Left Side Sill Removed from the 1912 Narcissus

The thirty-seven-foot long southern yellow

pine, left side sill with attached channel steel,

was removed from the 1912 Portland-Lewiston

Interurban, No. 14, Narcissus by Ernie Eaton

and Heidi Schweizer. The channel steel

is seen here after it was separated from

the sill. PWM

The Narcissus is currently being restored at the Donald G. Curry Town House Restoration Shop at Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine. The Narcissus, along with nine other historic Maine railway vehicles, has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. The Narcissus was built in 1912 at the Laconia Car Company Works in Laconia, NH. The original order was placed in April, the same month the Titanic set sail and sank, and when Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, first opened. Portland-Lewiston Interurban passenger service commenced on July 2, 1914. Theodore Roosevelt was a passenger on the Narcissus on August 18, 1914.

     The Portland-Lewiston Interurban ended electric railway service, eighty-five years ago on June 28, 1933. J. Henri Vallee purchased the body of the Narcissus, minus all the mechanical and electrical components, in the late '30s for use as the family summer camp in Sabattus, Maine. The Narcissus arrived at the Seashore Trolley Museum on October 31, 1969. Forty-nine years later, we are making major progress in the restoration of this historic Maine transportation icon. This blog post shares information on the single most challenging phase of the restoration to date, the replacement of the southern yellow pine side sills and the channel steel beams that the side sills are encased in.

Click Here to see the post and video Removing Right Side Sill

The flat back of the channel faces the outer

floor sill. The replacement steel channel has been

ordered. It will arrive pre-primed. A magnetic

drill will be used to drill the holes required for

the bolts to attach the "new" vintage sill to the

channel, and then both (sill & channel) to the

floor sill beam. PWM

The left sill is seen here on its side with its top facing towards

the camera. The top of the sill is where the mortises are

cut to receive the tenons from the vertical wall studs. PWM

There are a few areas of the subflooring of the passenger

compartment that will require repairs. PWM

There are many vertical studs, with tenons,

that will require repairs. PWM

The hollow-chisel mortiser cutter is receiving

maintenance before being used to drill

the mortise holes required in the replacement

side sills of Narcissus. PWM

A Hollow-chisel mortise cutter is a vintage piece

of equipment in the restoration shop. PWM

Once the mortise cutter maintenance is completed,

it will be positioned for use with a roller

system. The roller system will need to be

capable of safely handling the "new" vintage

thirty-seven-foot sills during the process of

drilling the new mortise holes. PWM

The left side sill may be cut into segments that will then each

be reworked to replace/repair beams in other sections of

the undercarriage. A view of the passenger step opening

on the left side, number 2 end vestibule. PWM

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

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