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7/1/2025
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Viewing Album:  The Eagle Lake & West Branch
 
By:David Larrabee
Dates:7/25/2013 - 7/25/2013
Album Info:This photo series gives the viewer a glimpse of the current state of the Eagle Lake & West Branch RR burried in the debths of the North Maine Woods adjacent to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. I won't go into much of the detail here. A google search on the EL&WB will yield historical perspective. Sufice to say a short RR was built in the 1920s to link Eagle Lake with the West Branch of the Penobscot River to move pulp wood from 1 water shed to another for the Great Northern Paper company. Two - ready for the scrapper - locomotives and 60 cars were dragged from the CN just across the Maine boarder 30 or 40 miles into the Maine wilderness. The RR operated into the start of the depression when it concluded operation. The 60 cars, in two strings, are still setting on two parallel sidings along with the locomotives on the remains of the engine house lead. The yard consisted of a Y, storage tracks, & engine house. An impressive local effor was launched a few years ago which placed 8000 odd pails of crushed stone under the locomotives to keep them from sinking into the ground. The stone was brought in on snow-mobiles. /DL
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Locomotive storage lead switch stand
Title:  Locomotive storage lead switch stand
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:42:17 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  239   Comments: 0
Rail joint
Title:  Rail joint
Description:  I looked for markings on the rail but found none. (I didnt look very hard, there was so much to see). It looked to be about 60 pound. In really wet places the remains of cedar ties were evident. /DL
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:42:29 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  213   Comments: 0
Switch stand
Title:  Switch stand
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:42:39 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  190   Comments: 0
Don't need a key for this one
Title:  Don't need a key for this one
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:42:49 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  1060   Comments: 0
Looking toward the main line
Title:  Looking toward the main line
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:43:00 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  187   Comments: 0
Truck
Title:  Truck
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:43:12 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  224   Comments: 1
Northeasterly Y switch
Title:  Northeasterly Y switch
Description:  The switch frog is in the foreground & the switch stand is in the distance thru the trees to the left. This view is to the northeast looking down the two storage sidings. /DL
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:43:26 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  185   Comments: 0
Pulp wood car trucks
Title:  Pulp wood car trucks
Description:  Most of the wood rotted away years ago. Pairs of trucks set where they are still coupled together. /DL
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:43:40 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  234   Comments: 0
Made in. Albany
Title:  Made in. Albany
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:43:49 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  152   Comments: 0
Jumble of steel
Title:  Jumble of steel
Description:  This scene was repeated all up 'n down the storage sidings./ /DL
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:43:59 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  190   Comments: 0
Storage sidings
Title:  Storage sidings
Description:  Looking NE up the storage sidings between two strings of freight cars. Between the cars were a narrow path littered with car parts and undergrowth. /DL
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:44:10 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  173   Comments: 0
Still coupled
Title:  Still coupled
Description:  On a few cars remains of the wooden structure remain.
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:44:20 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  203   Comments: 0
2-8-0 thru the woods
Title:  2-8-0 thru the woods
Description:  Viewed from the freight car storage sidings.
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:44:33 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  251   Comments: 0
EL&WB
Title:  EL&WB
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:49:55 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  213   Comments: 0
Parts, parts scattered everywhere
Title:  Parts, parts scattered everywhere
Description:  80 or so years of visitors to this site have scattered steel parts all over the site. Here are a stake pocket and 'put-put' car wheel.
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:50:03 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  196   Comments: 0
EL&WB #1
Title:  EL&WB #1
Description:  The locomotives have been stabalized for the time being, however the oxidation process is well underway. All over this wilderness are boilers, and steam engine parts for ships as well as stationary lower plants. The following info is from Les Beckman via Tom Travis: "According to J. David Conrad and his books, the 2-8-0 was number 2 on the Eagle Lake & West Branch after being built as LS&MS #780, later # 5780. The later number carried over to the NYC. The Ten-Wheeler was EL&WB # 1. She was built as CH&W #109, then Chicago Jct. # 109, IHB 109/115/15, Potato Creek #8 and then Grasse River # 63. This info should be credited to J. David." /DL
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:50:15 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives:  ELWB 1(4-6-0)
Views:  933   Comments: 4
EL&WB
Title:  EL&WB
Description:  I'm told that these originated from the NYC and Vermont Central via a scrap dealer.
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:50:24 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  511   Comments: 1
EL&WB #2
Title:  EL&WB #2
Description:  The story goes that in season the operations out of this terminal ran 24n7 often with both locomotives doing the duty. The following info is from Les Beckman via Tom Travis: "According to J. David Conrad and his books, the 2-8-0 was number 2 on the Eagle Lake & West Branch after being built as LS&MS #780, later # 5780. The later number carried over to the NYC. The Ten-Wheeler was EL&WB # 1. She was built as CH&W #109, then Chicago Jct. # 109, IHB 109/115/15, Potato Creek #8 and then Grasse River # 63. This info should be credited to J. David." /DL
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:50:32 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives:  ELWB 2(2-8-0)
Views:  740   Comments: 1
EL & WB
Title:  EL & WB
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:56:58 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  146   Comments: 0
EL & WB
Title:  EL & WB
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:57:07 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  208   Comments: 0
EL & WB
Title:  EL & WB
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:57:16 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  148   Comments: 0
EL & WB
Title:  EL & WB
Description:  Knuckle to knuckle
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:57:24 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  176   Comments: 0
EL & WB
Title:  EL & WB
Description:  Cars the the left, cas to the right.
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:57:35 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  155   Comments: 0
EL & WB
Title:  EL & WB
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:57:44 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  171   Comments: 0
EL & WB
Title:  EL & WB
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 5:57:54 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  201   Comments: 0
EL & WB
Title:  EL & WB
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 6:03:28 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  153   Comments: 0
EL & WB
Title:  EL & WB
Description:  Some switched had points & some didn't. The harp for this one is laying on the ground beyond the switch.
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 6:03:37 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  188   Comments: 0
In the 'big cut' on the EL & WB
Title:  In the 'big cut' on the EL & WB
Description:  Looking south down the main line standing on the switch for the Y. The yard is over the camera's left shoulder.
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 6:03:46 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  249   Comments: 1
EL & WB
Title:  EL & WB
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 6:03:58 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  219   Comments: 0
End of the line
Title:  End of the line
Description:  Once one of the engine house leads.
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 6:04:09 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  180   Comments: 0
Car Inspector
Title:  Car Inspector
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 6:04:20 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  195   Comments: 0
Bettendorf
Title:  Bettendorf
Description: 
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 6:04:29 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  300   Comments: 0
CP Montreal
Title:  CP Montreal
Description:  The freight cars came from all over, at least the castings did.
Photo Date:  7/25/2013  Upload Date: 7/26/2013 6:04:39 PM
Location:  Eagle Lake, ME
Author:  David Larrabee
Categories:  RollingStock,Yard,Steam,Track
Locomotives: 
Views:  196   Comments: 2

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