and baggage car No. 5 seen here in front of the carhouse in
Skowhegan on Island Avenue.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_33
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library
Here is the newest release in the Maine Bicentennial series of electric railways in Maine. This blog post features the summary of the Skowhegan and Norridgewock Railway as written by O. R. Cummings in his 1955 book, Toonervilles of Maine: The Pine Tree State.
Additional photos will be credited accordingly. This material is taken from a copy of the Toonervilles of Maine book acquired by this blogger.
To see the online version of the 1955 book, Toonevilles of Maine at Bangor Public Library here
Click Here for the post: Ninety Communities in Maine with Electric Railway Service!
Click Here for the post: 57 Million Passengers Carried on Electric Railways in Maine in 1915!
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - History of the Portland Railroad 1860-1941
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - History of the Calais Street Railway 1894-1929
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - History of Aroostook Valley Railroad 1909-1946
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Fryeburg Horse Railroad 1887-1913
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - The Norway and Paris Street Railway 1894-1918
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Benton and Fairfield Railway 1898-1928
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - The Somerset Traction Company 1895-1928
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - The Fairfield and Shawmut Railway 1903-1927
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Waterville, Fairfield, & Oakland Rwy 1887-1937
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Trolleys to Augusta, Maine 1889-1932
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Rockland, South Thomaston, & St. George Rwy
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Rockland, Thomaston, & Camden St.Rwy. '92-1931
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Biddeford and Saco Railroad Co. 1888-1939
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Mousam River Railroad 1892-1899
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Sanford & Cape Porpoise Railway 1899-1904
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portsmouth, Kittery & York St. Rwy 1897-1903
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor Street Railway 1889-1905
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor Railway & Electric Company 1905-1925
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway 1895-1905
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor, Hampden & Winterport Rwy 1896-1905
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Penobscot Central Railway 1898-1906
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Bangor Hydro-Electric Company 1925-1945
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath St Rwy 1898-1907
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville St Rwy 1907-19
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Androscoggin & Kennebec Railway 1919-1941
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portland & Brunswick Street Railway 1902-1911
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Auburn & Turner Railroad 1905-1928
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Auburn, Mechanic Falls & NorwayStRwy1902-7
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portsmouth, Dover & York St Rwy 1903-1906
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Atlantic Shore Line Railway 1900-1910
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Atlantic Shore Railway 1911-1923
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - York Utilities Company 1923-1949
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portland-Lewiston Interurban - It Begins 1914
Click Here for the post: Maine Bicentennial series - Portland-Lewiston Interurban - The End 1933
Seashore Trolley Museum, the Museum of Mass Transit in Kennebunkport, Maine, is celebrating its 80th Birthday year in 2019! Many events are scheduled and many more will be scheduled before the opening of public operations on May 4, 2019.
One of the shortest-lived of New England's many street railway lines
was the Skowhegan and Norridgewock Railway and Power Company which operated for nine years - from 1894 to 1903.
Photo from O.R. Cummings 1955 publication,
Toonervilles of Maine: The Pine Tree State
It was on August 7, 1894, that the articles of association of the Skowhegan and Norridgewock were filed with the Railroad Commissioners for their approval. Two of the incorporators of the company were Amos F. Gerald of Fairfield and I. C. Libby of Waterville.
The articles of association were approved on August 15, 1894, and the formal organization of the company followed on August 28. W. H. Wildes of Skowhegan was named the chairman of the board of directors and president of the company while I. C. Libby became treasurer and Amos F. Gerald, general manager.
Construction began immediately, the work being done under contract by the Worcester Construction Company of Worcester, MA, and the road was completed early in October. A certificate of safety for the 5.75 miles of track was given by the Railroad Commissioners on October 13 and operation began the following day.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_45
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library
The route began on Main Street in Skowhegan, crossed the tracks of the Maine Central Railroad near the Skowhegan depot, and followed the country road to the MCRR (then the Somerset Railway) station in Norridgewock Village. Forty-pound T-rail was used and the overhead construction was with 3/4 of a mile span wire and five miles of side brackets. There were two wooden trestles, with a total length of 100 feet.
Skowhegan & Norridgewock open car in Norridgewock at
the Maine Central Depot Circa 1900
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_38
the Maine Central Depot Circa 1900
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_38
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library
A two-track carhouse, with a capacity of six cars, was located in Norridgewock. There is little information about the power plant except that it had a generator of 110 h.p. capacity driven by "hired steam power".
An open car in Norridgewock turns into the track that
leads to the Maine Central Railroad station. Circa 1900
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_37
leads to the Maine Central Railroad station. Circa 1900
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_37
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library
The initial rolling stock consisted of two 10-bench single-truck open cars, and, two single-truck combination passenger baggage cars, built by Jackson and Sharp, and one homemade snowplow. A third single truck open, also built by Jackson and Sharp, was added in 1895.
A Jackson & Sharp photograph - a builder's photo of the newly
manufactured body of S&N combination car No. 5 on the
loading dock before being shipped to Maine in 1894.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_34
manufactured body of S&N combination car No. 5 on the
loading dock before being shipped to Maine in 1894.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_34
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library
On December 2, 1896, the S&N was granted permission to build two extensions in Skowhegan, one to connect with a spur track of the Maine Central Railroad and the other to extend to the mill of the Skowhegan Pulp Company. It was supposed to haul freight between the railroad and the pulp mill. However, for some reason, the extensions were never built.
Equipment owned by the Skowhegan and Norridgewock in 1896 included the two, single-truck combinations, three single-truck open cars, two work cars, and one snowplow. The road had only six Westinghouse motors and it was necessary to shift them from the open cars to the combines and snowplow in the fall and back to the opens in the spring.
S&N open-car No. 4 at the Norridgewock depot
of the Maine Central Railroad circa 1900
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_39
of the Maine Central Railroad circa 1900
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_39
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library
In 1898, the S&N purchased a plot of woodland midway between Skowhegan and Norridgewock and created a picnic grove known as "The Pines". It was hoped this park would stimulate pleasure riding on the trolleys during the summer months. Various improvements were made from time to time, and a total of more than $2,000 was invested in the resort, but it never lived up to expectations.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_18_36
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum Library
There is some evidence that an attempt was made to start a freight business over the line in 1901 for the equipment report for 1902 lists a platform freight car and revenue for the year included $317.40 from carrying express and parcels. Most of this was undoubtedly handled in the combination cars.
The Skowhegan and Norridgewock Railway was not a profitable line. In 1896, there was an operating deficit of $694.29 and in 1897, the road ended the fiscal year with a profit of only $5.23. The operating deficit on June 30, 1898, was $3,254.74, and on June 30, 1899, $3,716.30. The total accrued deficit as of that date was $57,464.22. It is not surprising that the road operated at a loss because gross earnings were seldom much more than $4,000 - and the annual fixed charges alone were $3,000.
Obviously, the road could not continue operating under such circumstances, and in 1903, with a total deficit of $66,593.48 on the books, service was temporarily suspended. Attempts were made to reorganize the company but they were unsuccessful and the line was permanently abandoned in 1906. The cars were sold and the railway was dismantled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
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