The Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad’s core collection, which includes the only two-foot gauge parlor car ever built, has been displayed in a building near the city’s waterfront that was originally part of the Portland Co., a manufacturer of locomotives, ships, rail cars, and other machinery. That property has been sold for development and the building is scheduled for demolition.
With the demolition deadline approaching, the two museums negotiated an arrangement to move the four cars long displayed in the Portland Co. building, along with three other pieces, to the WW&F’s Sheepscot Station campus in Alna, about 50 miles northeast of Portland. The equipment, which will remain the property of Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad & Museum, will be housed in the WW&F’s car house and will be on display, along with other select artifacts from the two-foot gauge railways of Maine. It will also be used from time to time on the WW&F’s 2.6-mile line.
The crown jewel of the core collection, Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes parlor Car No. 9 Rangeley built by Jackson & Sharp of Wilmington, Del. in 1901, is the only two-foot gauge car of its type ever built. It is scheduled to be the first car moved to Sheepscot in May. Two additional passenger cars and a caboose date back to 1882 complete the core collection. In addition, Bridgton & Saco River Railroad No. 8, a 1924 Baldwin 2-4-4RT, a tank car and a snowplow will move to Sheepscot.
