Following the Main Stem: Farmington to Strong

Just north of Farmington is the other covered bridge on the SR&RL -- and in this case the tracks run on top of the bridge rather than through it.  But, the principle is still the same, to protect the support timbers from water, ice, and snow.  This structure spans what is often called Baker Stream, but is properly known as Barker Brook.

Fairbanks, Milepost 2.9

The small station (scratchbuilt) is the only prototypical structure here.  The connected house and barn is a classic structure, from a kit by Mount Blue Models.  There was a similar, although somewhat larger structure at Fairbanks, but I believe that it was on the other side of the tracks.

The dogs, you will notice, are not doing a very good job guarding the hen house:

Potato houses were common along the Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington, but not so much along the SR&RL. Still, it is a classic Maine structure, one that is associated with the two-footers, and I could not resist building and displaying the fine kit from, available from RS Laser Kits:

Next Stop: Maplewood, Milepost 7.1

The station, built from the Portland Locomotive Works kit:

And the same station, set in place on the layout (note the Forster Mill, in Strong, in the left background):

Below, on the left, is the gate that allows access to the area behind Strong in the adjacent room -- the Forster Mill is clearly visible. Coming out of Strong, toward the viewer, is the branch to Kingfield -- it exits off of the center left of the photo, on its way to Starbird's Mill, off of the left edge of the photo.  Below it, the track that will come off of the left edge of the gate is the line from Farmington north to Strong.  It goes into a wholly unprototypical tunnel, exiting at South Strong. Off of the right edge of the gate will be the track from Strong south toward Farmington. Maplewood will be located at the far right edge of the photo.  In the right-hand photo is the same basic scene, with scenery added. The turnout in front of the Maplewood station leads to the potato warehouse at Fairbanks.  The distance between Fairbanks and Maplewood is the closest of that between any two towns on the layout -- about five feet. It is a bit off-putting, but there was no other possible way to make everything fit -- and, because I had already built the Portland Locomotive Works model of the Maplewood passenger shelter, there was no way that I was going to leave it off of the layout!

South Strong, Milepost 8.0

Aside from the tunnel, the track layout and small passenger shelter at South Strong is very similar to the prototype.  Also unprotypical are the tracks on the upper level -- the F&M main line to Kingfield and the siding for Starbird;s Mill.  This is the only significant grade on the layout, at about one percent -- both on the main line northbound into Strong and on the F&M coming  up out of Strong toward Starbird's.

As we approach Strong, here is an engineman's view through the hole in the basement wall.

Speaking of Strong, that's our next stop!

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