01/02/2000
Edaville closes for the season

I had to take one more look at the railroad before it closed for the season. It was well worth going! Things had changed for the better since my last visit. It looks like there had been a close-out sale on standard gauge cabooses somewhere, they are everywhere. Two of them are now at the entrance as ticket offices and I am sure, there was a reason to buy that many.
Because it was the end of the season and I went early to take some pictures while it was still light, I had no problem to get in. The train was full, but there were no 1 or 2 hour waits to get on. Hal, one of the conductors, told me that the chief of police of Carver had to close the road to Edaville one night before Christmas. The cars were backing up so far that all the traffic in town was snarled up. Probably a great disappointment for the people trying to get there that night, but a good thing for the railroad.
Some visitors were disappointed about the lack of steam engines, especially since some newspaper ads had used old pictures to promote the railroad. I hope they realized that Edaville is really starting out new since most of the equipment is gone to Maine. Let's give the new owners a chance, I think they have done a lot already with almost nothing to start with. I am sure that by next Christmas there will be a lot more lights and probably even steam trains again.
Although I didn't snoop around the shops to find the Hudswell-Clarke, it looks like she is inside for the planned overhaul. The cab and tender were sitting outside the carpenter shop.
The museum houses many of the engines that used to be on display outside. Judging by the excitement of the visitors while I was there, it seems to be well received by the public. Kids especially seemed to enjoy being able to actually touch the engines. Some of the original signs from the old Edaville Railroad also found a place in the museum, notably the one that marked the spot near Cranberry Lake Park where the engineers blow the whistle (or horn) in memory of Ellis D. Atwood.

12/07/99
Christmas business is booming

Joseph Scolastico wrote to let me know about his visit to Edaville on 11/26. Business to see the Christmas Light Festival is booming. He had to wait about an hour in line to get in, but the wait was worth it. His suggestion: get there early to beat the crowds.
Peacedale and the cross are already lit up again and the trains illuminate other displays with floodlights from the cars. He thinks the gingerbread house will be lit up again soon. There is a fair amount of lights set up around the grounds of the station area.
The museum is also open again, although on a smaller scale.

10/16/99
Peacedale is being rebuilt

The bulldozer is still busy along the track cleaning up the rotted displays, while the carpenter shop is already rebuilding the village of Peacedale. The new buildings and letters were sitting near the shop during my visit, already with a coat of white primer. They will get their finish coat and be set up at their location by the end of this week.
From the train I could see newly buried PVC pipes around Peacedale, ready to get the wiring for the lights installed.

Negotiations about engine #7 to take place this week

Doug mentioned during my conversation with him that negotiations about the use of #7 are scheduled for this week with the Maine Narrowgauge Railroad. Edaville obviously could use the motive power, especially with the Christmas season approaching. He would even like to set up an agreement, where Maine Narrowgauge and Edaville rotate #7 and #8 every other year.

The first signals are working again

The signaling system of the Edaville Railroad is starting to operate again. For safe operation during the multi-train schedules of the Christmas season, a working signal system is important. Vandals did a lot of damage during the years of struggle and neglect, but the first signals are painted and operating again. David Barnes aquired many of the old signals and maintained them well over the years. I am happy to see he returned again to continue the job.

10/09/99
We are open again!

After several years of inactivity, the Edaville Railroad opened the gates to the public again.