Maine Two Foot Railroads

Thought you might appreciate this part of a video I have had in my collection for some time about Edaville. It is in two parts about two hours each. It was part of a 20 hour compilation of videos (converted from VHS?) from unnamed companies. You might find it by searching for the rather obvious name of "Steam Trains" on Amazon or elsewhere.
I have been informed of the name of the copyright holder of this snippet of the two hour video and am attempting to contact them for permission to leave it up.

[@JohnShields-xx1yk]

Boston born 1960 my parents brought me there when I was a kid. Thanks for the memory.

[@danielfantino1714]

An immeasurable thanks to those cinematographs that went in the middle of nowhere in all weathers in a time where roads and transportations were in their "infancy". Now their tapes are like save for ever. Imagine them with today equipment !!

[@johndavies1090]

I remember an earlier version of this film - due to the sudden appearance of the Ffestiniog ! - but much more of it is totally new to me. Thank God for Ellis D Attwood, and for all his latter day disciples for keeping the Maine 2 footers alive. Just love them

[@stellamcwick8455]

If anyone is interested, here is a news story from the NBC affiliate in Portland Maine on one that is being run as a museum piece.

[@FrogandFlangeVideo]

Some Welsh narrow gauge footage was snuck in there taken around Porthmadog Wales. Nice to see it too.

[@MainerailroadTeen]

Bridgton and Saco River No.7 just completed a successful test fire up on March 31st 2018. First time in 15 years it has been under steam.

[@UnknownIdaho]

Colby Miles So good to hear! Now to just give her several miles of track to stretch her legs!

[@DillonTrinhProductions]

@@UnknownIdaho in 2020 she will

[@lescobrandon3047]

I visited the museum in Portland, ME and it was mind blowing.

[@swamppy4880]

I worked at Edaville for some time.#21was there flagship steam locomotive. My family and I was Edaville's guests for the 75th anniversary. Good times

[@UnknownIdaho]

I've only been east of Colorado once, hope to make a New England narrow gauge tour someday...

[@GlobalistJuice]

Great little history. Thank you for sharing it. Those swervy curvy fate paths strike again - this time, within a cranberry bog. We go in one direction for a thing or a place we have visions of, never knowing our real destination is the complete opposite of what we wanted ... and it is good!

[@electron2601]

Ellis D. Atwood is officially a legend!

[@wabisabi6875]

Wonderful footage, thanks for sharing!

[@allanegleston4931]

@ 0:29,, slip coaches!!!!! lovely film. :)

[@markcarey8426]

Brilliant! Thanks very much. Great to have this footage available.

[@plumbingstuffinoregon2471]

Taking narrow gauge railways to whole new level!

[@2011traincrazy]

Too bad the East Broad Top is in such a shambles. Anybody have 180 million dollars burning a hole in their pocket?

[@UnknownIdaho]

Evidently someone did!

[@frederickwise5238]

This was a whole new world to run into. I thot 3'6" was the narrowest gauge.A#1

[@wesbrackmanthercenthusiast4695]

15 inches is minimum gauge

[@DieCastoms]

the full length video which this upload is a clip of is "Massachusetts Maine Attraction" and was produced by Mark One Video and narrated by Jim Boyd, who I met at Edaville during the production of the video, and from whom I received a signed copy of the VHS cassette. The video was previously available here on youtube but has since been taken down, and, after several moves across the country, I can no longer find my copy of the VHS. I hope to replace it, someday ..

[@UnknownIdaho]

Yes, I wanted to see if I could obtain the copyright for distribution, but it is still available from the WW&F Railway Society. I found it on a compilation called Steam Trains 20 hours on eBay or Amazon, which also includes part 2.

[@eledatowle7128]

I loved seeing this! The B&SR ran across our property to a turntable at the Saco River where the engine was turned by hand to head back toward Bridgton. I love seeing the footage of it running. I'd sure like to find a copy of the book "Broke And Still Running" that was written about it to have here!

[@UnknownIdaho]

Eleda Towle That was the first Main Two Foot Railroad book I got! Anything left of the old railroad there?

