Prototype Information: the SR locomotives

The notes on individual locomotives were originally collated and published by Chuck Collins, and are re-published here with his permission. The introduction, updates and formatting for this blog by Terry Smith. Updated 15-01-2015.

The Sandy River Railroad

The Sandy River Railroad ran the 18 miles from Farmington to Phillips. The railroad was chartered and building started in 1879 and the SR fortuitously managed to acquire the former B&B locomotives, rolling stock and track from the mysterious “Mr Brown of New Hampshire” who had acquired them a year earlier when the B&B line folded in June 1978 and its assets sold. The Sandy River Railroad was originally financed by the towns of Strong, Phillips, Madrid and Rangeley and private investors.

It is believed that some of the original SR backer’s then went onto to separately finance the Franklin & Megantic Railroad. These common owners then became one of the groups that agreed to the “Franklin County Consolidation” in January 1908 which lead to the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad company being formed to acquire and operate all the separate lines and companies.

The railroad merged into the Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad company in January 1908 and ceased to exist as a separate entity, although popular vernacular still refers to the Sandy River for the merged system after 1908.

SR #1

Hinkley #1251 built 1877 as Billerica & Bedford Ariel.

12 ton inside frame 0-4-4RT
30″ diameter 130psi boiler
8″x12″ cylinders
30″ drivers
Rear tank carried 400 gallons water and 1/4 ton coal.

This locomotive served as

Billerica & Bedford #1 Ariel (1878 – 1879) as a strict cab forward Forney design.

Sandy River #1 Dawn (1879 – 1890) rebuilt as a conventional boiler first locomotive.

Rebuilt in 1882 with longer wheelbase, larger cab and water tank.

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #1 (1908 – 1912)

This was the first two foot gauge engine built for New England, and was virtually identical to Billerica and Bedford Puck built shortly thereafter. Built to run tank first. Purchased by Sandy River Railroad following dismantling of Billerica and Bedford Railroad. Rebuilt by the Hinkley Works in Boston in April 1879 as Sandy River Dawn #1 running boiler first and using wood fuel. Used as Sandy River Railroad construction engine beginning October 1879. Wrecked on plow train at Sandy River bridge south of Phillips 23 January 1882. Rebuilt March 1882 with longer wheelbase, larger cab, and tank capacity increased to 500 gallons. Became the preferred Sandy River engine following rebuilding. Used for passenger service following delivery of Sandy River #4 in October 1890. Reconverted to coal burning in 1893. Used as a standby engine following purchase of Sandy River 2nd #2 in 1893. Renumbered Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #1 in 1908 consolidation. Little used following purchase of Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #9 in 1909. Scrapped September 1912 as Maine Central Railroad modernized subsidiary Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes locomotive fleet.

 

SR #2 (1st)

Hinkley #1261 built 1877 as Billerica & Bedford Puck.

12 ton inside frame 0-4-4RT
30″ diameter 130psi boiler
8″x12″ cylinders
30″ drivers
Rear tank carried 400 gallons water and 1/4 ton coal.

This locomotive served as

Billerica & Bedford #2 Puck (1878 – 1879) as a strict cab forward Forney design.

Sandy River #2 Echo (1879 – 1890) rebuilt as a conventional boiler first locomotive.

Phillips & Rangeley #2 Bo Peep (1890 – 1893)

Phillips & Rangeley #4 Bo Peep (1893 – 1908)

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #4 (1908 – 1912)

This locomotive was a reorder of the Billerica and Bedford Ariel design to be used as a standby engine. Built to run tank first. Purchased by Sandy River Railroad following dismantling of Billerica and Bedford Railroad. Rebuilt by the Hinkley Works in Boston in April 1879 as Sandy River Echo #2 running boiler first and using wood fuel. Used as Sandy River construction engine beginning 25 September 1879. Pulled the first passenger train to Strong 12 November 1879. Sold to Phillips and Rangeley Railroad as P&R #2 Bo Peep in July 1890 and used as Phillips and Rangeley construction engine. Renumbered Phillips & Rangeley #4 and used as a standby engine following purchase of Phillips & Rangeley 2nd #2 in 1893. Used for summer only passenger service between Rangeley and Green Farm upon completion of the Eustis Railroad in 1904. Renumbered Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #4 in 1908, but little used following discontinuance of Eustis branch passenger service in same year. Scrapped September 1912 as Maine Central Railroad modernized subsidiary Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes locomotive fleet.

SR  #2 (2nd)

Baldwin #13733 built 9/1893 as Sandy River 2nd #2.

20 ton outside frame 2-6-0
36″ diameter 140psi boiler
12″x16″ cylinders
33″ drivers
13 ton tender carried 1000 gallons water & 1.5 tons coal.

