The Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway is celebrating its 35th year in preservation. Since 1989, the preserved Railway has grown from an ambitious dream and a single building on Cross Road in Alna, to one of the nation’s foremost heritage railways: a reconstruction of the narrow gauge railroad which served the Sheepscot Valley until 1933.

All of this work has been achieved through the generous labor of our volunteers. They are the ones who have taken the dream and turned it into reality. Today’s WW&F Railway, much like the railway of 100 years ago, is a unique conveyance to vibrant attractions, like SeaLyon Farm and Midcoast Concervancy’s Trout Brook Preserve. We’re looking for volunteers of all ages, skills, and interests to join us in continuing our quest to “Rebuild Maine History.”

You may be surprised to learn that your particular skills are exactly what is needed to help grow and shape the Railway as we look towards our fourth decade. Love teaching? Passionate about woodworking? Interested in learning something new? Fascinated by archival work? Excited about event planning? These are just some of the many examples of ways you might be able to lend a hand.

On Saturday, Sept. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. the WW&F Railway will be holding a Volunteer Recruitment Day at the Railway’s base of operations at 97 Cross Road. The day will begin at 10 with a guided “behind the scenes” tour of the Railway’s Sheepscot Campus. Then, at 11:30, it's “All Aboard” for a trip aboard the train to see what the experience is all about. We may even stop to engage in a small project along the way. After we return to Sheepscot, you’ll have the opportunity to check in with coordinators of different aspects of the railway to learn more about volunteer opportunities that might be of interest to you. We’ll conclude by 2:30.

Refreshments will be available throughout the day, and lunch will be available at 11. Simply show up or visit wwfry.org/volunteer for more information.