[@eledatowle7128]

Nothing at all... The turntable was removed and filled in, rails taken up, and "the Cut," which went around the base of the mountain on our land, has grown in. Funny coincidence, though, the woman who owns the property where the turntable stood is a retired Amtrak engineer (and didn't know anything about it when she and her husband bought the property). If you ever decide you're bored with that book, though... I love our local history. It was amazing to visit the two restored passenger cars at the Maine narrow Gauge Museum a few years ago, and a shame that one of the engines was destroyed in a fire there.

[@UnknownIdaho]

Eleda Towle Too bad there's not much left. Good though that so much of the equipment survived! I'll keep you in mind if I find another book, they come up pretty regularly on eBay...

[@eledatowle7128]

Thanks... I never even thought to check eBay and had given up on Amazon.

[@eledatowle7128]

Thanks for the suggestion! I just snagged on from eBay and am very excited to finally get a copy.

[@MrMASSEYJONES]

Many thanks for that wonderful historic video.And more thanks for that wonderful classical music you inserted.It was also nice to read about the Edaville railroad.I've known about it for 60 years but never saw the origins..

[@UnknownIdaho]

+MASSEY JONES The video is off a compilation DVD set called 'Steam Trains', none of the music or commentary is mine, wish I could take credit for it. I am trying to find a link for people to purchase this video but am having trouble finding it.

[@TexasMachinist]

is this it www.amazon.com/Steam-Trains-8-DVD-Collection--/dp/B009W3N4KY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472587570&sr=8-1&keywords=steam+trains

[@UnknownIdaho]

That doesn't look like the one, I'll try and see if I can find it...

[@johndavies1090]

@@UnknownIdaho Sunday River Productions (are they still in business?) have / had a video of original enthusiasts footage of the Sandy River, some of which appears in this film too. Sadly, some of the shots seem to be of the wrecking trains pulling the lines up - I always hate such scenes. Thankfully, after Edaville, someone else caught the vision and we can still enjoy these lovely little trains. (And, yes, I bagged a copy of Linwood Moody's 'Maine 2 footers' a while back - inadvertently marked at much less than its real value by the dealer. Gluck muss man haben)

[@jaysoper3974]

they used to have cranberry ice cream at Edaville RR - boy, was that delicious!

[@christopherlovelock9104]

@jay soper. - Alas that has now gone, - (to a different site), - and that cranberry ice cream is no more.

[@cmw184]

This video is from a dvd set of steam trains. I have the disk. It shows everything. Theyre still operating today.

[@2011traincrazy]

What is the name of the program?

[@RailPreserver2K]

The footage was used in Mark 1 videos production on Edaville and the main two-footers in general

[@UnknownIdaho]

Thank you. I found that out some time ago but Mark 1 seems to be out of business. Someone else has done what I would not do- uploaded the entire 2 hours of video to KZbin, see what having scruples has brought me? 😊

[@johndavies9270]

Interesting - I've long loved the Maine 2 footers. This is fascinating film. Thank you very much. Er, so when did Portmadoc and Blaenau Ffestiniog become part of Maine?

[@Tom-Lahaye]

So it's more up to one man that a 2' railroad survives in the USA. Were all locomotives that were preserved of the Forney type except for the one 2' Shay I know to exist in the US? Fortunately there are more 2' steam engines built by American companies that survived abroad. Last summer I visited the Brecon Mountain Railway in Wales in the UK, they run a wonderful restored Baldwin 4-6-2 tender engine which was originaly used at a cement factory in South Africa. Its sharp bark was unlike any other 2' locomotive in the UK, and apart from 2 other South African classes (NG15 2-8-2 and NGG16 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garrats) the largest to operate on the 2' in the UK. There are some other Baldwin engines surviving in the UK, these were some small 4-6-0 tanks and one standard gauge S-160 2-8-0, these were brought in during both world wars. Lastly there is a replica of wat was the first Baldwin bought by an UK railway, its a 2-4-2 tank named "Lyn" built by the Boston Lodge Works of the Ffestiniog Railway. They were a truly remarkable breed in a country where locomotives were generaly larger and heavier, but Maine surely had the atmosphere of the Ole England, including the trains.