This locomotive served as

Sandy River #2 (2nd) (1893 – 1905).

Sandy River #7 (1905 – 1908).

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #18 (1908 – 1936)

Substantially rebuilt as a Prairie locomotive in 1916.

This was a repeat of the Laurel River & Hot Springs Mogul design. Purchased to handle increasing volumes of lumber being received from Philips & Rangeley and Franklin & Megantic railroads. Used as the preferred Sandy River freight engine until delivery of Sandy River #8 in 1904. Then used as a standby freight engine. Renumbered Sandy River #7 in June 1905. Renumbered Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #18 in 1908. Rebuilt January 1916 by Maine Central Railroad Waterville shops adding a trailing truck to support a larger boiler, and a proportionally larger tender was provided similar to the original design of Sandy River #8, and identical to the recently completed conversion of Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #16. Fitted with air brakes and electric headlight in 1919. Subsequently used system wide in freight and mixed service. Wrecked when Kingfield bridge collapsed on 29 May 1922. Burned in 12 February 1923 Phillips engine house fire. Repaired, and received a new tender built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1926. Used as a standby engine during receivership. Pulled the Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes scrapping train in 1936. Scrapped at Farmington when dismantling was complete.

SR #3 (1st)

Porter #565 built 4/1883 as Sandy River #3.

Configuration: 14 ton inside frame 0-4-4RT
31″ diameter 130psi boiler
9″x14″ cylinders
38″ drivers
Rear tank carried 550 gallons water & 1 ton wood.

This locomotive served as Sandy River #3 (1883 – 1894).

Wiscasset & Quebec #1 (1894 – 1901).

Wiscasset Waterville & Farmington Railroad #1 (1901 – 1906).

Wiscasset Waterville & Farmington Railway #1 (1906 – 1916).

This was the least successful 2 foot gauge engine design to operate in Maine. Its frame was long and rigid in comparison to the contemporary Hinkley pattern later used by Portland, and 38 inch drivers raised the center of gravity. Derailed easily and was especially troublesome on newly laid track. Used as a standby engine for the Sandy River, Franklin & Megantic, and Phillips & Rangeley railroads. Rebuilt to burn coal when sold to Wiscasset & Quebec Railroad as W&Q #1. Used as Wiscasset & Quebec construction engine beginning in September 1894. Used as standby engine following delivery of W&Q #2 and #3 from Portland in November 1894. Little used following discontinuance of service on Winslow branch in 1912. Scrapped in 1916 and boiler used as a culvert in Whitefield.

SR #3 (2nd)

Baldwin #12964 built 10/1892 as Laurel River & Hot Springs James Wyman.

20 ton outside frame 2-6-0
38″ diameter 140psi boiler
12″x16″ cylinders
33″ drivers
13 ton tender carried 700 gallons water & 1 ton coal.

This locomotive served as

Laurel River & Hot Springs James Wyman (1892)

Sandy River #3 (2nd) (1900 – 1905).

Sandy River #6 (1905 – 1908).

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #16 (1908 – 1936)

Substantially rebuilt as a Prairie locomotive in 1915.

This improved Mogul design was based on observation of Phillips & Rangeley #3. The North Carolina lumber operation for which it was built failed within a few months, and the engine was brought to Wiscasset on 20 January 1897. The engine was put in storage in Portland when the Wiscasset & Quebec Railroad was unable to pay for it. Built with air brakes and became the first Maine 2 foot gauge engine so equipped. Delivered to the Sandy River railroad in February 1900. Renumbered Sandy River 2nd #3 and became the preferred freight engine on Sandy River subsidiary Franklin & Megantic Railroad. Overturned in switching test by Orris Vose at Salem Summit on 29 October 1900. Derailed on a plow train at Salem Flat on 8 February 1901. Renumbered Sandy River #6 in June 1905. Renumbered Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #16 in 1908. Rebuilt October 1915 by Maine Central Railroad Waterville shops adding a trailing truck to support a larger boiler, and a proportionally larger tender was provided similar to the original design of Sandy River #8. Subsequently used system wide in freight and mixed service. Fitted with electric headlight in 1919. Burned in 12 February 1923 Phillips engine house fire. After completion of repairs rolled over during low speed collision with Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #23 at Phillips in 1924. Unused after 1932. Scrapped during dismantling of Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad in 1935.

SR #4

Portland #616 built 10/1890 as Sandy River #4.

18 ton inside frame 0-4-4RT 3
34″ diameter 140psi boiler
10.5″x14″ cylinders
33″ drivers
Rear tank carried 600 gallons water & 3/4 ton coal.

This locomotive served as

Sandy River #4 (1890 – 1908).

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #5 (1908 – 1919).

