After a week without a computer, I'm in the Boston Metropolitan Lounge (I refuse to call it "ClubAcela") on my way back home. I've got about an hour layover here and I'm trying to remember how to type. :o)

On this trip, I've spent a lot of time at the WW&F, but I've also visited just a few other museums and tourist lines:

-Sandy River RR in Phillips ME,
-Maine Eastern RR, Brunswick-Rockland, ME
-Boothbay Village, Boothbay, ME
-Seashore Trolley Museum, Kennebunkport, ME
-Maine Narrow Gauge Museum, Portland, ME
-Mt. Washington Cog Railroad, Bretton Woods, NH

I'll post a more detailed mesage later with my impressions of each operation, when I'm not worried about getting involved in typing and missing my train home.

Four of us from SCRM (Howard Shepherd, John & Jane Parker, and myself)got on the Crescent in the wee hours of the morning of Sept. 1. The train was supposed to leave late Thursday evening but was two hours late. We pulled out of Greenville, SC at about 2:15 AM. The tropical storm had the Meteor, Star and Palmetto cancelled, so we were on the only train north out of the Southeast. We'd originally planned on the Meteor, but by the time we made our reservations the sleepers were sold out (but nobody rides trains!).

The Crescent had lost another hour by the time we woke up around Danville, VA. We had a chat with the skipper and decided to jump ship at Washington instead of staying aboard to New York, where we were supposed to catch an Acela. By doing that we caught the same Acela at DC instead of NYC. It was a good thing, too, since we went clipping by the Crescent between Wilmington and Philadelphia!

The transfer to North Station went smoothly. We were mobbed at North Station when some religious nonsense let out and made the concourse wall to wall people for a good 15-20 minutes. But Business Class on the Downeaster was very comfortable.

We had a bit of a panic in Portland. John left one of his bags in the depot. He retrieved it the next morning when we got our rental car, though. Then it was off to the WW&F.

I had a grand time at the WW&F. We rode up and down the line all day, and even took a walk through the woods to Trout Brook, where the railroad is going to have to build a rather substantial bridge.

On Sunday a couple of the guys from the WW&F took us up to Phillips to the Sandy River. We arrived in time for the first trip and got a ride behind Monson #3.

We returned to the WW&F on Monday, and I got to fire #10 for a couple trips. It was my first time ever firing a steam engine. I managed to keep the stack clear (easy with that Pocahontas coal they use), but gave the engine back to the regular fireman with only 90 pounds on the clock -- she pops at 140.

On Tuesday, we hit Boothbay. We had a disappointing lunch in the harbor and got a ride behind one of the Henschels at Boothbay Village.

Wednesday was a trip from Brunswick to Rockland and return on the Maine Eastern. In first class, of course!

Thursday was Kennebunkport and Portland. We rode a car from Minneapolis at Seashore and wandered around the barns. Then we did the marine observation tower in Portland before hitting the Maine Narrow Gauge Museum.

Friday, the Parkers went on a whale watch cruise. Howard and I went with Fred Morris from the WW&F on an impromptu trip to Mt. Washington. We went right by the Conway Scenic but didn't ride that due to time constraints.

Which brings me up to today. We got up at an obscene hour in the middle of the night to drive back to Portland and return the rental car, then catch the first Downeaster south. In about a half an hour I'll be on an Acela for DC, where we'll change to the Crescent.