Thursday Doors – Railroad Doors

History, New England Life, Thursday Doors 90 comments
Main doors to the station.

If I know my regular readers, they’ve been expecting this post. Initially, I thought I’d hang on to it until winter and surprise you with a blast from the past set of bright sunny summer doors. I can’t. I just can’t. I see these photos in my folders and I just want to share them.

I am pretty sure that I’m not the only blogger who struggles with wanting to write a blog post about an event or a place, but also wanting to show off the door photos that were collected. It’s made even harder now that our loved ones, our friends and even some of our coworkers are looking out for doors for us. Each significant visit generates two posts. The good news is that, since the story about New England Railway Museum was recently told, I can let you off the hook with way less than 800 words today.

Thursday Doors is the fun weekly blogfest of the Frampton Montreal Railroad (FMRR). Participation is not limited to railroad doors, or even North American doors. FMRR and its benevolent host, Norm Frampton welcome doors of all types, shapes and sizes from all points on the planet. Run your locomotive to FMRR’s main yard. Step onto the platform and look for the blue frog. Before you click that tadpole, step into the station and give a look at Norm’s doors. You won’t be sorry.

I’ve done my best to explain the museum building and rolling stock in the photos. If you’re interested, click on any photo in the gallery to start a slideshow and see the full caption. If you’re in a hurry, the collage should give you a good idea of why I had a wonderful day on Father’s Day. I know there are a lot of photos today, but I eliminated a lot of the ones I had. Thanks for reading.

Thomaston Station. Beautifully restored and home to the Naugatuck Railroad
Union Caboose stove.
The Union Caboose
That’s the Canadian National heavyweight coach that we would be riding in soon.
Wooden boxcar on display
The main door to the snow plow
This is quite the snow plow. I’m trying to imagine how the snow would blow off the sides of this monster.
Boston and Maine metal boxcar.
Not sure what these tiny access doors on the snow plow lead to, but they’re pretty cute.
This passenger car needs a little TLC.
Some of the rolling stock is awaiting restoration, but it’s still beautiful.
Maybe a little more than a little TLC…
We didn’t pass too many doors on our trip, but I managed to capture these.
At the end of our coach was the doors for to the next coach.
Boston and Maine boxcar and a Portland Terminal 198 Crane
Inside the station
Door to the Boston and Maine Engine that I got to sit in and pretend to be running.
This old door caught my attention. Buttoned up for now, but I’m guessing it will roll again.
The restrooms were made to look like a passenger car.
About to enter, we had to stop for a couple of quick pics
My host for the afternoon.
Some of the rolling stock on display was open to be toured.
Inside the caboose. Yes, I climbed up into the spaces on the left.

90 comments

  2. Wow. These shots are so cool. There is something about trains that brings out the little boy so many of us.You have chosen so many interesting angles and varied distances that the collection holds our interest from start to finish. Have you considered a soundtrack for your Thursday postings? I would suggest, “Light My Fire,” sung appropriately by the Doors.

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  3. I’ll let the link speak for itself ;)

    Is it just me, or is the word ‘caboose’ as cute as the little car that used to bring up the rear?
    Faith certainly hit a home run with this Father’s Day surprise!

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    1. I agree about ‘caboose’. In the town where I grew up, they turned the railroad station into a library and they restored a caboose as a children’s library! Thanks for the sound effects! Whooooohoo!

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      2. They restored a caboose as a children’s library?? When #4 Daughter was little, we had a town-building toy with a railroad, and she was all, “This isn’t a COMMUNITY! It doesn’t have a LIBRARY! So she made the caboose the library, and the engine the Bookmobile. She and I were just talking about that a couple of days ago. :D

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  4. What a great place to visit and explore! Thanks for taking me with you. Ever since I was a child (and trains were much more prevalent), I’ve always liked cabooses because of their cupolas. I also love that old stove and the station doors. Great restoration job! Happy Thursday, Dan.

    janet

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    1. I’m so glad I chose to use the close-up of that, instead of the broad shot of that end of the station, that includes the stove. I just love the detail they put into old cast iron objects.

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  6. Lovely selection of photos, Dan. The stove is fab, it must have been so cosy with that lit. We’re looking out for an old cast iron stove for our house at the moment. The detail on some of them is amazing.

