Snowy Sheepscot Yard. Here's an unusual view of the WW&F Museum's Sheepscot Yard, taken during the annual Victorian Christmas event. The snow cover in the yard is about 12-15". You are looking north from the eastern-most stall of the Sheepscot shop building. During the warmer months, Locomotive #10 lives in this stall. In the foreground, #10 has just begun backing north in anticipation of the arrival of a diesel-powered passenger train. After the train arrives, #10 will switch on to the main line and couple to the north end of that train, while the diesel uncouples at the south end. The wooden structure just outside the shop on the left is a wood rack, which holds kindling used for firing up steam engines. In the distance, the large structure painted a couple of shades of green is the museum's water tank. That facility is operating this day, but will be drained shortly, after #10 takes water for the last time. Water tanks in the northeast were often enclosed like this one so they could be heated with stoves. The WW&F currently does not heat this tank as they do not operate steam after Christmas. Finally, just to the left of the water tank, the tiny figure of a lonely Switchman can be seen. He's standing guard over the north switch. Once the passenger train arrives, he'll line the switches to allow #10 to take the main and move in behind the train.
