Maine's Ten National Register of Historic Places Electric Railway Vehicles at Seashore Trolley Museum

The "Mother Car" of all trolley museums in the world,

 Biddeford & Saco Railroad Company No. 31. was built in 1900

by the J. G. Brill Company in Philadelphia, PA, Car 31

is a double-truck open car that carries 60 passengers and has

been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since

1980. Nine other historic Maine railway vehicles join

Car 31 is on the NRHP list and is all held in public trust at

Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine.

In addition, Car 31 became a Save America's Treasures

Project in 2000. Photo courtesy of Dan Vardaro.

Car 31 in Old Orchard Beach. Collection of Charles Duncan

at STM.

     In 2019, Seashore Trolley Museum will celebrate its 80th Anniversary! July 5, 1939, was the day that Seashore's creators paid a deposit of $108 for Car 31 to Mr. Stride, the general manager of the Biddeford & Saco Railroad Company. The balance of $42 was paid a few days later. Car 31 is recognized as the first electric railway vehicle acquired by private individuals specifically to start an electric railway museum. Car 31 arrived at what were the original 10 acres (of what would become Seashore Trolley Museum) in North Kennebunkport on July 15, 1939. That original car sitting on ten acres did not remain alone very long. Over the past 79 years, the number of mass transit vehicles and related equipment has grown to include more than 200 electric railway vehicles, 60 buses, more than a dozen trackless trolleys, and transit-related buildings, all on a campus that has a little over 300 contiguous acres in three communities (Kennebunkport, Arundel, and Biddeford).

Car 31 at its new home in North Kennebunkport in the fall

of 1939. It wouldn't be alone for very long. STM

     This blog post will speak specifically to the collection of historic Maine railway vehicles on the campus of the Seashore Trolley Museum. 

Maine Railway Equipment Listed on the National Register

1939 (Acquired) - No. 31 - Biddeford and Saco Railroad Company

• 1900, 12-Bench Open by J. G. Brill Company, Philadelphia, PA
• National Register of Historic Places - #198011148000262 in 1980
• Official Project of Save America's Treasures in 2000
• The first trolley/streetcar preserved by a private organization for museum purposes worldwide
• One of the last open trolley cars to operate in regular service in Maine
• The only surviving original railway vehicle from the Biddeford & Saco Railroad Company

Car 31 out for a mainline trip on July 4, 1999

during 60th-anniversary activities celebrating

the beginning of what would become Seashore

Trolley Museum. No. 31 had major restoration

work in the mid-1970s. The interior and the

exterior were "freshened up" in the late 1990s.

 Some mechanical and truck work is needed. 

PWM photo.

National Register photo on file at

ME Historic Preservation Comm.

Click Here to see the video of Seashore Trolley Museum Founder, Theodore Santarelli telling how Car 31 was saved, which started the Museum

1941 (Acquired) - No. 615 - Portland Railroad Company

• 1920, Birney Safety Car by Wason Manufacturing Company, Springfield, MA
• National Register of Historic Places - #198011148000262 in 1980
• Only surviving railway equipment from the Portland Railroad Company
• Originally was built for and operated by the Portland Railroad Company (ME) as No. 615. No. 615 was sold to the Biddeford and Saco Railroad Company in 1936, where it retained its No. 615 and operated until 1939.

Portland Railroad Company's No. 615 Birney car is being

loaded on a trailer at Thornton Heights in Scarborough, ME to

be delivered to the Biddeford & Saco Railroad carhouse in

Saco. The PRR sold No. 615 to the B&SRR in 1936. 615

would operate on the B&SRR line until the line converted to

buses in early July of 1939. The body of 615 would be used

as a shed during the dismantling of the RR and later 

acquired by early Seashore members and moved to

the fledgling campus in North Kennebunkport.

No. 615 on Main Street in Biddeford on June 5, 1939

Just a month before the

Biddeford & Saco Railroad converted to buses. 

