I was at Edaville a few weeks ago. I spent some time near the BBQ area. I noticed a track that splits from the main, continues right along this area (protected by a fence)crosses a street, then gets lost in the grass. Is this the Cut-Across track that comes out by Eda Ave. When was this track last used? Have any revenue trains every gone down it as part of a rare-mileage thing?

Yes, this track you refer to was at one time in the early days of Edaville, the old main line. It is currently disconected as a switch formerly used to access the yard lead (to both the loading ramp and the screen house) was removed last year to create the new loop track that branches off the current main line at Cranberry Valley.

The last regular use of the track you speak off was by the "Pine Grove Flyer". This was a childrens ride over the length of the old main from the barbeque area to the end of the line at Eastman's Flume. I believe this ride was offered for one season only and was around 2000 or 2001. A small battery operated Cushman scooter (converted to two foot gage) was coupled to a custom built (minature Edaville colored yellow and green) open excursion car. I observed the "Pine Grove Flyer" in use many times with occupants smiling and waving to passengers on the regular Edaville train when the two would meet at the Eastman Flume switch.

Another (not so recent) use of the track you mention, was when volunteers moved much of the old Edaville rolling stock out for loading on antique trucks for the haul to Portland, Maine in 2003. At one time, there was a sizeable network of tracks that led to the west gable end of the brick screen house building (now known as Ellis' Playhouse) where engines were quartered in the late 1940's. There was also a siding that led up to a loading door on the front of the screen house building. As a kid back in the mid - 1960's, I used to enjoy pushing a small two foot gage pushcar up and down all of the tracks in the barbeque area. Along with other neighborhood kids, we'd spend hours pushing the car up to the top of the grade by the screen house, and then coasting down the line.