This engine was built in a joint order with Phillips and Rangeley #1. The two engines reflected Portland Company’s initial modification of the Hinkley design. This engine was ordered to replace Sandy River #2 when that engine was sold to the Phillips and Rangeley. Used as the Sandy River freight engine until Sandy River #5 was delivered in May 1891. Then assigned to passenger service including the Rangeley Express. Burned in Phillips 19 June 1897 engine house fire. Derailed by ice and overturned on a Phillips & Rangeley plow train between Dallas and Dead River Station on 21 January 1903 with Dana Aldrich as engineer. Derailed by excessive speed and rolled over with the southbound Rangeley Express north of Strong on 8 September 1906. Used as a standby passenger engine following delivery of Sandy River #16 in 1907. Renumbered Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #5 in 1908 consolidation. Derailed and rolled over with passenger train near Carrabasset 26 October 1913. Little used following purchase of Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #10 in 1916. Scrapped when Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #24 was delivered in 1919.

SR #5

Portland #622 built 5/1891 as Sandy River #5 N. B. Beal.

18 ton inside frame 0-4-4RT
34″ diameter 140psi boiler
10.5″x14″ cylinders
33″ drivers
Rear tank carried 600 gallons water & 3/4 ton coal.

This locomotive served as

Sandy River #5 (1890 – 1908).

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #6 (1908 – 1925).

Kennebec Central as KC #4 (1908 – 1925).

Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington #9 (1908 – 1925).

Currently at the WW&F Museum.

This engine was a repeat order for the design of Sandy River #4. Purchased to handle lumber traffic being produced by mills on the newly completed Phillips and Rangeley Railroad. Used as the Sandy River freight engine until Sandy River 2nd #2 was delivered in September 1893. Overturned at Strong in December 1892, and repaired with a new cab January 1893. Burned in Phillips 19 June 1897 engine house fire. Engineer Will Barker was killed when this engine was hit and overturned by a standard gauge engine at the Farmington diamond on 20 December 1897. Used as the Franklin & Megantic freight engine from completion of repairs in February 1898 until the former Laurel River & Hot Springs mogul was purchased in February, 1900. Then used as the Franklin and Megantic passenger engine. Renumbered Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #6 in 1908. Overturned with passenger train south of Salem Summit 23 January 1917. Electric headlight installed 13 December 1921. Sold to the Kennebec Central as KC #4 in 1925 and used as their standby engine until discontinuance of service in 1929. Purchased by Frank Winter and moved to Wiscasset in 1932. Renumbered Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington #9 and used as the standby engine until discontinuance of service on the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington in 1933. Purchased by a railfan and moved to Connecticut in 1937.

SR #6

The second #3 was re-numbered as  Sandy River #6 (1905 -1908)

See entry for the second #3 above for more details.

SR #7

The second #2 was re-numbered as  Sandy River #7 (1905 -1908)

See entry for the second #2 above for more details.

SR #8

Baldwin #23874 built 3/1904 as Sandy River #8.

25 ton outside frame 2-6-2
40″ diameter 180psi boiler
12″x16″ cylinders
33″ drivers
19 ton tender carried 1500 gallons water & 2 tons coal.

This locomotive served as

Sandy River #8 (1904 – 1908).

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #19 (1908 – 1935).

This engine was the first Prairie type on the Maine two foot gauge railroads. A larger boiler was supported by adding a trailing truck to the frame designed for the Laurel River & Hot Springs Mogul, and a proportionally larger tender was provided. Purchased to handle lumber traffic produced by new sawmills at Madrid and Bigelow. Used as the preferred freight engine on the Phillips to Farmington main line until Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #23 delivered in 1913. Then used system wide. Wrecked north of Strong on 22 March 1907. Renumbered Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #19 in 1908. Fitted with air brakes and electric headlight in 1919. Burned in 12 February 1923 Phillips enginehouse fire. Repaired, but unused after 1932. Scrapped in 1935.

SR #16

Baldwin #31826 built 9/1907 as Sandy River #16.

Configuration:
28 ton inside frame 2-4-4RT
41″ diameter 180psi boiler
11.5″x14″ cylinders
35″ drivers
Rear tank carried 800 gallons water & 1.5 tons coal.

This locomotive served as

Sandy River #16 (1907 – 1908).

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #8 (1908 – 1935).

