Mini-railroad Considering Options Because of Defeat in Gray Polls

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Donnie Carroll, Executive Director of Narrow Gauge Railroad said Education Campaign is Underway

Donnie Carroll, Executive Director of the Narrow Gauge Railroad

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 2,619)

Donnie Carroll, executive director of the mini-railroad on the Portland waterfront, said  that Gray voters turned down a proposal to donate $500,000. to assist in the relocation of the railroad to Gray in yesterdays November 8th election.

The non-profit Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. &  Museum has been trying to move to Gray for many years now and has been involved in an intense fund raising effort to make that happen – millions of dollars are needed to relocate the former Edaville Railroad from South Carver, MA. to a piece of  wooded property behind the Gray Shopping Center.  This move has been necessitated by the purchase of the property on which it is currently located – 58  Fore Street – by Jim Brady who anticipates a development on that location that would preclude this mini- railroad facility.

The Board will meet tomorrow to discuss next steps and how it can pursue its goals in Gray.  The two-footers arrived at the Portland Company complex around 1992 as a project of a group of rail fans led by Phineas Sprague, Jr., former owner of the property.