Re: Water tanks

Hi Guys,
Just to add to the discussion: The watertanks on the Maine Two Footers were called "enclosed" tanks. These usually consisted of large round tanks 'enclosed" within a house-like structure which was heated in winter with a small coal stove. The WW&F had four enclosed tanks and we are replicating the Head Tide Tank at the WW&F Museum as I write. The Head Tide Tank had a large round steel cistern. The Bridgton and Saco River had one water tank that was enclosed and the tank itself was cypress. At the Bridgton engine house there was a cistern on top of the engine house roof and water was pumped up to it and then gravity did the rest. At Bridgton Junction there was some kind of artesion arrangement inside the Junction engine house. The Sandy River had both enclosed tanks and artesion type water plugs. The WW&F had a waterplug in the Wiscasset Yard as well. I am not sure about the Monson and the Kennebec Central.
I have read that it was the section crew's duty to keep the stoves going in winter and that somtimes sand for the locomotives was stored in the enclosed tank buildings to dry it. Extra coal was stored in the B&SR tank house at Hancock Pond. The Hancock Pond tank was torn down after the railroad quit and the lumber was used to build a small cottage that still stands on the old right of way.
Dana Deering