This page simply reformats the Flickr public Atom feed for purposes of finding inspiration through random exploration. These images are not being copied or stored in any way by this website, nor are any links to them or any metadata about them. All images are © their owners unless otherwise specified.
This site is a busybee project and is supported by the generosity of viewers like you.
For the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum's December 2024 Victorian Christmas event, Conductor Dan Malkowski (center) and his crew, Brakemen Ryder Bussiere (left) and Stanley Golob (right) elected to dress a bit more formally than usual, going with long topcoats and ties. Honestly, the train crew looked particularly professional this festive day, making the experience extra special for museum guests.
With the day's operations all completed and a cold December moon rising over the WW&F's Sheepscot Yard, the crew of Locomotive #9 goes about the business of putting their engine away for the evening. In this frame, Brakeman Nick Anderson gives a mighty shove on the push-pole of the museum's "Armstrong" turntable, spinning #9 in preparation for putting her away in Stall #1 of the shop building.
This image was captured during the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum's December 2024 Victorian Christmas event. With the interior of the Morse Engine house still in the process of being completed, #9 was temporarily being housed in the shop building.
In December of 2024, the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum continued the process of building a brand, new, 28-ton, 2-4-4T steam locomotive, which will be a replica of WW&F #7, the largest Forney type to run on the original railroad. The "Build 11" crew is currently working on the delicate and painstaking process known as "tramming." This is the process of ensuring that all of the running gear is precisely aligned and squared up. This photo was captured during the museum's Victorian Christmas event and shows the forward section of the new locomotive's frame and cylinder saddle, as it sits inside the shops in Alna, ME. The tramming wire is clearly visible, representing the centerline of the righthand cylinder. The fixture near the center of the photo is installed in the frame where the drive box for the front set of drivers will go.
After discharging a fresh load of Christmas revelers at the station in Alna Center, ME, WW&F Locomotive #9 and her Victorian Christmas train being boarding passengers who have completed their visits to the festivities here and are ready to return to Sheepscot Station. Shortly, the little 18-ton Forney will cut off from the train and run around the consist to couple onto the south end in preparation for the roughly 10-minute journey south.
Long-time Engineman Gordon Cook takes WW&F Locomotive #9 north into Cockeye Curve, with yet another Victorian Christmas Train headed to Alna Center. The train is depicted here just north of the Sutter's Crossing, trailing a steamy plume in the mid-day sun.
This image was captured during the December 2024 Victorian Christmas event at the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum in Alna, ME.
No Victorian Christmas would be complete without a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The pair typically hold court in a small shelter near the pavilion, just west of Alna Center Station. This space gets pretty crowded for about 30 minutes after the arrival of each train. I was fortunate to catch Santa and the Mrs. just before the arrival of an afternoon train.
This image was captured during the December 2024 Victorian Christmas event at the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum in Alna, ME.
In December of 2024, the shop building at the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum might better be described as the "Sheepscot Locomotive Works", with one, new-build, Forney locomotive under construction, and another existing one being restored to service. In this frame, we see Locomotive #11, a 28-ton, new-build, 2-4-4T, under construction. The frame and cylinder saddle are clearly visible in this elevated shot. In the foreground, the locomotive's pilot truck or pony truck, is nearing completion. Not visible behind the frame is the tender or tank truck, which is already done. Additionally, work is underway in this building to restore WW&F #10, an 0-4-4T former cane engine, which was the museum's first steam locomotive. The #10 has not operated since 2015 and museum members are anxious to see it return to service.
This behind-the-scenes view was captured during the December 2024 Victorian Christmas event at the WW&F Museum in Alna, ME.
In December of 2024, while work continues on the new-build Locomotive #11, a different crew is diligently working on bringing an old friend back to life. That old friend is WW&F Locomotive #10. Although not an original Maine 2-footer, #10 is a re-gauged cane engine that has plenty of recent history with 2-foot operations in New England, running at Edaville Railroad and a number of other places, before coming to the WW&F Museum as its first steam locomotive. After powering the museum's trains for more than a decade, she went down for repairs in 2015 and sadly, problems were found with her boiler that would require major repairs or replacement.
After careful consideration, the museum made a decision to replace the boiler on #10, but unfortunately, that process has been delayed for several years, due to other, more pressing projects...like finishing the Mountain Extension, the new roundhouse, replacing the Sheepscot platform, etc. Recently however, the effort to restore #10 has come back to the front burner. As can be seen here, components of the new boiler have been consolidated and are now being fitted up, before being riveted together. That's right, the new boiler will be assembled the old-fashioned way. In the foreground here, you see one end of the firebox and the mudring area underneath. In the background are the throat sheet and main barrel. Although there is no timetable for #10 to run, this is a much shorter-term project than #11. It will be great to have this little girl back in steam!