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  7. Even I, who have little interest in trains and NO interest in ever riding one in America again, love these photos. The close-up of the wooden boxcar made me think of my grandfather, who rode the rails during the Depression and had a couple of stories about it. I think my favorite door in this bunch is the solo at the beginning of the post. That’s just all kindsa beautiful.

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    1. I really like the station doors, but I like the wooden boxcar. I think of people like your grandfather and it just makes me smile. I have mucho (or is that mooocho) interest in riding trains in this country.

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  8. What an awesome way to spend your Father’s Day.
    I’m not as big a fan of trains as you, but I do appreciate their historical and technological value, and that old-time stove is pretty cool too. Always nice when older stuff gets a new lease on life.
    Fun post Dan :-D

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  11. That visit was beyond awesome for the train-loving father. The snow plow is so cool and I also wish I could see it in action, especially trying to get through more than 6″ of snow. It must be a crazy, wondrous site!

    So, Dan, you’ve done Thursday door posts about crane doors and railroad doors. What’s next?

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    1. What’s next? More trains and more cranes, of course. It’s my recent observation that hospital doors are pretty boring. I will be featuring some doors I am building, but that won’t be for many weeks.

      It would be so much fun to see that snow plow working the rails.

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  12. It seems your trip was a pictorial trove of locomotive treasures! Well done! :) All of them are great, but it’s the old ones, the ones you say caught your attention or need TLC that have my highest regard. Love the colors and textures from the metals rusted-out like that.
    I photographed some train stuff with you in mind last week. Sadly, I questioned whether to get the cast iron stove thingy and didn’t, but I think you’ll still like the ones I did get.

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    1. Thanks! I almost didn’t include the close-up of the stove. I had way too many pictures and I was trying to cut some (really, I was). I couldn’t decide between the close-up and the station room where you can see the stove, but not the details. Looks like I made the right choice. I’m looking forward to seeing your train stuff :)

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  13. What a great Father’s Day this must have been! I love that Caboose stove, and the word Caboose. It’s silly and just makes me smile.
    That bathroom looked fancy on the outside, and The Boston and Maine Engine was really nice, but I like old train engines, and black and white combos on just about anything I’m a fan of. :)

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    1. Thanks Deborah. I was sad when they began to remove the caboose from trains. That stove made my day. I’d love to have that to heat my workshop. I like the red wooden boxcar and, of course, the crane.

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  14. Trains AND doors? Dan, you must have been downright giddy! :D I enjoyed having a look inside the caboose. I’m with Joanne about “caboose” — it’s just fun to say. Just like chimichanga, or baba ganoush, or Apalachicola! Thanks for the smiles. Have a thriving Thursday.

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  17. Great subject Dan! Love trains, because there was a time I went daily by train to school and after that weekly to a college for art teachers (all education here in Holland is separated for art, from languages, science, etc.). So, for me it’s as familiar as my favorite coffee place.
    Fortunately I don’t have to struggle with my inner circle wanting to see my posts, because no one is interested in blogging – to them it’s an old-fashioned thing, before FB, instagram and other social media.Thanks for your your comment on my blog about the sand -more noticed that one:)

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    1. Facebook and the other platforms all have a place but I like WordPress. I like where the writer has control over what to share and whim to share it with. I only took a train daily for a little while. I loved it, but it just didn’t work.

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      1. Commuting by train takes a lot of energy – I was a teen then:)
        I came from Blogspot to WordPress a few years ago, because I did not agree with the privacy (even in the name of “business’) that I saw slowly disappearing,

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  19. The passenger car may need some TLC but it sure makes an artistic shot, doesn’t it? Let’s hope Amtrak gets the funding it needs to keep going. (sorry for the political statement.)

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  28. I like what a big kid you are, Dan! Climbing into those tight spaces above and how the grin probably stayed on your face way past time to be driving home. :) Faith is such a wonderful daughter!
    Those tiny, rusty doors in the “plow car” are really cool!

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  29. Ah, the welcome sight of trains. All we need is the sound. Wait! Joanne Sisco appears to have attended to that need. Having both grandfathers, both parents, two uncles and a brother working around trains I’m very much at home with them. As I am with your post. A door to delight.

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  32. Frampton? You mean like Peter Frampton? “Do you … DO! … feel like I do?” That’ll be running through my head the rest of the day now. Which is a good thing, I might add. Good pics, Dan!

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