From THE VILLAGE DISPATCH, newsletter of the Boothbay Railway
Village, Spring 1988:

"In 1835 a seed was planted by the Maine legislature ... Why not
build a railroad from some place on the Maine coast to Quebec? 
With the St. Lawrence Seaway closed to shipping almost six months
a year because of ice, a railroad to the coast would liberate this
stranded area.  Goods from Canada coming to Maine and vice versa
would bring Maine an economic boost and most certainly benefit the
entire province of Quebec.

"... In 1854, a charter was granted to what eventually became the
Wiscasset and Quebec Railroad Co. [later absorbed into the
Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railroad Co.]. ... In February
of 1895, the first trains were run from Wiscasset to Weeks Mills." 

Narrow gauge railroads, or "two-footers" as they are sometimes
called, were very popular in Maine from 1880 through the mid
1930's.  Nowhere else were the two-footers used more -- at one
time, 215 miles of track were in operation.  The main reason for
the popularity of the two-footers was the economy of construction
and operation: about one-fifth the cost of a standard gauge
railroad.

The most well-known portion of this operation, and the only portion
with oceanfront trackage, was the 44-mile Wiscasset, Waterville and
Farmington Railway.  The WW&F, founded in 1894, served the areas
from Wiscasset to Albion, Maine.  Once called the "Milky Way"
because of the dairy products it carried, the WW&F was also a prime
mover of lumber, potatoes, and people in the Sheepscot Valley until
finally succumbing to the Great Depression.

The "end of the line" for the WW&F came on June 15, 1933, when
Engine No. 8 left the iron at Whitefield.  It was never re-railed,
and subsequently scrapped in 1937, along with the remaining track
and equipment.

***************

The Boothbay Railway Village operates the only steam-powered narrow
gauge train in Maine.  The one-and-one-half-mile ride on the
Boothbay Central is a re-creation of earlier railroads such as the
WW&F.  In addition, the Railway Village boasts an interpretive
photographic exhibit of the Maine narrow gauge railroads.  This
exhibit is the only such collection of artifacts and photos
depicting the unique history of Maine's two-footers.

The visitor's guide to the Railway Village carries the following
information on the locomotive used on their ride:

BUILT -- 
     1938 in Kassel, Germany, by Henschel and Sohn, Ltd.
FUEL --
     bituminous coal, run of the mine, 2" x 4"
WORKING STEAM PRESSURE --
     100 lbs/sq. inch
BORE --
     8-5/8 inches
STROKE --
     11-13/16 inches
AVERAGE RPM --
     67
HORSEPOWER --
     60
DIAMETER OF DRIVERS --
     24-2/4 inches
SERVICEABLE WEIGHT --
     20,000 pounds

These European locomotives were used as short run and switching
engines.  The 0-4-0 wheel design creates side-to-side oscillations
which is reflected in a slightly bumpy ride.