This behind-the-scenes image was captured during the 2024 Victorian Christmas event at the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum in Alna, ME.
With the day's Victorian Christmas Train operations completed, the crew from the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum gives Locomotive #9 a quick spin on the Sheepscot Turntable, before putting her away in Stall #1 of the shop building. For the winter of 2024 - 2025, the #9 will be living in the shop building, while the museum crew finishes the interior of the engine house. Although the facility looks complete, there is still a lot to be done. Fortunately, the building is weather-tight, so interior construction and finishing can be safely done in most any weather.
This image was captured during the December 2024 Victorian Christmas event at the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum in Alna, ME.
Just before departing on a late afternoon deadhead run to Alna Center Station to pick up the last of the Victorian Christmas revelers, Fireman Josh Recave is out on the running boards of WW&F Locomotive #9, working on a balky steam-powered dynamo. With darkness coming on quickly, the headlight will be needed for this run. Josh is the WW& Museum's Master Electrician and the right man for the job. Minutes later, the train left on time, with a working headlight.
This image was captured during the December 2024 Victorian Christmas event at the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum in Alna, ME.
With the completion of the new platform and some general sprucing up, the Sheepscot Station complex looks fantastic in the late afternoon light during the December 2024 Victorian Christmas event at the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum in Alna, Maine.
With the final Victorian Christmas revenue run completed for the day, Trainman Nick Anderson prepares for the dusk deadhead run to collect all of the patrons who are still up in Alna Center. At the WW&F, when the sun goes down the lanterns come out. Here, Nick is hanging the markers on the back platform of Caboose 320, for the final run of the day.
This image was captured during the December 2024 "Victorian Christmas" event at the WW&F Railway Museum in Alna, Maine, which features train rides, visits with Santa Claus, a Christmas Carol sing-along and a local craft fair.
With the varnish on her cab creating a ton of glint in the late afternoon sun, WW&F Locomotive #9 departs Sheepscot Station with the last Victorian Christmas passenger trip, heading north to Alna Center. Once again, there's Fireman Josh Recave in the gangway, watching for signals from Conductor Dan Malkowski on one of the coach platforms.
This image was captured during the December 2024 "Victorian Christmas" event at the WW&F Railway Museum, which features train rides, visits with Santa Claus, a Christmas Carol sing-along and a local craft fair.
The days get really short in mid-December and the shadows are already long by 2:30 PM. In this frame, from the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum's 2024 Victorian Christmas event, Locomotive #9 comes charging out of the Maine woods to just a bit of sunlight near Milepost 6, as she brings a trainload of Christmas revelers to Alna Center station, just less than half a mile ahead.
While the trainmen attend to arriving and departing passengers back at the station, the crew of WW&F Locomotive #9 waits near the Alna Center north switch. At the throttle this day is Engineer Robert "Bullet Bob" Longo, with Fireman Josh Recave (in the gangway) keeping the steam pressure up. Head-end Brakeman Nick Anderson watches from on the ground, awaiting the signal that the run-around track is clear, before hopping aboard for the ride to the south switch.
Clearing the rural crossing at Sutter's WW&F Locomotive #9 trails a nice, steamy plume as she enters Cockeye Curve with Engineer Gordon Cook at the throttle. The 18-ton Forney is taking an afternoon Victorian Christmas train north to Alna Center, where Santa Claus awaits, along with a host of other activities for the families on board.
This image was captured during the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum's 2024 Victorian Christmas event.
Shortly after departing the Sheepscot Yard, WW&F Locomotive #9 takes her Victorian Christmas train past the private crossing at Jayne's Way, as she heads north to Alna Center and a date with Santa Claus for all of the kids on board.
This image was captured during the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum's 2024 Victorian Christmas event, which took place over 3 weekends in December of that year.
The first departure of the WW&F Museum's 2024 Victorian Christmas event sets off from the newly enlarged passenger platform at Sheepscot Station, with #9 in charge. The trains were taking all patrons to Alna Center Station this day, where Santa Claus, a bon-fire caroling session, and a craft show and sale were underway.
Passing the south switch in Alna Center Yard, Fireman Josh Recave leans out of the cab window, watching for signals from Conductor Dan Malkowski. The crews at the WW&F never use radios to communicate, relying instead on hand, whistle and lantern signals to coordinate their activities.
This image was captured during the December 2024 "Victorian Christmas" event at the WW&F Railway Museum, which features train rides, visits with Santa Claus, a Christmas Carol sing-along and a local craft fair.