Gerald Cummingham photo at STM

No. 615 at Seashore circa 1950. 615 was the "bunkhouse"

for volunteers for many of the early years. Photo "Historic

Cars of Seashore Electric Railway" @1954.

National Register photo on file at

ME Historic Preservation Comm.

Portland Railroad Company No. 615 on display at 

Seashore during the ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the

completion of the restoration of the Atlantic Shore Line

electric locomotive No. 100 on September 25, 2009.

A correct truck was acquired for 615.

No. 615 needs to be restored. Karl Johnson photo.

1946 (Acquired) - No. 52 - Aroostook Valley Railroad Company

• 1909, Express/Freight Motor by J. G. Brill Company, Philadelphia, PA
• National Register of Historic Places - #198011148000262 in 1980
• Only known surviving combination freight motor, express car, & snowplow electric railway vehicle in Maine

Aroostook Valley Railroad Company

No. 52 Box Motor-Snow Plow. 

This picture was taken by General Electric Engineers and

was used for many years as advertising in trade magazines. It

shows the frame and mounting for the air-controlled 

"Nose Plow". No. 52 was built with it being able to

perform many different duties for the small electric railroad.

Engineers from General Electric built No. 52 to be able to

plow snow and still be used for other purposes, including;

construction car, express car, or small locomotive. No. 52's 

role in advertising was to convince other small railroads that

savings could be made using this concept.

National Register photo on file at

ME Historic Preservation Comm.

No. 52 during shifting at Seashore Trolley Museum

in the summer of 2016. Eric Gilman photo

1946 (Acquired)- No. 70 - Aroostook Valley Railroad Company

• 1912, Wooden Interurban Combine by Wason Manufacturing Co., Springfield, MA
• National Register of Historic Places - #198011148000262 in 1980
• Made the last passenger run over the Aroostook Valley Railroad on August 7, 1946

Aroostook Valley Railroad Company No. 70 at Washburn

before the track was moved from the street to the

private right-of-way circa 1912. PWM 

70 must have been buried cause this

is 71 (70 a twin to 71) National

Register photo on file at

ME Historic Preservation Comm.

Aroostook Valley Railroad Company No. 70

on September 26, 2009, following being on display during

the ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of

the restoration of the Atlantic Shore Line electric locomotive

No. 100 on September 25, 2009. PWM

The interior restoration of AVRR No. 70 is not complete,

though seats have been restored. 2016 photo PWM

1946 (Acquired)- No. 82 - York Utilities Company

• 1919, Birney Safety Car by Wason Manufacturing Company, Springfield, ME
• National Register of Historic Places - #198011148000262 in 1980
• Originally was built for and operated by the Denver & South Platte Railway as No. 2. No. 2 was sold to the York Utilities Company in 1927, where it operated as No. 82 until 1946.

York Utilities Company No. 82 at the

River Street carhouse circa 1946. STM

National Register photo on file at

ME Historic Preservation Comm.

Interior of York Utilities Company No. 82 STM

No. 82 at Seashore circa 1950. Photo "Historic Cars of

Seashore Electric Railway" @1954. No. 82 needs to be

restored. 

1947 (Acquired)- No. 8  - Mousam River Railroad Company

• 1893, Baggage & Express Trailer by the Portland Company, Portland, ME
• National Register of Historic Places - #198011148000262 in 1980
• Only surviving railway equipment from Mousam River Railroad Co. (Sanford/Springvale, ME)

Mousam River Railroad Company No. 8 on the left with steps

leading up to the sliding door, at the York Utilities Company

carhouse on River Street in Sanford circa 1946. STM

Mousam River Railroad Company No. 8 at Seashore Trolley

Museum circa 1960. No. 8 has been restored. PWM

National Register photo on file at

ME Historic Preservation Comm.

