Steam & Excursion > Hurricane ISAIAS did leave its mark at the Conway Scenic RR

The historic display ball signal, which was relocated years ago from protecting a crossing diamond at Waumbek Junction of the B&M and MEC, was blown down.  The B&M line was east of Whitefield and went to Berlin and handled log trains of the Brown Lumber Co. for mill at Whitefield and a different Brown Lumber at Berlin.  The MEC was a branch off the Mountain Division line that went through Crawford Notch and up into Canada. This section of the B&M line had originally been built by the John River Rail Road and was the oldest logging railroad in White Mts (1870). It was never narrow gauge as in some histories but used engines surplus from BC&M that were rebuilt by the Portland Company. 

The mark that was left was a dent in the roof of passenger car “Mt Webster” (which can be fixed with Bondo} but one cast iron wheel was broken and the base of the post was rotted away. No one was in danger or was hurt and the signal is being rebuilt for future display.  
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/20 03:19 by PlyWoody.

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Got a kink in my neck trying to view it....

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Thanks for the update PlyWoody.  Waumbek Jct. was where the B&M Berlin line crossed the MEC Beecher Falls branch, which left the Mountain Division main a couple of miles south at Quebec Jct.  it's a pretty lonely place with no road access.  The B&M and Mountain division main crossed a couple of miles west at Whitelfield, which also has it's famous ball signal on display.  Track is still in place north and west of Waumbek Jct., seeing very occasional traffic to a transload operation at the Mt. Washington regional airport, as well as any movement of equipment to or from the Conway Scenic.

Dave

The origin of the term: HIGH BALL !!
Meaning: "Clear Track ahead"

W.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/20 01:56 by wcamp1472.

wcamp1472 Wrote:
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> The origin of the term: HIGH BALL !!
> Meaning: "Clear Track ahead"
>
> W.

Ironic, as the cocktail that adopted the name often meant just the opposite 😀

Dave

From the wwweb:

"=16px: "When the word "highball" appeared in 1898 ("ball" was a bartenders' slang for a glass in the 1890s, a "high ball," a tall glass) it meant a Scotch and soda...but soon "highball" meant any kind of whiskey and soda." "Listening to America" by Stuart Berg Flexner (Simon and Schuster, New York, 1982). Page 170.Mar 26, 2009 Highball - phrase meaning and origin - The Phrase Finder"

​W.

I suppose it may vary, but what are these made of? Metal? These have bands on them. I believe I have seen some that were smooth with no bands.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/10/20 19:05 by wabash2800.