This was one of a pair of engines built to Bridgton master mechanic Mel Caswell’s specification for inside frames. The other was Bridgton and Saco River #6. These were the largest Maine 2 foot gauge engines built with inside frames, and the only inside frame engines Baldwin built for the Maine 2 foot gauge railroads. Sandy River’s next order to Baldwin, after a year of experience with this engine, was for an identical engine with outside frames. Purchased to replace the Portland Forneys with more power for the Rangeley Express. Renumbered Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #8 in 1908. Engineer Frank Hodgman was killed when this engine left the rails and tipped over at Fairbanks while pulling the 11 August 1917 Rangeley Express northbound. Used as a standby engine for low speed work following that wreck. Fitted with air brakes and electric headlight in 1919. Burned in the 12 February 1923 Phillips engine house fire. Not repaired and scrapped when the railroad was dismantled in 1935.

Passenger car models availability by prototype roadnames;- SRRR

SRRR Passenger cars                                             Rev 2               dated: 23-11-2018

RR	#	Type	Model Builder	Notes	Current status	Builder	Date
SRRR	1	Baggage	DRL-103	ex B&B B, used as  baggage 1879 SRRR #1, leased to F&M as caboose, rebuilt 1906, renum #5 1908	burned 1920 (no record of rebuilding), scrapped 1926
SRRR	2	Baggage	DRL-102	ex B&B A, transferred to SR&RL #4 1908		Ranlet Car Co – Laconia	1876
SRRR	3	Coach	DRL (*/#)	ex B&B “Sylvan”, by 1890 ellipse board name removed, transferred to SR&RL #16 1908	destroyed 1960	Ranlet Car Co – Laconia	1876
SRRR	4	Combine	DRL (*/#)	ex B&B “Fawn”, transferred to SR&RL #12 1908	destroyed 1950	Ranlet Car Co – Laconia	1876
SRRR	5	Passenger	Car Works, DRL (*/**/#)	Transferred to SR&RL #17 1908	SR&RL Museum SRRR #5	Laconia	1884
SRRR	6	Passenger	Car Works, DRL (*/**/#)	Transferred to SR&RL #18 1908	SR&RL Museum SRRR #6	Laconia	1884
SRRR	7	RPO – Baggage	NJ/CB, Grandt Line, DRL (*/**/#)	Transferred to SR&RL #8 1908	destroyed	Billmeyer & Small	1893
SRRR	8	Passenger	Car Works	Transferred to SR&RL #22 1908	destroyed 1960’s	AC&F	1903
SRRR	Rangeley	Parlor Car	Car Works, DRL (*/**/#)	Transferred to SR&RL #9 Rangeley 1908	stored at MNGRR	Jackson & Sharp	1901
SRRR	B?	Excursion		ex B&B B?, rebuilt as Caboose #1, referred to as F&M #1  rebuilt again 1906, renum #5 1908	burned 1920 (no record of rebuilding), scrapped 1926	Ranlet Car Co – Laconia	1876
SRRR	C?	Excursion	DRL-102	ex B&B C?, rebuilt as Caboose #3	scrapped in rebuild	Ranlet Car Co – Laconia	1876
SRRR	–	Excursion		Transferred to SR&RL #29 1908	converted to pulprack 1924	Unknown	1906
SRRR	–	Excursion		Transferred to SR&RL #30 1908	converted to pulprack 1924	Unknown	1906
SRRR	–	Excursion		Transferred to SR&RL #31 1908	scrapped 1935?	Unknown	1907

Deerfield River Laser make 36 foot Quik-Kits (coded * in this table), 46 foot kits (coded ** in this table) and 6 foot 6 inches wide ends (coded # in this table). See the Deerfield River Laser Two foot page for further details;- http://www.deerfieldriverlaser.com/CarsSides.html

Deerfield River Laser has full kits for former B&B stock; see http://www.deerfieldriverlaser.com/NGCarsPage.html and also the FAQ posts for B&B and SRRR. Full kits are coded as DRL-102 etc. in the above table.

Deerfield River Laser make 36 foot Quik-Kits (coded * in this table), 46 foot kits (coded ** in this table) and 6 foot 6 inches wide ends (coded # in this table) which are replacement side (and ends) conversion kits for passenger cars using Bachmann Passenger cars as donor vehicles at http://www.deerfieldriverlaser.com/CarsSidesList.html

November 2018 update: Grandt Line made O scale door and window sets for SR&RL passenger rolling stock as shown in the picture below, but the company is currently being sold. The production rights and tooling have been acquired by The San Juan Company in Colorado, and they have made a general announcement of intending to continue to supply parts in the future. In a message posted to the Maine On2 group on the 14th November, Doug Junda (one of the owners of The San Juan Company) stated that they were currently building inventory in California prior to moving equipment to Colorado.

The picture above shows some of the SR&RL passenger car doors and windows previously available from Grandt Line.