1947 (Acquired)- No. 88  - York Utilities Company

• 1926, Lightweight One-Man Car by the Wason Manufacturing Co, Springfield, MA
• National Register of Historic Places - #198011148000262 in 1980
• Last electric streetcar to carry passengers in regular service in Maine - April 1, 1947
• Was originally built for and operated by the East Taunton Street Railway (MA) as No. 12. No. 12 was sold to the York Utilities Company in 1933, where it operated as No. 88 until 1947.

York Utilities Company No. 88 on Washington Street in

Sanford with one of the Goodall Mill buildings on River

Street in the distant background. Circa 1947 just before

passenger service ended. Freight service would continue

for two more years. No. 88 has not been restored. STM

No. 88 at Seashore circa 1950. Salt used on the tracks has

taken its toll over these many years. No. 88 has not been

restored and it will require a lot of work and funds

to restore it to operable condition. Photo "Historic Cars of

Seashore Electric Railway" @1954 

National Register photo on file at

ME Historic Preservation Comm.

1947 (Acquired)- No. 100  - Atlantic Shore Line Railway

• 1906, Steeple Cab Electric locomotive by Laconia Car Company Works, Laconia, NH
• National Register of Historic Places - #198011148000262 in 1980
• The sole surviving electric locomotive of its type in its original configuration in America
• Only surviving railway equipment from the Atlantic Shore Line Railway
• One of three of the first electric locomotives in Maine (all three were ordered on the same invoice)
• Last electric locomotive to operate in Maine - June 1949

Atlantic Shore Line Railway electric locomotive No. 100

pulling a train of boxcars in the Goodall Mill complex in

Sanford, ME, circa 1907. STM photo

No. 100 at the York Utilities (YUCo) carbarn at River &

Brook Streets, Sanford, circa the 1930s.

No. 100 was a hard-working locomotive for decades at

Seashore Trolley Museum before the wear and tear

put out of service. Here it is pulling the trailer with ballast for

building the track at the "Terminal" operation in 1957. STM

National Register photo on file at

ME Historic Preservation Comm.

Atlantic Shore Line Railway No. 100 is making its

way to the restoration shop for its initial inspection before

its complete restoration begins. September 2005 PWM

Atlantic Shore Line Railway electric locomotive No. 100

was fully restored and released for limited operation

on Seashore Trolley Museum's Heritage Railway

in September 2009. PWM

1947 (Acquired)- No. 108  - Portsmouth, Dover & York Street Railway

• 1904, Railway Post Office/Express Car by Laconia Car Company Works, Laconia, NH
• National Register of Historic Places - #198011148000262 in 1980
• Was used in the First-Day-Issue cover release of streetcar commemorative stamps at STM in 1983, officiated by Vice-President George Bush and Postmaster General William Bolger
• Only surviving railway equipment from the Portsmouth, Dover & York Street Railway

Laconia Car Company-built PD&Y Mail and Express car

No. 108 when new circa 1904. STM

Sorting letters inside PD&Y No. 108 is clerk Charles Preston.

STM

No. 108 on its side after toppling off Brave Boat Harbor

trestle in 1918. Shortly after this accident, it was converted to

a work maintenance car for doing overhead wirework.

STM

No. 108 at Seashore circa 1950. Photo "Historic Cars of

Seashore Electric Railway" @1954.

National Register photo on file at

ME Historic Preservation Comm.

National Register photo on file at

ME Historic Preservation Comm.

PD&Y No. 108 came to Seashore from York Utilities Co.

in 1949. 108 had exterior restoration work in the early 1980s

in preparation for use in 1983 for the first-day-issue stamp

ceremony at STM. It needs the interior restored and 

its exterior needs to be refreshed. 

