The Maine 2-footers were built to carry people and freight in the hinterlands of Maine, where horses and wagons were often the only other viable means of transportation. Just as 3-foot railroads and their equipment were considerably less expensive to build than standard-gauge, so to were 2-footers much cheaper to build and maintain than even 3-foot. The economy of scale is also one very good reason why the present-day WW&F Museum Folks have been able to accomplish as much as they have. For those who have not seen the WW&F in Alna, ME, it is well worth the trip. The museum is running a pair of Saturday photo excursions on April 14th and 21st, 2018 which would be THE best time to see and photograph the operation. They will put on a show very similar to what was seen in the video posted earlier. I feel blessed to live just over 2 hours drive from the place. It is one of the coolest steam museums in the country and it is constantly being improved.

By the way, it was really the development of heavy trucks and a decent road system that really spelled the end of the Maine 2-footers. Once trucks and automobiles were able to access the more remote parts of the state, the little railroads could no longer compete.

/Kevin Madore