Locomotive models available by prototype roadname; Sandy River Rail Road

Railroad	Loco #	Locomotive	Manufacturer		min radius	Notes
SRRR		roster info Carter
SRRR	1	Forney 0-4-4T Hinkley	Putnam & Stowe Portland Products	kit rtr	26″	purchased from B&B  “Ariel” 1879, 1882/83 wrecked, rebuilt with larger cab and tank, 1893 converted to coal with longer smokebox, transferred to SR&RL#1 1908, different stack then SRRR #2, model based around 1900
			Hobbybarn 577-301	etch		etch for coal version after 1893, can be backdated by modifying smokebox
SRRR	2 (1rst) Echo	Forney 0-4-4T Hinkley	Putnam & Stowe	kit	26″	purchased from B&B  “Puck” 1879, sold to F&M #2 1890, different stack then SRRR #1, model based around 1900
SRRR	2 (2nd)	Baldwin Mogul 2-6-0				re-numbered #6 1905,
SRRR	3	Forney 0-4-4T Porter cn565*				sold to W&Q #1 1893
SRRR	3 James Wyman (Old Star)	Baldwin Mogul 2-6-0	Hobbybarn 577-252	etch		purchased from Laurel River & Hot Springs, re-numbered #7 1905
SRRR	4	Forney 0-4-4T Portland cn616*				transferred to SR&RL #5 1908
SRRR	5	Forney 0-4-4T Portland cn622*	NJ/CB -GOM  (SR&RL #6)	model	33″	transferred to SR&RL #6 1908, model is of SR&RL #6
SRRR	6	Baldwin Mogul 2-6-0				transferred to SR&RL #18 1908
SRRR	7	Baldwin Mogul 2-6-0				re-numbered from #3 1905, transferred to SR&RL #16
SRRR	8	Mogul 2-6-2 Baldwin cn23874				transferred to SR&RL #19 1908
SRRR	16	Forney 0-4-4T Baldwin cn31826				transferred to SR&RL #8 1908

For more information about the prototype locomotives, visit the Chuck Collins pages. Click here to view on another browser page.

To visit the model pages, click on the blue lettering in the table above.

 

Latest update: 22 – March – 2018

SRRR; Historic list of plans

Historic SRRR drawings list; the content of this list of drawings was last updated on the 11th November 2003.

RR	Description	Reference source		Vol-issue yr-mo pg-
SRRR	Sandy River Boxcar “A”, Part 1	Hall, Mark D.	M2FM	1995/3 v47a pg-13
SRRR	Sandy River Boxcar “A”, Part 2, Baggage Doors	Hall, Mark D.	M2FQ	1995/11 v01#02 pg-10
SRRR	Strong New England Creamery scratchbuilding	Harris, Mark	M2FQ	1996/02 v01#03 pg-2
SRRR	Loco “Ariel” drawing, became SR #1 “Dawn”	Cornwall, L. Peter	Ride the Sandy River	pg-126
SRRR	Loco #1 “Dawn”, came over from B&B as Ariel	Cornwall, L. Peter	Ride the Sandy River	pg-124
SRRR	Ariel dwg	Crttenden, Henry D.	the Maine Two-Footers	1959/ pg-048
SRRR	Puck dwg	Crttenden, Henry D.	the Maine Two-Footers	1959/ pg-048
SRRR	Loco #3 0-4-4T		NGSL	1985/07 pg-80
SRRR	Passenger #5	Kohler, Gary	SR&RL Passenger Cars	pg-151
SRRR	Dickey Bridge	Schlechter , Robert	dwg avail -R Schlechter
SRRR	Farmington diamond from MCRR dwg	Jensen, Bill	NGSL	1977/03 v03#01 pg-59
SRRR	Farmington yards map	Cornwall, L. Peter	Ride the Sandy River	pg-047
SRRR	Phillips yard map	Cornwall, L. Peter	Ride the Sandy River	pg-090
SRRR	Phillips Roundhouse/Shops, plot & elevation plans	Schlechter , Robert	dwg avail -R Schlechter
SRRR	Phillips roundhouse	Porter, Richard	M2FQ	2000/06 v05#04 pg-9
SRRR	Phillips station, HO drawing	Barney, Peter	Structures of the Maine Two-Footers	pg-02
SRRR	Phillips Tool Shed Drawing	Bissonnette, J.	M2FQ	1997/05 v02#04 pg-5
SRRR	Phillips (old style) turntable, Strong & Kingfield as well	Schlechter , Robert	dwg avail -R Schlechter
SRRR	Phillips Water plug, HO drawing	Barney, Peter	Structures of the Maine Two-Footers	pg-12
SRRR	Phillips Sanborn Insurance map 1924		Sanborn	1924/ pg-
SRRR	Strong Bumper post on siding	Cornwall, L. Peter	Ride the Sandy River	pg-069
SRRR	Strong yard map (siding is wrong, see page 72 in Ride the SR)	Cornwall, L. Peter	Ride the Sandy River	pg-068
SRRR	Strong (old style) turntable, Kingfiled & Phillps as well	Schlechter , Robert	dwg avail -R Schlechter
SRRR	Strong Water plug, HO drawing	Barney, Peter	Structures of the Maine Two-Footers	pg-13
SRRR	Strong Sanborn Insurance map		Sanborn	1924/ pg-

What are “the Maine Two Footers”?

