Train Door Questions and Restoration Update - Narcissus - 1912 Portland-Lewiston Interurban 11-2-2018

Here is Portland-Lewiston Interurban (PLI) No. 10, Arbutus

in Lewiston in June 1914 with PLI staff. Take note of the

train door seen on the No. 2 end. It has an interesting

window setup. The upper window will slide down

for the conductor to reach out to access the trolley

pole rope without opening the door. On the lower half of the

door is a metal plate for the arc headlight to attach to.

Photo from the O.R. Cummings Collection

Seashore Trolley Museum Library.

Here is a close-up. We need to build

one train door from scratch. We have

one original train door from the 

Narcissus, with an incomplete set

of window sashes and no hardware.

From the O.R. Cummings Collection

Seashore Trolley Museum Library.

The Arbutus with a clear view of the No. 1 end

train door with the arc headlight attached.

Photo from the O.R. Cummings Collection

Seashore Trolley Museum Library.

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.

We have an arc headlight available for use with the

Narcissus. See the rear of the light where the brackets

attach to the metal plate on the train door.

Ernie Eaton image.

Here is the exterior of the lower portion of

the original train door from the Narcissus. You

can see the two bolt holes on each side where

the metal plate attaches. Notice the wire

extending from the bolt hole on the right.

This is a ground wire that travels through

the wood to the lower hinge. See the image

below. PWM image

The ground wire protrudes from where the lower

hinge attaches to the door. We haven't found

where the headlight wire plugs into its source.

Usually, the outlet is on the exterior. If you

have an idea of where the outlet may be 

placed, please let me know. PWM image

The inside of the Narcissus train door.

Two window sash. The lower

sash is designed to have a sheet of

glass and to have screws secure the

window sash to the door frame.

Notice in the top right corner is a

hole and the outline of a component

that would be used to manually 

allow the outer window of the door

to slide down or lock the

upper window in a closed position.

We need the mechanical

component to operate the window

properly. The

upper inside sash is designed to not

have a sheet of glass. The door

and sash of the three windows

are mahogany. PWM image

Close-up of the hole and outline of the

missing mechanical components that

allows the conductor to lock the 

outside train door window in the upper

(closed) position, or when activated, releases

so that the upper window may slide down 

(open) so that the conductor might reach

through the top of the train door to access

the trolley pole rope from inside the

car. We need the mechanical

component to operate the window

properly. PWM image

The hole as seen on the left corner of the inside lower

sash of the train door. 

We need the mechanical component to operate the

exterior upper train door window properly. PWM image

We will need to build a replacement

exterior upper train door sash from

mahogany that will slide up and down

PWM image

This is what we have of

an interior upper sash for

the train door. This can be

repaired and will be used to

replicate a new one. It will

also, be used as a guide to

replicate two longer versions

that will also be modified

to accept a plate of glass.

PWM image

The No. 2 end of the right

side steel channel. The steel

channels on both sides will be

replaced. PWM image

     Click here to see the post on the removal of the right side sill - including a short video.

     Click here to see the post on the removal of the left-side sill.

The two new 37-foot steel

channels each weigh 550-

pounds. Waiting to be moved

into the shop. PWM image

The two new 37-foot steel

channel waiting to be moved

into the shop to have the

holes drilled before being

positioned for installation

as structural support for the

side sills of the Narcissus.

PWM image

A number of the vertical

posts that are the wall studs

for the passenger

compartment needs repairs or

need to be replaced.

This ash board was part of 

a major order of green ash

purchased for the Narcissus

and delivered on December

9, 2015. The ash has been

stored while it dried and has

been used periodically

over the past year for use

making various repairs or

for making replacement

components, like the

the vertical wall studs.

PWM image

On the inside of the passenger

compartment between each of

these vertical posts is a 

mahogany veneered covered

panel. The surviving panels

are now receiving attention.

PWM image

The surviving passenger panels from the

exterior walls are receiving attention.

Several panels will need to be made to

replace missing panels. The inside

mechanical seat end-plate of each

seat base bolts to one of these panels.

PWM image

Here is an image of one of the

 20"-wide mahogany boards

that were used to make the

segments needed to make the

large arched sash that holds

the ornate leaded-stained

glass windows for the

1912 Portland-Lewiston

Interurban, No. 14, Narcissus.

PWM image

Some of the rough-sawn mahogany arch-halves

were cut from the wide boards, then allowed to

sit for several weeks to "settle". The sides would

then be planned flat before the next steps. Below are

a series of short videos showing those steps.

LS image.

 Click Here to see the blog post on the first steps of the mahogany sash work.

Lary Shaffer in his woodworking shop marking rough-sawn

mahogany boards that he will then plane straight. These

boards will be finished to be the bottom sash to hold the

large arched ornate leaded stained  "eyebrow" windows

for the Narcissus. LS image.

Each of the rough-cut mahogany boards

are compared to a straight edge for 

curvature issues. Slight bows or curls

can be planned away while still leaving

the board with the adequate thickness

needed for the next steps in working

towards a finished bottom board for

the sash to receive the large ornate leaded

stained glass windows for the Narcissus.

LS Image

Lary runs the mahogany boards through the planer.

LS image.

The bottom boards and the arch segments are each checked

for thickness after a pass through the planer. Each must be

straight and flat and not below the minimum thickness used.

LS image.

Here the new candidates are for the sash bottoms. LS image

The first video. Lary is explaining the next steps

for preparing the arch sash segments. PWM video

There are lefts and rights

to be used in the next steps.

PWM image

This mahogany is beautiful. The photo doesn't capture

the full luster this arch has. PWM image

Short video of Lary and the next steps. PWM video

Once each rough-sawn arch segment and bottom board were

marked with an outline, each was cut along the outside of the

line, before the next steps. PWM image

Every step in making these sash segments is extremely

time-consuming and takes focus and patience. PWM image

Short video of Lary and the next steps.

PWM video

Short video of Lary and the next step.

PWM video

Short video of Lary and the next step in preparing

segments. PWM video

Two jigs on one baseboard. There are several jigs that Lary

designed specifically for certain tasks in preparing the

mahogany sash segments. This setup is for one of the

arch segments to be run through the shaper to remove excess

wood. One jig is to remove wood on the inside of the arch

and one is for removing wood on the top side. A different

pair of jigs were used for a "left" arch segment and a "right"

arch segment. PWM image

Short video of Lary using one jig to remove

excess wood from the top side of an arch

segment. PWM video

A short video of Lary using one jig to remove

excess wood from the inside of one of the arch segments.

PWM image.

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

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