80th Anniversary Year - Seashore Trolley Museum 1939-2019

At the end of the line in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, on June

18, 1939, a group of electric railway enthusiasts chartered

open car No. 31 for a fan trip. A few of the riders, during

this fateful excursion, discussed the idea of saving this open

car from being scrapped. That conversation would lead to

 the acquisition of the car which began what would become

Seashore Trolley Museum.

Fan trip announcement.

From the collection of Seashore Trolley

Museum.

Stops were made for photo opportunities. This is at the B & M Railroad

overpass on Old Orchard Road. From the collection of Seashore

Trolley Museum

Inside No. 10. The fan trip included riding in No. 10 in the

morning. From the collection of Seashore Trolley Museum.

“This is the way we started, with one car, with no great thought that we were going to have more cars or that we would develop into a museum of this size."
 Ted Santarelli, October 10, 1987

Interview conducted by Edward Dooks

October 10, 1987

Click Here for the post - "The Birth of Seashore Trolley Museum - An Interview with the Founder".

Click Here for the post - "80th Anniversary Year-Seashore Trolley Museum - A Look Back at the 50s
Click Here for the post - "80th Anniversary Year-Seashore Trolley Museum-A Look Back at the 60s
Click Here for the post - "80th Anniversary Year-Seashore Trolley Museum-A Look Back at the 70s
Click Here for the post - "1901 Tower C Boston Elevated Railway to STM 1975"

Car 31 at the B & S RR carhouse on Beach St. after having its

trucks removed. Next was to  prepare it for the road trip to

North Kennebunkport. From the collection of Seashore Trolley

Museum

Car 31 arrived in North Kennebunkport on  July 15, 1939.

Car 31 is seen here sitting in the field that was part of the

original 10 acres. From the collection of Seashore Trolley

Museum.

A short section of track and ties were laid and the trucks

were placed under the car by November 1939.

From the collection of the Seashore Trolley Museum

Car 31 with a coat of paint for the winter.

From the collection of the Seashore Trolley Museum

1940 would bring No. 38 from Manchester, New Hampshire, and No. 615 from the Portland Railroad (and Biddeford & Saco Railroad). 1941 would bring No. 60 from Manchester, New Hampshire. Then WWll brought a pause to acquisitions. 1946 brought nine pieces of equipment. 

No. 38, served the greater Manchester, NH area and arrived on

the Seashore campus in 1940 and was the 2nd electric railway

vehicle acquired by the early members of the fledgling

railway organization. From the collection of Seashore

Trolley Museum.

38 being jacked up for placement on the flat car in Manchester
1940. Seashore Trolley Museum Collection

No. 38 on the rails - destination Kennebunk, Maine station,

then a trip to the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport.

1940 image from the collection of Seashore Trolley Museum

Loaded at the Kennebunk railroad station siding, 38 traveling

to its new home, Seashore Trolley Museum 1940

Seashore Trolley Museum Collection

No. 38 (center) at Seashore Electric Railway (Seashore

Trolley Museum) 1942.  The third car acquired is seen on the

right, the body-only of No. 615 from the Portland Railroad

and also from the Biddeford & Saco Railroad.

From the collection of Seashore Trolley

Museum

615 was the third, and No 60, also from Manchester, NH,

was 4th. PWM

615, 31, and 38 in 1941. PWM

By 1946, there were thirteen in the collection. PWM

June 1941 Newsletter

PWM Collection 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