Re: Postcard From Maine 43, First time crossing Trout Brook in 86 years.

Brett B Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Stewart, if you would be so kind as to educate me as to the circumstances that caused the large gap
> in time? Was it a wash out or just declining business or some other factor? I find it
> fascinating when a rail line is reborn especially with the amount of volunteer sweat equity that
> went into all the line preparation and track laying. What has been accomplished out there is
> amazing. I love the photos and look forward to all the postings.

Hi Brett,

The WW&F quit running in 1933 and the rails were removed in 1936. After that, the grade sat empty.
Trout Brook bridge was damaged in the 1938 flood but partially rebuilt for logging operations on the railroad grade (with trucks) in 1955.
By the early 1960's the rest of the trestle/bridge was gone and logging had ceased.

Fast forward to 1989 when the museum was founded and much of the old R-O-W purchased by Harry Percival. Plans were started to rebuild the line as far as could be done by volunteers. Eventually, we repaired the grade down "the mountain" to Trout Brook where the covered bridge was set in place in 2018.This year, the 30th anniversary of the reborn WW&F saw the bridge which was given to us by the Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges put back into railway use when our crew extended the mainline over the span. See the WW&F work weekend report for more photos from building 2,000 feet of new track on the mountain grade and across the bridge last weekend.

Stewart