PORTLAND, Maine — Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum will partner with Maine Locomotive & Machine Works to restore a pair of 2-foot gauge engines, Monson Railroad No. 4, and Bridgton & Saco River Railroad No. 8, to operation, the museum announced Tuesday.
Monson No. 4, an 0-4-4 tank engine, was built in 1918 by Vulcan Iron Works, working for the 6-mile Monson Railroad until its closure in 1943. It then went to the heritage Edaville Railroad in South Carver, Mass., for almost 50 years, moving to Portland with the formation of the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. It was withdrawn from operation in 2014 because of the need for a new boiler.
Bridgton & Saco River No. 8, a 2-4-4T, was the last locomotive built for that railroad, completed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1924. It operated on that railroad (later the Bridgton & Harrison) until its closure in 1941, and, like Monson No. 4, then moved to the Edaville Railroad until the original version of that operation closed in 1991. It then moved to the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad; it has been stored offsite since the expiration of its boiler certificate.
The organizations are aiming to return the two locomotives to operation by the early 2030s, and are seeking donations to support the project. For more information, visit the museum’s Facebook page or website.
