MYSTIC VALLEY RAILWAY SOCIETY

By Fannie Chung

Have you ever gone moose hunting? I guess I mean moose watching. The 49 passengers who came on the Bar Harbor and Moosehead Lake trip over the 4th of July did. We spotted a couple, plus the 1,700 lb. chocolate “Lenny” in Scarborough.

According to Valerie Lofgren of South Weymouth,MA “It was a wonderful trip…….we filled every day with such views and good memories……saw moose, bison, belted cows….a fully packed trip..” Did you forget the porcupine, Valerie?

And from Dorothie Baker of Sarasota, FL, “Just a quick note to tell you how pleasant our time was with your group, including Ed’s sister, Muriel, and Jack Merrill, who invited us to see Maine with your ‘gang’.”

Yet more praise and photos from Vivian Hinderscheid of Plymouth, MA, “Thank you for all the effort you put into Spring Time in Savannah….I’m sure Bert and I will be traveling again with your group.”

Carol Tomasello of Sharon, MA writes, “We just wanted to thank you all for a great trip to Wash., DC. We had a blast and all the arrangements and accommodations were tip-top.”

Tom and Mary Stephens have been making tracks all over the US: postcards arrived from the Folkston Tunnel in Georgia, the Tennessee Valley RR and Chattanooga Station in TN, and the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL You might say they are railfans.

More railfans! Gerry Brauninger of Peabody, MA sent a photo of a Guilford RR train ready to depart Salem, MA yard. “We had a very successful chase that day.” “This is the last local branchline freight on the North Shore.” Photo by Richard Symmes of Beverly, MA

More good memories from Ruth Sherwood of Elkridge, MD. “My husband Paul and I will never forget where we were on July 4, 1985! On the Durango and Silverton Railroad…..on the MVRS trip out West. ….How glad we are that we joined you on the trip!.....Each arrival of the Waybill cheers us when reading of upcoming trips. We’ll be thinking of you October 22-24 when you are not too far away on your Allegheny Adventure.”

We are always glad to hear from our western members Ron and Marcia Schorn of College Station, TX. “Just a note and some photos to let you folks know that we are keeping up with railroading – and to make you jealous about experiencing REALLY BIG STEAM POWER. UP No. 844 steamed through here recently.” Ron supervises maintenance of this 4-8-4 Heavy Mountain loco. Note chromed cylinder heads, elephant ears, squeaky appearance, and…..MVRS jacket!

We wish Volunteer Jennie Ryan of Hyde Park a complete recovery from her recent knee surgery.

We send sincere condolences to James Andrews of Weymouth on the passing of his father.

Thanks to all who have written. We love to receive your mail.

Please write and tell us about your news and interesting events. We will put you in our “gossip” column.

In Memoriam:

Member Walter E. Ross III, of Cambridge, 55 years, on August 2, 2010, lost his battle with cancer. He and his long-time companion Joan Ventre came on many MVRS trips.

He liked to write essays, often on philosophy. May he rest in peace.