1969 (Acquired)- No. 14  - Portland-Lewiston Interurban

• 1912, Wooden Interurban Coach "Narcissus" by Laconia Car Company Works, Laconia, NH
• National Register of Historic Places - #198011148000262 in 1980
• Former President Theodore Roosevelt was a passenger on No. 14 on August 18, 1914
• the only surviving railway equipment from the Portland-Lewiston Interurban

Portland-Lewiston Interurban No. 14, Narcissus had been 

operating on the new electric railroad for less than two

months, when former President Theodore Roosevelt

was a passenger on a trip between Lewiston and Portland

on August 18, 1914. TR is seen here waving from the

number two end train door of the Narcissus to the gathered

spectators at the Gray, Maine stop. Photo courtesy of

the Gray Historical Society.

PLI No. 14, Narcissus in Lewiston early in April 1933, less

than three months before Maine's Fastest and Finest

Electric Railroad ceased operations. STM

The body of PLI No. 14, Narcissus was the summer camp

of the J. Henri Vallee family at Sabattus Pond for thirty-five

years. Mr. Vallee transferred ownership of the Narcissus to

Seashore upon completion of a new home built to replace

the former summer home. See here in late October 1969,

the Narcissus is secured to Seashore's "Highway Monster"

and is about to travel to its new home in Kennebunkport. 

Photo courtesy of Daniel Vallee.

PLI No. 14, Narcissus is seen to the right in Seashore's

public parking area in the spring of 1970. PWM

National Register photo on file at

ME Historic Preservation Comm.

PLI No. 14, Narcissus is seen here in March 2018, in 

Seashore Trolley Museum's Donald G. Curry Town House

Restoration Shop. The Narcissus is currently

being completely restored to operating condition. PWM

Maine Railway Equipment - Accessioned

1946 (Acquired)- No. 80 - York Utilities Company

• 1919, Birney Safety Car by Wason Manufacturing Company, Springfield, ME
• Originally was built for and operated by the Denver & South Platte Railway as No. 1. No. 1 was sold to the York Utilities Company in 1927, where it operated as No. 80 until 1946.
• No. 80 is currently being restored as it was originally to its No. 1, Denver & South Platte Railway configuration.
• No. 80 is an accessioned vehicle in Seashore's railway collection

No. 80 at Seashore circa 1950. Photo "Historic Cars of

Seashore Electric Railway" @1954.

Each of the historic Maine railway vehicles has had its own individual assessment conducted. The purpose was to assess the current conditions to prepare a plan for estimating costs associated with maintenance or restoration needs for the following ten-year period. This assessment was part of an examination to prepare a presentation for having these vehicles, along with the historic Maine buses prepared for display/exhibit in a state-of-the-art, proposed new 22,000 sq. ft. "Maine Transportation Hall" with its companion 9,000 sq. ft. Education Center. More details to follow in subsequent blog posts

2010 STM

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We continue the restoration work on the 1912, Narcissus, the only surviving high-speed, luxury interurban coach of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban. 

Click Here: Narcissus Restoration-Related Posts

Being more than a century old, the stately, "Elegant Ride," Narcissus, is a gem.  This shimmering precious stone of Maine transportation history is brilliantly resplendent as it emanates so many elements of history, including; time, places, people, and events, that it was coupled to, that when just a smattering of its seemingly innumerable stories are shared, the contents captivates, fascinates, then generates, interest to learn more 🙋. The majestic Narcissus is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Please consider joining the epic journey to complete the Narcissus Project by making a donation today!

Click Here: Donation Options

The restoration of this majestic icon of Maine's electric railway history is but one in a series of captivating stories containing an abundance of incredible coalition of narratives.

Click Here: History-Related Posts - Narcissus and Portland-Lewiston Interurban

     The Narcissus is featured in the national Gold Award-winning novel, Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride. The "Elegant Ride" is the Narcissus. Theodore Roosevelt was a passenger on the Narcissus on August 18, 1914, between Lewiston and Portland, Maine, while campaigning for the Progressive Party candidates.

Click Here: Bookstores and Businesses promoting the Narcissus Project

Independent book publisher, Phil Morse, holding

the Gold Book Award Winner plaque for

 the Middle Reader category for The Eric

Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to

award-winning Maine author,

Jean M. Flahive