going to run out of ink before you complete it.

Me three! The last couple times I was there, (many moons ago now,) I couldn't believe how much it had changed. The shortened loop was so disappointing it's a wonder we stayed as long as we did that day, other than we wanted to get our $$ worth out of the exorbitant ticket price.

I think you are misunderstanding my point. We are all upset about the current size and the removal of all the equipment. When the bulk of it left in the 1990's, that was the best option at the time. It prevented an auction that would have scattered equipment all over the place. The current owner is in it for the money, as anyone that had made that kind of investment would be.

But my point is bickering and complaining about the choices that were made in the past will do nothing to preserve it's future. All we can hope for is someone will save it yet again. It has happened before.

Mike

miketrainnut wrote:
But my point is bickering and complaining about the choices that were made in the past will do nothing to preserve it's future. All we can hope for is someone will save it yet again. It has happened before.

Mike

Mike - We have a right to be indignant at this "cavilear" attitude regarding what many of us hold dear - and indignant on many levels, personally among them the fact that not only can I no longer experience a Christmas magic, but neither can my son, nor his son, etc. It isn't just a matter of "hope", but a matter of condemnation that we feel at the persons who would throw this all away.

Oh, you can still experience "Christmas Magic," Paul. You and everyone else! You just need to be willing to drive a little further, that's all.
Portland and Sheepscott in Maine have EXCELLENT Holiday train programs, as well as Essex, down here in CT. Eventually, the guys that have the equipment up in Portland now will have #4 and #7 running again with the same cars from EDAville. Oh, and WW&FRR #10 as well as coaches #3 and #8 came North by way of EDAville as well. VRR has been running a first-rate Christmas train since before "POLAR EXPRESS" was copyrighted by the entertainment company.
I found the magic in these places, and for the last few years it's been worth it to me to drive the extra distance to Sheepscott every year to find what EDAville no longer has. As far as I'm concerned, the magic left that place long ago.

None of those places that you've mentioned can even approach the old Edaville. They're all point to point "demonstration" type rides, most of which go out and return on the same relatively short length of track. At Edaville, you had five plus miles of varied ROW (not the same thing after 1/2 the trip) in an elyptical route, in original old coaches giving one the impression of what a trip on a 1800's narrow guage passenger train must have truely been like. I don't know of any other museum of it's type that has or had that style of realism. Edaville's location was such that it was accesible from major population centers for an evening out at Christmas time with the family, not in some remote location requiring a long drive to get to. Throw in with that the tradition of Edaville, it's history, the people that originally created it, the fact that it was a working cranberry harvesting railroad, the added touches such as the fantastic railway museum where you could find really unique railway items from the past while warming up, the annual Christmas lights display, the multi-gauged display of other engines and locomotives (see avatar), the huge and spectacular annual railroad flea market held, and the fact that so many people in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut remember this magical place from their youth and wanted to have their kids and grand kids now experience it as well.

I'm a realist Cosmo. I live for the present and enjoy what's now. That doesn't mean that I and others can't and shouldn't be pissed off by the actions of others in what we percieve as the ruination of a special place.

Well said, Paul.
My favorite memory is from the Christmas season of 1967 - all 4 Maine engines operating, with #5 steamed up as standby near the turntable. Think there were two whistles each on #7 and #8 - which meant you could hear 6 different steam whistles playing their tunes, echoeing through the crisp, cold dark night - some close, some far away. I got a cab ride on one of the Monson engines that night, and although I didn't know much about the history of the Maine 2 footers I got a sense of what it must have been like in the old days when we would leave the lights and enter the pine woods - later I found out that the area I remembered was fairly close to Ellis Atwood's grave. I don't remember the "memorial whistle" being blown on that trip like I witnessed on other runs. The steamy warmth of the waiting area at the snack bar, the cold buttery fingers after eating the popcorn from the wagon near the screenhouse, the exciting outbursts from the kids as the train burst into view were all part of my memories.
Edaville was unique and the Christmas experience will never be duplicated. My thanks to all, many now departed, who made this possible.

Hopefully the new owners, if Edaville is so lucky, could negotiate with AD Makepeace to complete the loop. I think that they may be open to such a possibility.

If that were not possible then maybe they could negotiate or buy enough land at the present end of track to install a loop.

A loop wouldn't be too bad because even though you would be going on the same track, at least on the way back you'd be on the opposite side so you'd see something different.

Near the present Atwood jct a wye would need to be installed so that trains coming back could continue going around the present loop.

If track were laid on the easement shown on the map and if the bypass or eastman flume track were relaid then there would be quite a few options for train rides.

If the train were to go down the present spur and if a loop were installed then when the train got back it could either take the present short loop back, or the expanded loop back.

A ride down the spur and back and then over the expanded loop using the easement shown on the Edaville brochure would actually be a longer ride than the 5.42 mile original loop.

A train could be sent down from the station the eastman flume track onto the short or expanded loop in reverse, go out the spur at the Y that would have to be installed at Atwood Jct and when it got back it could return to the station via the short loop.

With such an arrangement you could send out 5 or 6 trains per day, each taking a slightly different route. The short loop may be good for parents with small children because it's quick.

Those wanting the longest ride would go out the spur and then over the expanded loop back to the station.

I don't know if there is enough land that could be bought at the end of the present spur to put a loop in but short of going around the reservoir it's the best solution.

A run around just doesn't do it because unless you change which side of the train you're on, you see the same thing.

If Edaville is lucky enough to get another chance. I think that the new owners should scrap the amusment rides and instead work with a local or several local model railroad clubs and offer them free space to put their layout in exchange for having the layouts open to the public. Edaville would have to own the layouts, pay for them, those working on the layouts would be rewarded by having a place to operate as well as money to build the best layout money and space can buy.

