Saturday 30 March 2013

Wiscasset & Quebec Ry.

A flat has just been spotted for loading at Quebec Junction on Peter Mumby's six foot diorama.
All aboard
Maine two footers in On30"
A re-post from Jan. 31 2013 White River Division

A couple of years ago Peter Mumby and I spent a good part of one winter building a number of On30" rolling stock based on the Maine two footers. We also each build a six foot long module that could be connected running trains on occasion. Peter had some rail, switches and module legs, while I had leftover cork roadbed, wiring, Masonite, various pine boards and paint. In other words we built these diorama's with no cost incurred. This all came together that same winter as a three quarter finished diorama's.

We decided to name our railway the Wiscasset & Quebec Ry. which was actually a real railroad in the early days before the WW&F. Peter decided to model a small yard and junction point which we called Quebec Jct. I modelled the junction section house, turntable and frt. house. We located our models at the border of Canada and the USA. Peter's diorama is in Canada while mine is just over the border in the US.

Our Maine two footer equipment is a mix of castoff engines and cars from all the Maine lines. Since the W&Q is the last line still operating in Maine the best of the last is still in service. The crossing sign is a WW&F prototype  model available from Train Troll.

Last winter we did not touch the modules but this year is different. Our kids play room which is a mess after 5 children grew up in there is getting a make over by yours truly under the guidance of my wife. We have 3 grandchildren with another on the way. Her plan is to have this room again work as a play and rec. room. Well guess were the diorama's are stored. A big push is currently on so Peter can take his diorama home and mine can be stored under my new yard location. This week Peter and I got the fencing up, some trees planted and the road crossing in service. Peter is in the process of building the Junction yard office-station. The rest of the trees will be planted once Peter gets his diorama home next week. I decided to photo  document where we are at the moment.

Now back to work on the kids room...Arrr...George Dutka

My forney and caboose is seen operating on Peter's W&Q diorama. The truck is an Athearn model.

I recently  found an interesting fact about the original W&Q.  Harry Percival had been working to restoring the WW&F right of way for many years.  He finally was able to purchase the right of way and quickly applied for a charter to start a corporation called the Wiscasset and Quebec Railroad, with the thought of rebuilding a portion of the line. Harry  was told by the state that the W&Q had never been declared abandoned, and if he held a stockholder's meeting he could get the corporation back in business. Thus, the original Wiscasset and Quebec Railroad corporation is now back.

Welcome to Modeling Maine in Narrow Gauge

I decided to start this blog as a way to display my narrow gauge modeling and possibly inspire one to give narrow gauge modeling a try. I did not want to mix my narrow gauge posts with my standard gauge White River Division posts, a Northern Vermont line. I did write one Maine narrow gauge post on the WRD blog.  I will be re-posting it here shortly. The link below will take you to the WRD, my main modeling interest.

When I began modeling in 1979 I had just purchased my first modeling magazine.The November MR cover back then was an interesting view of the C&DR Ry. modeled by Frary and Hayden. That Maine Two Foot feature really made an impression on me that still remains today. Although I do most of my modeling in standard gauge, HO scale, I do dabbled in HOn30" and in the last 4-5 years On30" also. I hope you find this blog interesting, helpful and entertaining...so onward...George Dutka

White River Division