From Bob in Maine on Trainorders.com:

In Biddeford, Maine there is a building formerly owned by a Great Northern fan. He purchased a GN caboose and passenger car and put them under cover, with the intent of making them into a restaurant. He was also going to become a terminus for the Seashore Trolley Museum. He has lost interest in the project and sold the building. The new owner is planning to remove the cars, hopefully intact, but who knows?

There is also a Shay on the property, rumored to be serviceable when it was parked... plus an amusement park type narrow gauge operation.

Here's the link:

http://www.biddefordstation.com/

Inlinebob@aol.com

That setup was built after I was last up that way, but this "Great Northern in Maine" sounds typical of so much of what happens in railway preservation -- projects based on an odd whim and totally unbased in history.... Shouldn't we be spending scarce funds more wisely?



bobyar2001@yahoo.com

I would think that an intact "Ranch Car" might be of interest to some of the PV crowd. I remember a memorable experience on the Empire Builder in 1964. That was great hospitality on the rails.

It would be great to see this stuff back out west.
I'd better go get me a Lotto ticket.


shawsinoly@aol.com

I wouldn't assume the project was for historic preservation as much as it was one persons personal vision, paid for from his own pocket.

Maybe somebody in GN territory wants to build a replica of the Sandy River? Edaville on the great plains.....interesting idea.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

I wouldn't assume the project was for historic preservation as much as it was one persons personal vision, paid for from his own pocket.

Maybe somebody in GN territory wants to build a replica of the Sandy River? Edaville on the great plains.....interesting idea.

Now, more about that Shay....

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

I'll be in Maine next week.

If I get the chance to wipe the lobster and microbrew drool off my bib, I'll take the Mrs. by the Shay and check it out. I'm hoping to bop over to Alna as I hear there is a Friday steam-up on the W&Q.

Is the Belfast & ML still running the Swede?

Could there be anything more odd than the GN in Maine? Well... there is the Lackawanna camelback I'd like to see in the Poconos. ;-)

Rob

> From Bob in Maine on Trainorders.com:

> In Biddeford, Maine there is a building
> formerly owned by a Great Northern fan. He
> purchased a GN caboose and passenger car and
> put them under cover, with the intent of
> making them into a restaurant. He was also
> going to become a terminus for the Seashore
> Trolley Museum. He has lost interest in the
> project and sold the building. The new owner
> is planning to remove the cars, hopefully
> intact, but who knows?

> There is also a Shay on the property,
> rumored to be serviceable when it was
> parked... plus an amusement park type narrow
> gauge operation.

> Here's the link:

> http://www.biddefordstation.com/

I'll be in Maine next week.

If I get the chance to wipe the lobster and microbrew drool off my bib, I'll take the Mrs. by the Shay and check it out. I'm hoping to bop over to Alna as I hear there is a Friday steam-up on the W&Q.

Is the Belfast & ML still running the Swede?

Could there be anything more odd than the GN in Maine? Well... there is the Lackawanna camelback in MO that I'd like to see in the Poconos. ;-)

Rob

> From Bob in Maine on Trainorders.com:

> In Biddeford, Maine there is a building
> formerly owned by a Great Northern fan. He
> purchased a GN caboose and passenger car and
> put them under cover, with the intent of
> making them into a restaurant. He was also
> going to become a terminus for the Seashore
> Trolley Museum. He has lost interest in the
> project and sold the building. The new owner
> is planning to remove the cars, hopefully
> intact, but who knows?

> There is also a Shay on the property,
> rumored to be serviceable when it was
> parked... plus an amusement park type narrow
> gauge operation.

> Here's the link:

> http://www.biddefordstation.com/

Lobsters and microbrews - wish I could join you. I will be stuck in North Dakota.

Welcome any updated info.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

> I would think that an intact "Ranch
> Car" might be of interest to some of
> the PV crowd.

OK, I give up. What exactly is a ranch car?

> OK, I give up. What exactly is a ranch car?

"Unique coffee shop on wheels. Delicious and thrifty meals and snacks. Western decor includes pinto leather chairs, branding irons, peeled pole timers, other ranch atmosphere. Relax with a friend, book, game or drink in the car's lounge section."

This quoted from the 1968 Empire Builder brochure. Imagine a snack bar/lounge car decorated by Gene Autry or Roy Rogers.



Great Northern Railway Page
shawsinoly@aol.com

I just went by there last weekend, but the photos are still in the camera. The Shay was built in 1904 (according to the number plate anyway, which may or may not be original). Not sure how much work it would take to get her running again, but a few things I did notice were: plywood cab, new pilot beam with no trace of a coupler, and missing ashpan. On a previous visit somebody told me that the ashpan was mangled in a derailment and subsequently cut off, so I'm not sure how much other damage was done if that's the case.

Anyway, here's the (admittedly somewhat outdated and poorly scanned) photo I currently have of her on parkengines.railfan.net.

Much as I thought the whole GN-in-Maine concept was, um, amusing, it really was a neat little operation they had there. In addition to the standard gauge and two-foot equipment, there was also an impressive HO scale layout there too.

> I'll be in Maine next week.

> If I get the chance to wipe the lobster and
> microbrew drool off my bib, I'll take the
> Mrs. by the Shay and check it out. I'm
> hoping to bop over to Alna as I hear there
> is a Friday steam-up on the W&Q.

> Is the Belfast & ML still running the
> Swede?

> Could there be anything more odd than the GN
> in Maine? Well... there is the Lackawanna
> camelback I'd like to see in the Poconos.
> ;-)

> Rob


Surviving Steam Photo Archive

rjenkins@railfan.net

How much would it cost to move her up to my acreage, some 150 miles north of Biddeford? I have lusted over this little Shay ever since I first saw it. She is a beautiful little locomotive, and it would drive my neighbors nuts to see it in our yard or hear it fired up!


Aurora7@juno.com

She is real sweet - looks like about 45 ton in the picture. Let's get her out of the rain and steaming again.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net