I think they should also work hand in hand with at least one live steam group. Give the live steamers a place to operate in exchange for the layout being open to the public.
Edaville would own the equipment and the live steamers would be compensated by having a place to operate.

Win-win situation for both parties.
Quality model railroads and a quality live steam layout or two will be more unique and interesting to kids and adults than the cheap amusement rides that are presently there and would complement the train ride.

The model railroad layout or layouts need to be the best within driving distance. I mean something very impressive and constantly improved.

The live steam layouts need the same commitment to excellence.

The chicken bbq needs to be brought back.

Everything there should be railroad related, if it isn't, it really doesn't belong.

The museum needs to be restocked with displays as well.

The name needs to be changed back to Edaville RR. Edaville USA is so lame that it boggles the mind. Whoever thought that up is certainly well to the left of center on the bell curve. They should have named it Edaville TT, short for tourist trap.

Kids like trains. One need not look beyond trains to attract kids and their parents. Cheap amusement park rides are not the way.

If Edaville gets another chance, the new owners would do well to realize that a railroad is not just the mainline and the train ride.

Attention needs to be made to all aspects of the railroad.

The new owners need to rebuild the cranberry jct station. The present cheap, cardboard buildings at the entrance are not what you would find at a quality establishment. They are fitting for a tourist trap.

As you walk from the station where you purchase your tickets, there needs to be interesting things to look at. Static displays need to be placed along the walkway from the station to where you board the train.

Sidings and other railroad items need to be rebuilt.

The water tower and all former sidings need to be rebuilt. They may not be used much but they add character to the railroad. The track going into the museum should be put back, the yard tracks should be put back, the turntable reinstalled, eastman flume track rebuilt.

All of these add to the railroads character and make it more interesting to visitors.

I would also reinstall some of the former bog tracks that you see on old maps. They don't go anywhere but they add interest. I know that switches are a liability but they'll just have to be built well and spiked to the mainline.

As a little kid I always liked passing by the eastman flume track switch before going into the pine grove and wondering where that track went. It added interest.

The railroad needs to be interesting enough to keep peoples attention for the day.

It needs to change enough and be improved enough so that people come back year after year.

3rdrail wrote:None of those places that you've mentioned can even approa inch the old Edaville. They're all point to point "demonstration" type rides, most of which go out and return on the same relatively short length of track. At Edaville, you had five plus miles of varied ROW (not the same thing after 1/2 the trip) in an elyptical route, original old coaches giving one the impression of what a trip on a 1800's narrow guage passenger train must have truely been like. I don't know of any other museum of it's type that has or had that style of realism. Edaville's location was such that it was accesible from major population centers for an evening out at Christmas time with the family, not in some remote location requiring a long drive to get to. Throw in with that the tradition of Edaville, it's history, the people that originally created it, the fact that it was a working cranberry harvesting railroad, the added touches such as the fantastic railway museum where you could find really unique railway items from the past while warming up, the annual Christmas lights display, the multi-gauged display of other engines and locomotives (see avatar), the huge and spectacular annual railroad flea market held, and the fact that so many people in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut remember this magical place from their youth and wanted to have their kids and grand kids now experience it as well.

I'm a realist Cosmo. I live for the present and enjoy what's now. That doesn't mean that I and others can't and shouldn't be pissed off by the actions of others in what we percieve as the ruination of a special place.

So, what you're telling me is that what EDAville had that none of the other operations have now is,... cranberries? No, I hear what you're saying Paul, and I'm just as pissed. Could they have maybe kept at least one of the original M2F engines and some of the original coaches at EDAville? Maybe.
But let me address some of the other arguments:
"original old coaches giving one the impression of what a trip on a 1800's narrow guage passenger train must have truly been like."
Dude,... they're the SAME COACHES! If you want to know what a trip on an 1800's passenger train was like, WW&F is by far the CLOSEST thing North of the Brazos and East of the Hudson! That, and they have hay rides, a bonfire, and some AWESOME folks who I've gotten to know well over the years that I now know far better than I would the vendors at EDAville now. Now, 20 years ago, this was not so! WW&FRR did not EXIST as a functioning railroad, MNGR's stuff was all still at EDAville.
"I don't know of any other museum of it's type that has or had that style of realism." On THIS point, WW&F would definitely win over MNGR, but again, it's the SAME EQUIPMENT! The "authenticity" at EDAville past was all in the equipment, and the fact that the park was built as a functioning railroad. Honestly, Valley RR in Essex has a much higher degree of "authenticity" than the current EDAville. But I most certainly agree the EDAville of today is NOT "authentic" to the EDAville I grew up with.
I guess it all depends on your definition of "authenticity," which really boils down to what you want, expect, etc. And that's a matter of personal preference, so I'm NOT going to argue that because nobody wins in that kind of argument.
But my whole point is that, while I share the frustration of you, Paul, and many others here in what has happened to EDAville over the years, I gave up a while back on it ever being what it used to be. Oh, I still hope it could one day, again, be something a bit closer to the EDAville we all knew and loved, but I've since found other places, each with their own flavor and style of magic to bring my daughter to, spring, summer and winter.
Peace, yo.

Thank you Oldrr, now I like what you are saying.

This is far more productive than what should have been done in the past.

Some of those ideas are great ones. Live Steamers would love to have someplace to have a place to run. I am not sure about the ownership though. Perhaps Edaville could own the track, with live steamers bringing their own to run. And actually lease or rent the railroad from Edaville. The same with the Model Railroad club. Rent the space. this could be used as additional income to help preserve the future of the railroad.

Mike