The former Monson locomotive #3, seen here at the Portland Narrow Gauge Museum in 1997 is a typical Maine Two Foot locomotive. The narrowness of two foot gauge track is evident at the feet of the onlookers.

What are “the Maine Two Footers”?

Most enthusiasts would recognise them as a group of two foot gauge railroads that were built in Maine from the 1880’s onwards, and operated as common carriers to their local communities until as late as the 1940’s.

They were characterised by using the same locomotives designs, and the same suppliers for rolling stock initially, and later worked co-operatively to develop better and larger locomotives. A number of locomotives and coaches changed lines at various stages of their careers.

The lines are;-

B&SR; – Bridgton and Saco River (after 1927 Bridgton and Harrison B&H)

KC – Kennebec Central

Monson – The Monson

SR&RL – Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes (formerly Sandy River, Franklin & Megantic, Phillips & Rangeley, Eustis) with two associated lines Madrid RR, Kingfield & Dead River RR which were both developed to handle lumber interest in the area, but never had equipment of their own.

WW&F – Wiscasset Waterville and Farmington (formerly Wiscasset & Quebec).

The first two foot gauge common carrier railroad built on the East Coast was the ill fated Billerica & Bedford railroad in Massachusetts which started the interest in two foot railroads but only operated  for nine months, before the equipment was sold to the then building Sandy River Railroad.

A lot of the equipment was to later return to Massachusetts when the remnants of the Bridgton and Harrison line and two Monson locomotives plus other various equipment were collected at South Carver to form the Edaville Railroad, which ran from 1947 until initial closure in 1993.

In line with most enthusiasts, this FAQ’s will use the term “the Maine Two Footers” to refer to and include all the above named lines. Further information on these lines can be obtained from a number of sources.

For more information about the B&SR locomotives click here.

For more information about the KC locomotives click here.

For more information about the Monson locomotives click here.

For more information about the SR&RL locomotives click here.

For more information about the WW&F locomotives click here.

Listed below are some resources currently available on the internet;-

Maine, an Encyclopedia

http://maineanencyclopedia.com/railroads-narrow-gauge/

Has a useful map showing the locations of all of the Maine Two Footers (click on image to enlarge in your browser). Some of the historical facts presented about the SR&RL are believed to be suspect.
Bridgton Historical Society
http://www.bridgtonhistory.org/Museum/NarrowGaugeRailroad/tabid/71/Default.aspx
 
B&SR Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgton_and_Saco_River_Railroad
 
Kennebec Central Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennebec_Central_Railroad
 
Monson Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monson_Railroad

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad http://srrl-rr.org/
 
SR&RL Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_River_and_Rangeley_Lakes_Railroad
 
WW&F Railway Museum  http://www.wwfry.org/
 
WW&FR Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiscasset,_Waterville_and_Farmington_Railway
 
Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum http://www.mainenarrowgauge.org/
 
Wikipedia page: Narrow Gauge railroads in Maine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Narrow_gauge_railroads_in_Maine
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Narrow_gauge_railroads_in_Massachusetts
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billerica_and_Bedford_Railroad
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edaville_Railroad
 
Current Edaville theme park site
http://www.edaville.com/
 
Brian Carter has a very useful website about the Maine Two Footers at;- http://www.narrowgauge.iform.com.au/m2f.html

Written by Terry Smith 11-Aug-2013, updated 02-03-2015.

Putnam & Stowe – the first domestic manufacturer

Updated 13-02-2015 & 17-07-2018.

Putnam & Stowe bravely announced their intentions of making brass On2 models domestically within the US with the advert below placed in the November/December 1983 edition of the NG&SL Gazette. The models offered represented a rebuilt version the smallest Hinkley made locomotive (original weight 12 tons) used on the Maine Two Footers and had a good specification consisting of driver centres supplied by Grandt Line, gears and a Sagami can motor from NWSL and detail parts from Portland Products and Precision Scale Models.

This was followed in the January/February and March/April 1984 editions with the following advert which shows the part built Forney loco;-

The announcement of loco’s for sale was posted in the July/August 1984 edition of the NG&SL Gazette, with artwork that mirrored the box ends;-

The final advert posted in the NG&SL Gazette was the September/October 1984 edition, which featured a picture of a finished locomotive;-

Note that the models finally offered were sold as Sandy River #1 and Sandy River #2. The model detailing represents these locomotives around the 1900 time period.

