Did you ever get a reply to your query? I just noticed it now. I co-authored a book on the Narrow Gauge back in 1980. A newer publication was written by other authors in 2002, but some of the information in it is wrong. Both books used to be available from the Boston Street Railway Association in Boston. I think they have a web site that may take inquiries. Do you live in the Boston area? The main thing to know for your diorama is that up until 1929, the line was operated by steam locomotives. After that year, steam was abandoned, and the coaches they forerly hauled were equipped with electric motors. Electric wires were strung overhead, and the line spent its last 11 years as an electric railway. Hope this doesn't get to you to late to be of interest.

Greetings:

Mister L . . . Is that you?

Are you still out in the Bay area building 12-inch to the Foot scale electric transit (light rail) full size dioramas?

It is I . . . R.S. the other person involved with that 1980 Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn Railroad book.

Tentatively producing an updated edition on that same subject but with a different title.

Drop along an Email when possible. Should be able to get it via this board. Will be good to hear from you again.

Hey, Bob: Yeah, it's me. Good to hear from you. Let me know if you need anything for the updated edition.

Greetings Bill:

Glad to have made contact.



Bob

I appreciate your reply. Work continues on the B,RB,&L diorama and I wonder if you would have an interest in advising me? It will be composed of 7 modules covering the distance between Jeffries Point and Market Street in Lynn. The year is 1895. The Market Street module is the first and is currently about 75% complete. Todd Gieg

That's exciting news! I would love to speak further with you about both our projects, if that is of interest to you. Todd Gieg

Hello, Greg: I think your best option is to contact Bob ("winnisimmet"), the other person who responded to you. He's pretty much the expert on the railroad. I know more about the Winthrop Loop, which was off the mainline. I can tell you that in 1895, the railroad was in the midst of relocating its mainline from along the shore in Revere to a point about a block further west, away from the waves. Moreover, the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) was revamping the beach and tearing down the shanty town that had developed there. The bandstand and canopied seating areas that I believe are still there were built by the MDC at this time. If you were to choose this area as one of your segments, you could either show the old alignment along the edge of the beach, the new alignment a block inland, or the transition period when the new alignment was in use by the railroad but a single track of the old was being utilized by the MDC for work trains to haul sand. If you don't already have it, try to find a copy of the Narrow Gauge book that Bob and I wrote in 1980, as it has lots of illustrations that can guide your dioramas. There was also a Narrow Gauge book published in 2002 by Liljestrand and Sweetland that has many of the same photos. It's probably a lot easier to find.

Bob,
May I ask in which town you currently live and if I might meet with you at some point to discuss the Narrow Gauge and the diorama on which I'm working? Todd

Hello:

Not located in New England, but the mid-Atlantic region. Do manage to get up to New Hampshire and now n' then Boston every few months.

What scale are you working in? Also, which period? The 1875 era BRB&L, early 20th Century and then 1930s "Narrow Gauge" railroad were different operations in not only right-of-way location but motive power.

I wanted to include the entire run from Lynn to East Boston so I'm in HO in order to keep the size under control. My intention is to build seven modules, 4'X4'...Lynn, West Lynn, Point of Pines, Revere Beach, Orient Heights, Wood Island and Jeffries Point. The year is 1895. I chose that because I love the idea of the trains running close to the beach in Revere and because I wanted to model the shanty town look of Crescent Beach before the makeover. I couldn't find any Mason Bogies in that scale so I have a couple of Fourneys instead. If you wanted you could give me a heads up before your next visit to boston. The Diorama as it is completed bit by bit will be on display at the Lynn Museum. My email address is toddgieg@comcast.net. If you would like to email me yours I would love to send you photos of the Lynn module in its current state. Todd