A Bridgton man is trying to bring narrow gauge rail back to town, and this week one rail car made a return.

Bill Shelley brought a second piece of Bridgton’s past back home Tuesday, and with it he hopes comes a view into the town’s future.

Shelley is a longtime train lover and railroad artifact collector from Bridgton who hopes to bring narrow gauge rail back to his hometown, where it ran until 1941. This week, he took another step toward his goal, depositing a turn of the century tank car, “Standard Oil of New York” emblazoned on the side, in front of the Portland Road office of the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce.

There, it joins another car, circa 1883, both built originally in Bridgton, and both previously stored on the tracks near Portland’s Narrow Gauge Museum, which has worked with Shelley, 61, to move the cars back to their place of birth, starting with the first car in August of last year. The cars are now together in Bridgton, on display to help draw attention to Shelley’s plan to create a short track through town to showcase Bridgton’s history, and capitalize on the fervor of other train enthusiasts.

“The more people see things progress, the more people are apt to get behind this,” said Shelley, who hatched his idea in the early 90s, and thinks it could be a real draw. “I would dare say it would be an economic boon, not just to Bridgton but for all of the Lakes Region.”

Shelley’s proposal is to bring back, in some smaller form, the Bridgton and Saco River railroad that went from Harrison to North Bridgton in the first half of the last century. From 1930-41, it also ran from Bridgton to Bridgton Junction, with the original railroad station in the spot that is now Bridgton Memorial School. His vision has the train taking passengers through Bridgton, perhaps stopping in the downtown area, where they can shop, eat and otherwise enjoy the town.

The Bridgton and Saco River tracks were long ago pulled up, and the rail beds have mostly been converted to other uses. Laying new tracks, with right of way and zoning issues and land acquisition, will be a challenge.

But Shelley’s dream is starting to gain steam. As well as partnering with the Chamber to help publicize the project, Shelley has the ear of Alan Manoian, the town’s economic and community development director, and the man charged with reinvigorating Bridgton’s downtown.

To compete with other areas for the attention of corporations and industry, Bridgton has to attract a young, vibrant workforce, Manoian said. To attract these young and skilled workers, he said, the town has to offer a certain energy, one that comes by embracing art and culture, one that makes residents feel excited and aware, one that brings and keeps them in the town center.

“Bridgton is really going to start embracing a state of place,” said Manoian. “What you are talking about is harmony and quality of life.”

Part of that, he said, is redoing the town’s sidewalks, squares and parks to create a certain feel. Part of it is maintaining and attracting the kinds of shops, restaurants and other sites that will keep downtown open and attractive past 5 p.m.

And part of it is capitalizing on heritage tourism, drawing people to an area because of what is unique about an area’s past and how that history relates to the present.

The rail project fits perfectly with the last part, said Manoian and Shelley. They can see a time when Bridgton’s narrow gauge rail is packaged and promoted with Portland’s narrow gauge museum and the standard gauge excursion ride offered in North Conway, N.H.

“You’ve got a real fan’s weekend,” said Shelley.

A national heritage transportation area could even be created, Manoian said.

“We tie it all together and we start to market it nationally and internationally,” he said.

If Tuesday’s occasion is any indication, the plan could work. A number of people showed up to see the rail car arrive, including Karen Valentine of Bath, who was vacationing in Bridgton.

“My oldest son is a huge train fan, so I thought I’d come down here and get some pictures,” she said. People who love trains tend to love them a lot, Valentine said. “They’re pretty dedicated, too.”

For now, the focus shifts to raising money for the project. The “Return to the Rails” group will soon be a nonprofit organization, and there are rail-centric prints now for sale at the Chamber office, and soon through a national train enthusiast Web site, Shelley said.

Excitement is starting to build, judging from the help he has received from around the community, Shelley said. Ricky’s Diner paid for the sign that adorns the first car, and a local sawmill made the rail ties that form the short track in front of the Chamber.

“Bridgton needs to take on something very ambitious like this,” said Manoian. “I think the time might be right for something like this.”

Bill Shelley, a longtime train lover and railroad artifact collector from Bridgton, is heading an effort to bring narrow gauge rail back to his hometown. This week, he helped bring an old narrow gauge tank car to town, placing it in front of the Portland Road office of the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, where he hopes it will draw attention to his pet project. (Ben Bragdon photo)