The story of Putnam & Stowe is interesting, but the venture was not successful. The models quickly suffered from a reputation for “variable build quality”, which hit sales. A number of these models have been re-built by skilled modellers, such as Chester Louis.

To see more of Chester Louis’s rebuild.

To see more of the Sandy River #1 model.

To see more of the Sandy River #2 model.

Added 13-02-2015;-

Maynard Stowe, Proprietor of Putnam & Stowe and still very much a model railroader and prototype 2 foot fan has been in touch and provided further information;-

The name Putnam & Stowe came from Maynard’s immediate family, and was suggested by Bob Werner of The Hobby Barn and Portland Products as having a very “New Englandy” sound.

Maynard continues; pretty much all the suppliers were generous to work with, and I learned a lot about making a low volume production line work which I put to use in a business that I ran with my brother until I sold it and retired in 2008.

The Sandy River On2 engines were a sort of collaboration with Bob Werner through some of his resources. Russ Briggs did the drawings for the photo etching for the boiler, cab and rear tank, and Bob did the detail parts for the domes, running boards, steam ejector for the brakes, rear truck, cylinders, connecting rods and cross heads.

Cliff Grandt cast the drivers and another contractor on the west coast did the tires, insulation and wheel assembly, shipping them to me ready to go. I did the frames, pilot deck, toolbox and some other parts. The square headlight used on the SRR #1 was an Sn3 part from Tomalco, and the bell might have been from The Backshop or PSC.

The cab roof was built up using 3 slightly different sized etchings with the center vent square used as the locating feature. The pagoda curve was done in a maple wood form made by my brother and getting the 3 pieces soldered together involved a lot of clamping and learning not to release the clamps until the parts were comfortably cool.

I don’t really have any records of how many of the SRR #1 or #2 locomotives were produced, but I know that there were more #1’s (about 35 to 40 engines) than #2’s (maybe 20- 25 engines).

As for the kits:  They were made from the left over parts that were not built into the run. I had total parts for around 100 engines. When I got out of the building business, I sold all the remaining engines and several collections I had picked up to Armand Mazzetti of The Caboose in Walcott, Connecticut. Armand was one of the major brass model dealers in the US with a world wide clientele, and he suggested that I turn the remaining castings and etchings and motors/gearboxes into kits. I did and made about twenty of them before I ran out of parts. All the kits were sold by Armand at train shows and out of his shop.

and here is a picture of one of the kits;-

Click on the picture to get an enlarged view.

Doug MacLeod’s LR&HS “James Wyman”

Way back in 2013, Doug MacLeod sent in the first set of pictures showing his scratchbuilt model of the LR&HS  locomotive “James Wyman” towards as it neared completion. A recent question from Dave Keith prompted further contact with Doug, who kindly sent in more pictures of the original model after a lot of details have been added and also pictures of its twin, being finished as the Sandy River Railroad second #3 and pictures of a further locomotive project.

The prototype was built by Baldwin in 1892 for the Laurel River & Hot Springs railroad based in North Carolina. It was sold to the Wiscasset & Quebec line (a fore-runner of the WW&FR) in 1893-4, but was not delivered for financial reasons. Instead it was sent to the Sandy River Railroad as their second #3 and renamed “Old Star”. In 1908 it was transferred to the SR&RL as their #16, and was later re-built as a 2-6-2.

 

In February 2019, Doug sent in some new pictures showing how this loco had developed, but it has taken us some time to add them;-

Doug is building a second model of this locomotive, finishing it as the Sandy River second #3;-

Extra – the Dickson locomotive in both half inch and quarter inch scales

Doug has also sent pictures of another two foot locomotive (60cm) that he is building in two scales, American O scale (quarter inch to the foot) and a larger version in half inch to the foot (1:24th scale). The locomotive is a Dickson, and is being built from plans drawn up by Richard Dunn that were published in the NG&SL Gazette May/June 1989 edition (pages 28-30).

 

Chassis parts in half inch scale.

Boiler parts in half inch scale.

The half inch scale locomotive model

Boiler backhead in half inch scale.

Parts for the quarter inch scale model.

Putnam & Stowe – Sandy River locomotive #1

Updated 13-02-2015 & 17-07-2018.

This model generally requires a 26″ minimum radius for satisfactory operation.

 

A broadside view of the chassis and drive arrangements.

This view shows a brass flywheel has been added (inside the cab) by moving the worm forwards along the shaft and moving the motor backwards on the chassis. Note that the extended motor shaft is still fully engaged with the phosphor bronze self aligning bearing in the gearbox, but does not protrude from the front of the gearcase.