[@RussellNelson]

The WW&F Railway is rebuilding track and running trains.

[@Ian-qs3fz]

I wish some of those prairies were saved

[@vincentfontana7915]

I think I'm hooked on narrow gauge steam more than standard they're even more rare. Besides they look and sound killer. Being the O gauge 3 rail nut that I am having damn near all but ya can't model narrow gauge properly. On30 is best to model a two foot gauge plus they make these kinds of locomotives you can buy. Anyhow great video I learned something new about 2 foot history being down southern Michigan.

[@PeterT1981]

Amazing sound effects! Well done!

[@robertgift]

Wonderful, informative and entertaining video! Thank you UI.

[@davewallace8219]

I like trains of all sizes.

[@nickbuckley4371]

I been to the w w and f such a cool little place to visit it feels like the strasburg railroad

[@masonallenbuskirk5648]

@2:16 Neat footage of the Ffestiniog Railway 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 in early preservation days.

[@stanleydomalewski8497]

Great Video, Thanks for Sharing !

[@bluefoxy6478]

Wow, i wish more of these small railroad lines were preserved. Over here in the states preservation for any old railroad equipment is much lower than in the U.K, especially the lines themselves. Unlike the U.K, we don't have special laws that allow some types of old locomotives to travel on the main lines of big companies, but i wish we did.

[@jacoblyman9441]

Maine Two Footers are actually fairly well preserved, with the Maine Narrow Gauge Museum, Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad and the Wiscassett, Waterville and Farmington Railway coming to mind.

[@peytonsmith3258]

Its Mark I Video if anyone was wondering the name of the company that made this film (I own it, I rate a 9.5/10!)

[@UnknownIdaho]

D&RGW Railfanner Thanks, I've been trying to track down the original videos since I found this compilation with no leads. I figure there may be other great videos in the series...

[@peytonsmith3258]

Was the video set 18 hours of double sided disks? if so I have the same set and all of the videos are Mark I Video (You can buy their video's on eBay; sadly the company hasn't produced too many videos since the late 2000's to my knowledge..)

[@bluefoxy6478]

@@peytonsmith3258 cant we copy them? we have the technology to burn old CD's onto stronger newer ones, or put them on the internet in separate parts.

[@peytonsmith3258]

Blue Foxy That would be piracy, and I don't condone internet piracy x3

[@bluefoxy6478]

@@peytonsmith3258 oh right. Bugger. Wait, isn't taking the film, and turning it into seprete parts piracy? I mean, your not showing the whole thing, but in parts. Or are you including that, i need to know cause im a idiot.

[@ericthye2843]

Tiny but mighty

[@sidneylittle8385]

I have walked and ridden on horseback miles of the old road bed left from the Wiscasset Waterville and Farmington railroad.

[@UnknownIdaho]

What is amazing is most of it is unbothered by development and some trackage is being reconstructed.

[@christopherlaflam6383]

Terrific video!

[@hrk9209]

Why did the video cut while he was in mid story and still talking

[@UnknownIdaho]

This is just a piece of a video I found, I don’t own the copyright so can’t post it all, though I think the whole thing (two 1-hour videos) is elsewhere on KZbin.

[@Zebrails]

I've got a wooden train "B & H RR 1492" boiler/cab and open tender, six wheels and about 18 inches long... was told the wheels were added, this was mounted on a wall/post vertically, and used to store paper orders from a telegrapher/station agent... Seeing B & H on some of the locomotives in this video has me wondering. Any help on this? Thanks, John

[@UnknownIdaho]

Zebrails I’d really need to see a photo, not sure how to do that on KZbin but my email is my channel name gmail.

[@LectronCircuits]

Excellent training; let's wax nostalgic. Cheers!

[@donotwantahandle1111]

4.45 Now that's what I call a cab!

[@theboundless05]

I GOT TO BLOW THE WHISTLE ON AN EDAVILLE ENGINE!!!!

[@MoonwolfeConsulting]

The REAL Edaville, or that sad joke currently operating?

[@electron2601]

I could have too but got nervous when the Engineer let me be heald inside the cab.

