Queen of the Maine 2-Footers. If you randomly poll 100 two-foot rail enthusiasts as to which of the 5 surviving steamers is their favorite, chances are that a distinct majority would pick the engine you see here. Built for the Bridgton & Saco River Railroad in Maine, this 1913-vintage, 33-ton, inside-frame Forney was a product of the Baldwin Locomotive Works. She was used in passenger, freight and mixed service on the 21 mile line from Bridgton Junction to Harrison, Maine, together with a larger sister, Baldwin #8. In the 1920s, the line was re-organized and became known as the Bridgton & Harrison Railroad, which operated until 1941, becoming the last of Maine's famous 2-foot railroads. The Bridgton sisters escaped the scrappers later that year, when Ellis D. Atwood, a Massachusetts businessman and rail enthusiast, purchased the pair for use at his cranberry growing operation South Carver. Together with a pair of Monson Railroad engines, the transplated 2-foot railroad equipment eventually became a tourist railroad that operated for the next 45 years! The so-called "Edaville Railroad" became a Massachusetts Institution, delighting generations of young and old, and was widely renowned for its spectacular displays of Christmas lights. Sadly, poor economic times finally closed the place in 1992. Once again, a white knight rode in to save the little engines. The newly organized Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company and Museum purchased most of the Edaville Collection and moved it to Portland, Maine. Although a number of issues kept #7 in Massachusetts for nearly another decade, she finally made it home in 2002 and was restored to operation in 2003. The photo you see here was taken during the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad's annual "Steamfest" event during that year. Alas, her time of operation was brief. In 2004, the FRA began oversight of the MNGRR and #7 didn't meet their standards. In 2008, the MNGRR began a new effort to restore #7 and get her a new Form 4. Because of the cost and a number of other set-backs, progress has been slow, but #7 is slowing coming along. Currently, work on the chassis and running gear is being done at the MNGRR's facility in Portland, while the boiler is in the care of the Maine Locomotive & Machine up in Alna, Maine. If all goes well, the Queen of the Maine 2-Footers could well be back in operation within a couple of years.