 

A view of the dismantled drive arrangements.

Also visible is the rear truck pivot arrangement which on this engine is currently not centred on the truck. Note this particular model has no engineered arrangements for sideways displacement of the rear truck, however it does run around Precision Scale flex track accurately curved to  48″ radius without problems.

A small number of kits were produced at the end of the main build program. See Putnam & Stowe – Sandy River locomotive #2 for a picture of the main components of a kit.

For more information about the Putnam & Stowe operation click here.

Brief prototype locomotive notes

The prototype locomotive was built by Hinkley in 1877 as their works #1251 for the Billerica & Bedford Railroad “Ariel” as a strict cab forward Forney design, and also served as;-

Sandy River #1 Dawn (1879 – 1890) rebuilt as a conventional boiler first locomotive.

Rebuilt in 1882 with longer wheelbase, larger cab and water tank.

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #1 (1908 – 1912).

For more information about the prototype locomotive, click here.

 

 

Putnam & Stowe model locomotive #1 curvature, grade and haulage capability tests performed by Ed Kozlowsky.

Ed performed these tests to evaluate the capabilities of small On2 engines that he had acquired in order to determine whether any of the original HO bench work then in use could be salvaged for use in On2, in particular a 24″ radius helix with a 2.7% rise. Ed’s existing bench work and space constraints meant that the conventional published “wisdom” of “needing at least 36″ radius because of the stiff Forney’s needed a reality check.

The test subject was a Putnam & Stowe Sandy River #1.  Ed balanced the engine so that both drivers were loaded as equally as possible by adjusting the spring over the rear truck.  Before this, one driver definitely had more weight on it than the other.  Note that there is a slot in the truck bolster allowing the truck to swing sideways.

1.  Laid out a 24″ radius curve on a level table using Precision Scale Company code 70 flex.  The Forney had no problem in either direction.

2.  Added one 24′ and one 28′ box car.  No problem in either direction in the curve or transitioning with no easement.

3.  Using double sided tape, I placed 3 sections of flex track on the helix starting from straight with no easement to full 24″ curve.  No joints were soldered, so some kinking at the joints was inevitable. Forney ran without mishap upgrade boiler first and tender first.

4.  I added the 28′ car next to the engine and the 24′ car after.  Boiler first there was no derailment or problems.

5.  I then switched the order of the cars without mishap.

6.  Here is where I expected if there was going to be a problem it would show up, tender first pushing the cars upgrade.  My thought was that the wide swing of the coupler would push the engine sideways enough to derail her.  Surely she would catch on one of the imperfections of the rail joints and derail.  I watched closely as the little Forney negotiated the helix without so much as a hint of trouble.  I did it over and over again on different days with different cars all with the same results.

7.  I’ve experimented with #5 turnouts with the same results.

8.  Trying different combinations of cars, the most I could haul up the grade was 2 box cars and 3 flats.  I wasn’t really happy with that.

I have nothing but these little engines (Putnam & Stowe Forney’s), so I don’t know how larger ones would perform, but I don’t plan on running anything larger anyway.  Also, I have no interest in running long passenger cars.  For the operation I am planning, a short car or caboose fitted with seats will suffice.  If I do want to run something longer in the future, I’ll buy one and figure out how to make it work.  It’s impossible to be a model railroader without making compromises.

Ed Kozlowsky, Sanford, Maine.

Putnam & Stowe – Sandy River locomotive #2

Updated 22-02-2015 & 17-07-2018.

This model generally requires a 26″ minimum radius for satisfactory operation.

The picture below shows Putnam & Stowe SR #2 model, distinguished from the #1 model by a having straight stack and round headlight.

 

A small number of kits were produced at the end of the main build program. This picture shows the main components of a kit for a Sandy River locomotive #2 model.

Note this particular model has no engineered arrangements for sideways displacement of the rear truck, however a similar completed model has run around Precision Scale flex track accurately curved to 48″ radius without problems.

For more pictures of the basic body and chassis & drive arrangements see Putnam & Stowe – Sandy River locomotive #1. Click here to view on another page.

For more information about the Putnam & Stowe operation click here.

Brief prototype locomotive notes

The prototype locomotive was built by Hinkley in 1877 as their works #1261 for the Billerica & Bedford Railroad “Puck” as a strict cab forward Forney design, and also served as;-

Sandy River #2 Echo (1879 – 1890) rebuilt as a conventional boiler first locomotive.

Phillips & Rangeley #2 Bo Peep (1890 – 1893)

Phillips & Rangeley #4 Bo Peep (1893 – 1908)

Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes #4 (1908 – 1912).

For more information about the prototype locomotive, click here.