[@RussellNelson]

You can come build track on the WW&F Railway in Alna ME. Fall Work Weekend is 10/11 through 10/14. Come help!

[@yankeesandy2545]

What is this show called I remember watching it when I was younger

[@UnknownIdaho]

There are 2 one hour videos named: ‘Edaville: Massachusetts' Maine Attraction + Edaville Revisited’ available from the publisher on eBay.

[@robertmohler9131]

Hey there! Did you get permission to leave this video up?

[@UnknownIdaho]

Robert Mohler I reached out to everyone I could think of to ask permission, no response. Than I see someone else uploaded both entire videos here on KZbin and no one is challenging that either. I think when the original owners licensed it to the 20 hour compilation video I bought, they retired and no longer interested. I still would like to get permission to reproduce these awesome videos of Maine railroads.

[@MustangsTrainsMowers]

In O scale a 2 foot gauge would have 1/2” between the rails. How tippy would that be?

[@danielfantino1714]

During 1st world war, US Army sent 30cm (roughly a foot) in France. They use flat and tank cars. I´ve read in " Narrow gauge & short line gazette" magazine that boxcars were top heavy and prone to derailments. They were used to carry troops. Wounded were evacuated by flats and boxcars. At the end of the war, must equipments stayed there, but some returned to USA.

[@UnknownIdaho]

The two foot equipment was built wide but very low center of gravity and the roadbed was built to standard gauge standards- smooth, easy grades and broad curves, as such they are very stable and there are stories of two foot trains traveling in excess of 50 miles per hour!

[@Narrowgaugefilms]

I have On2 SR&RL trains are they aren't tippy at all. What they are is very space intensive: they are pretty close to exact scale models and they curve very gradually. My curves don't get too much tighter than 36" radius. The locomotive and cars are about the size of average HO standard-gauge trains, but a little taller and a little wider.

[@Bigmac2199_h]

Can you upload the official edaville Maine attraction video from mark please

[@UnknownIdaho]

I don’t own the rights but someone else has already uploaded it.

[@xizang3815]

I have a cat who can easily walk along the top rail of a fence. But that's no way to run a railroad!

[@thatoneguy611]

Hey, as long at it works!

[@swatiyadav640]

Please post the full documentary

[@UnknownIdaho]

Swati Yadav Do a KZbin search, it is here , if not taken down for copyright violations.

[@swatiyadav640]

That's exactly why it was taken down, I made a playlist with it when a popup said, it had been taken down due to a "copyright claim by a third party", so to speak..

[@UnknownIdaho]

Swati Yadav Interesting, I have been trying to find the copyright holder for years, I would like to make this series of videos available to all.

[@nikolausbautista8925]

Was the sound added?

[@UnknownIdaho]

I believe this was originally all silent film.

[@Maine_Railfan]

Ive always wanted too see videos of the narrow gauge trains in maine.

[@zone4garlicfarm]

See and ride the real thing. In Phillips a portion of the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes has been restored and they give rides on summer weekends.

[@Maine_Railfan]

The Garlic Farm yeh I know but the old 2-6-0's the big locos got scrapped leaving the tiny tank engines.

[@calrec1]

Maine Railfan© Used to ride the Edaville RR at least once a year!

[@Maine_Railfan]

Calvin Donner Cool!

[@bluefoxy6478]

@@Maine_Railfan not all 2-6-0s. Some are surviving abroad, there are some in the U.K.

[@nickbuckley4371]

I have a on30 locomotive

[@UnknownIdaho]

Jedi Knight buckley I do too! kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYqYlp59pKeJrKc

[@lescobrandon3047]

Me too!

[@Drkush2022]

Someone aught to build a model!!

[@gregorycasey5486]

Did any locomotive survive or were they scrapped?

[@stellamcwick8455]

Several have survived and are under various stages of renovation. There are a couple that still run at museums in Maine. I’ve ridden on one in Portland. Which is also run as a Christmas train during the holiday season. Here’s a story from a local new station:p about the Waterville and Wiscasset. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZ6rmoyJpr2JoMUfeature=shared