WW&F Receives Railway Heritage Grant

The National Railway Historical Society has selected the WW&F Railway Museum of Alna, Maine as a recipient of a Railway Heritage Grant. This award of $3000 will be used to help equip the locomotives and rolling stock of the railway with an Eames Automatic vacuum brake system. Automatic vacuum brakes are an important safety feature as our railroad expands, as they will engage automatically if the cars in the train become separated. Moreover, the single control in the cab will give the engineer greater control over the train.

The original WW&F used straight vacuum brakes on their locomotives, and the restored Number 9 now utilizes these as independent (engine) brakes. To protect the entire train, Eames patented an automatic vacuum braking system, but it was never fully developed in the US, due to his untimely death. As the Museum is a continuation of the original WW&F railway, it is fitting that we fully develop automatic vacuum brakes – which is likely the choice the original WW&F would have considered had it been required to install an automatic braking system.

Already WW&F museum coach 8 and Number 9 have been equipped with this system; but testing was not completed in 2016 due to other projects. Testing will be completed in the coming year and the system added gradually to the remaining locomotives and rolling stock.

The WW&F thanks the National Railway Society for choosing this project to receive a Railway Heritage grant. The NRHS has been very supportive of past projects at the WW&F, including funding the recreated Planished American Rolled Iron (also called "Russia Iron") jacket on Number 9 and our continued mainline extension.

In other WW&F news, the "21 Campaign" to build two new locomotive boilers is well underway with nearly 60% of the needed funds raised. The raw boiler materials have already arrived at the museum, and shaping #10's boiler will begin shortly. However, funds are still needed to complete both boilers. We invite our friends and followers to support this effort at https://fundrazr.com/21campaign.

Finally, our "Easter Eggspress Spring Steam Up" is next Saturday, 4/15/17. Details at: http://wwfry.org/?tribe_events=special-event-easter-eggspress-3