After seeing references to Boothbay Village for years, I finally decided to google it to find out what it is about. What my search tells me is that Boothbay is a summer tourist town and the Boothbay Village Railway Museum is one of the attractions in the town. I am more curious about the layout there. How big of a layout is it. From the pictures others have posted here, it seems like it is very well done.
I made one visit to Maine years ago and got as far up the coast as Bar Harbor so I probably went past Boothbay without even knowing anything about it. I'm running out of items left on my bucket list and am looking for things to add to it. According to the website, Boothbay Village Railway opens June 18. How late in the season does it stay open? I see there is a Civil War encampment at the end of August so that might be a good time for me to schedule a visit.
John,
Why don't you email the museum directly with your queries? I'm sure there is someone there at this point who can answer them.
FYI: Boothbay is east of Brunswick, along the coast of ME - between Portland and Augusta:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Boothbay,+ME/@43.9472287,-70.1206448,10.13z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x4cad98eacb82ef0b:0x9c7bbec37991589d!8m2!3d43.8762865!4d-69.6337364!16s%2Fm%2F01_lssk?entry=ttu
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
John-NYBWAfter seeing references to Boothbay Village for years
Thanks for your interest. I have been volunteering at BRV for more tha 20 years, and am a member of of the Board. The museum website:
Where History Moves You - Railway Village Museum
BRV is a museum that includes historic buildings, a 2 foot gauge railroad running both vintage steam and diesel locomotives, an auto museum with about 50 vehlicles including horse drawn wagons from the 1800s, and cars and trucks from the early 1900s to the 1960s. There are also fire engine, outbored motor, and industrial engine exhibits. There are special events through the summer and early fall, check Events on the website.
I am with the model railroad group. We have a building matching an MEC freight station. We model from the late 1940s to mid 60s with standard gauge HO trains from MEC, BM, BAR and GT. The layout is 26x 40 feet. There are 2 standard gauge loops for continuous running. There is also an HOn30 narrow gauge section that is loop to loop. Trains are DCC many with sound. The layout has been called the best train layout in Maine. Details are on teh Model RR page
Model Railroad - Railway Village Museum
If you are visiting the midcoast area of Maine, please plan a visit
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
This is an overall layout photo taken a few years ago. We have done a lot of work since then
I still hope to make a tripe to Maine one day, and complete my trek across all of the 48 states.
It will be great if it happens sooner rather than later.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 I still hope to make a tripe to Maine one day, and complete my trek across all of the 48 states. It will be great if it happens sooner rather than later. -Kevin
A few years ago I finally completed having visited all the lower 48 states on the ground, either having set foot in them or passed through them on ground transportation. There was one asterisk as I went through Idaho on the Amtrak over night so I never really saw Idaho from the ground.
Never been to Alaska or Hawaii and might not ever do that. Of the two, Alaska seems more interesting.
Our vacation last summer was Maine. Had to skip Boothbay Village, but did go to the Seashore Trolley Museum. Got to operate a trolley, which was a little trickier than I'd expected.
If my wife and I won the lottery/found a big garbage bag full of money in the woods, we'd buy a place in Boothbay Harbor. Wouldn't even hesitate.
I've been to Maine a lot. Acadia National Park (Bar Harbour) is a great place to visit. The park is crisscrossed with trails for mountain biking, hiking and horseback.
My daughter went to school there and still lives in Maine. AmTrak goes as far north as Brunswick, about 30 miles from Boothbay by road. A senior ticket on the railroad is pretty cheap, straight out of Boston's North Station.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
NittanyLionIf my wife and I won the lottery/found a big garbage bag full of money in the woods, we'd buy a place in Boothbay Harbor. Wouldn't even hesitate.
I LOVE Maine! There's just something about it that keeps me wanting to go back again & again. Acadia NP is a primary reason, along with its trails and picturesque scenery.
If my boss stepped into my office right now and said "Take 2 weeks off", I'd pack the car up and be @ Bass Harbor Campground (on the quiet side of MDI) by tomorrow afternoon.
The only state remaining on my visitation bucket list for the contiguous US - and has for many years - is North Dakota. And I'm with John. I think I would much more enjoy visiting Alaska than Hawaii.
MisterBeasley I've been to Maine a lot. Acadia National Park (Bar Harbour) is a great place to visit. The park is crisscrossed with trails for mountain biking, hiking and horseback. My daughter went to school there and still lives in Maine. AmTrak goes as far north as Brunswick, about 30 miles from Boothbay by road. A senior ticket on the railroad is pretty cheap, straight out of Boston's North Station.
I visited the Boothbay Museum over 50 years ago when I was a teenager, in 1966 as I recall. I remember riding the 2 foot guage German steam engine. I suggested to my folks we visit Rangely Lake, and we passed thru Wiscasset, Randolph, Rangely and Bridgeton, that is 4 out of 5 of the sites of the former Maine 2 foot gauge railroads (WW&F, KC, SR&RL, B&H). Years later I visited the site of the Munson RR, the 5th 2 footer. I hope to get back to Maine to visit the recreation of the WW&F which is near Boothbay.
https://wwfry.org/
MidlandMikeI suggested to my folks we visit Rangely Lake, and we passed thru Wiscasset, Randolph, Rangely and Bridgeton, that is 4 out of 5 of the sites of the former Maine 2 foot gauge railroads (WW&F, KC, SR&RL, B&H).
My dad was a frequent visitor to the Maine two-footers in the late '30s until Uncle Sam had other vacation plans for him. Here he is at Bridgeton Jct at age 19:
B and H No. 7 by Edmund, on Flickr
Strong:
SR-RL_Strong-24 by Edmund, on Flickr
Farmington:
Maine Central crosses Sandy River, Farmington by Edmund, on Flickr
Strong_ME_7_1935 by Edmund, on Flickr
Cheers, Ed
MidlandMike I remember riding the 2 foot guage German steam engine
We still run the German Henchel locmotives, but have also bought a 2 foot diesel that we run some days of the week.
The WWF in Alna runs on part of the restored original right of way. There is also a 2 foot train that runs on the waterfront in Portland.
I also noticed in the museum video the Baldwin(?) engine. Are there plans to run that?
gmpullman MidlandMike I suggested to my folks we visit Rangely Lake, and we passed thru Wiscasset, Randolph, Rangely and Bridgeton, that is 4 out of 5 of the sites of the former Maine 2 foot gauge railroads (WW&F, KC, SR&RL, B&H). My dad was a frequent visitor to the Maine two-footers in the late '30s until Uncle Sam had other vacation plans for him. Here he is at Bridgeton Jct at age 19: B and H No. 7 by Edmund, on Flickr
MidlandMike I suggested to my folks we visit Rangely Lake, and we passed thru Wiscasset, Randolph, Rangely and Bridgeton, that is 4 out of 5 of the sites of the former Maine 2 foot gauge railroads (WW&F, KC, SR&RL, B&H).
Thanks for the photos. I think engine 7 is the one I rode behind when I visiter Edaville 30+ years ago. I recall that Dave Klepper, a frequent poster here, also had a picture of himself as a young camper at the B&H.
I live just over 20 miles away and now feal rather ashamed that I have never been there. I guess I'll have to remady that.