The new/old Waumbek Tank. Approximately 1 mile from Marshfield Station, and 1,000 vertical feet higher, we find Waumbek Tank.....or more properly, Waumbek Station. Throughout the history of the railroad, there has been a water tank here, as the locomotive tenders have never been large enough to carry the 1,000 gallons of water that it takes to make the summit. But until recent, this was only a water stop. Today, with the railroad pretty much running year-round, a small "station" of sorts has also been established here, and is the destination for wintertime trains which do not go to the summit....mainly because the weather there is truly hazardous in the winter. In recent years, the railroad has built a few small structures here, such as shelter/warming huts, benches, and fire pits. Yeah, the winter trip is a bit sporty, but for adventurous folks who would like just a taste of what it is like on "The Rockpile", it can be an interesting experience. In the past year or two, the railroad has also started using a ski-slope groomer to groom the ROW, so REALLY adventurous folks can actually ski down it, if they like.
At the beginning of my caption, I refer to the new/old Waumbek Tank. That's because the railroad has recently rebuilt the base for this tank. Not only did they make it significantly stronger, but they moved it back from the track just a bit, so it is no longer a hazard to folks who may have their mitts outside the coach windows. As I understand it, they did salvage most of the original tank itself, and of course the sign, so it retains much of its historical fabric. The fact that the railroad has spent the resources to rebuild this structure is a good sign with regard to the future of steam here. That and the addition of a 3rd daily steam run means that steam fans can still come here and enjoy summit rides the way they used to be.
Historically, I believe that there were 4 total tanks on this 3.1 mile line. One at the Base Station, this one here at Waumbek, another one at the beginning of the "Homestretch" called "Gulf Tank", and one at the summit. Again, the tender size pretty much drove the need for 4 tanks. Today, the steam engine tenders are as large as they have ever been and hold about 750 gallons of water. Therefore, the Gulf and Summit Tanks are long gone. There is still a tank at the Base Station, but my recent observation is that it is no longer used. Given the time span between steam trips, the railroad usually services the train below Marshfield, and watering is done with a hose. Incidentally, I am also told that the water, which comes from the Ammonoosuc River nearby, is so clean, that no boiler treatments are ever needed here.
