No. 2 of the Fairfield and Shawmut Railway at Shawmut
Village about 1907. The car was formerly owned by the
Photo from O.R. Cummings 1955 publication,
Toonervilles of Maine: The Pine Tree State.
Here is the newest release in the Maine Bicentennial series of electric railways in Maine. This blog post features the summary of the Fairfield and Shawmut 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
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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 - Skowhegan & Norridgewock Railway 1894-1903
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 - 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
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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.
The Fairfield and Shawmut Railway
It was early in 1903 when Amos F. Gerald, general manager of the Waterville and Oakland Street Railway, and William T. Haines and George F. Terry of Waterville organized the Fairfield and Shawmut Railway to build from the Waterville and Fairfield Railway terminus on Main Street, Fairfield, to the village of Shawmut, a part of Fairfield township. The articles of association were submitted for approval of the Railroad Commissioners on February 27 and the charter was issued on March 2.
Some three years elapsed before anything was done toward building the line. The location was approved on March 1, 1906, and the charter was extended for three years on March 26.
Center of Rapid Transit in Fairfield, Maine. L-R
Fairfield and Shawmut combine; Benton and Fairfield closed
car, and Waterville, Fairfield, and Oakland duplex.
Photo from O.R. Cummings 1955 publication,
Toonervilles of Maine: The Pine Tree State
Construction began in 1907, the route commencing at Fairfield village and continuing along the easterly side of the highway (the present Route 201) to a point opposite the Maine Central Railroad depot in Shawmut. Seventy-pound T-rail and cedar ties were used in building the road and the overhead construction was mostly of the side-bracket type, with about .10 miles of span wire suspension. The railway was 3.10 miles in length and there were .20 miles of sidings and turnouts for a total of 3.30 miles of track. There was a grade crossing of Maine Central's mainline on Main Street, Fairfield.
A small wooden carhouse was erected midway on the line and two passenger cars, one 10-bench open and a small deck roof, single-truck, combination car, both built by Jackson and Sharp in 1894, were purchased from the defunct Skowhegan and Norridgewock Railway (also controlled by Gerald) which had ceased operations in 1903. Other equipment included one freight car, one work car, and a snowplow, probably all acquired second-hand.
The railway was built and equipped at a total cost of $68,000 covered by $30,000 in capital stock and $30,000 in 20-year, five percent first mortgage bonds, maturing on July 1, 1927. Amos F. Gerald, of course, was president and general manager, and H. D. Eaton (secretary) and William T. Haines (treasurer) respectively.
An inspection trip over the new line was conducted by the Railroad Commissioners on October 8, 1907. They found the road so constructed as to be safe for public travel and issued the required certificate immediately.
Map from the 2015 NEERHS book,
"The Illustrated Atlas of Maine's Street &
Electric Railways 1863-1946."
* * *
Operations of the Fairfield and Shawmut were very simple.
Schedules were correlated with those of the Waterville and Fairfield Railway (later the Waterville, Fairfield, and Oakland) to ensure positive connections at Fairfield, and half-hour service was provided, the three-mile route having a one-way running time of 15 minutes. The fare was a nickel.
Connections were also made at Fairfield with the Benton and Fairfield Railway.
The F&S appears to have been a fairly profitable road. While its earnings were never large, revenues always covered operating expenses and fixed charges, and there were some leftovers for the surplus account. The track, overhead, and equipment were well maintained and the railway was free from any major accidents.
Indications are that some difficulties took place during 1912 and early 1913, for the company to file its annual report for the year ended June 30, 1913. The 1914 report reveals that the 1912 surplus balance had been entirely wiped out and that the track and overhead had been reduced in valuation. In addition, Amos F. Gerald was no longer with the company. No reason for the apparent troubles can be ascertained.
Another .13 mile of siding and turnouts was added in 1909 and during early 1914, a second closed car was added to the roster. Equipment as of June 30, 1915, included two closed cars, one open, two work cars, and one snowplow. One of the closed cars was rebuilt in 1920 and in 1921, a 20-foot single-truck closed car, built by Briggs in 1894, was purchased second-hand from the Waterville, Fairfield, and Oakland Railway. A second car of the same type was given to the F&S by the WF&O in 1923.
The railway remained in operation until 1927. On July 1 of that year, the 20-year mortgage bonds issued in 1907 became due and could not be redeemed. the bondholders took over, a receiver was appointed, and he immediately sought authority to abandon the road. The necessary permission was soon given and the last cars ran on July 23.
Following abandonment, the entire Fairfield and Shawmut property was sold to Waterville, Fairfield, and Oakland for salvage purposes. all rails and overhead were quickly removed and the rolling stock was junked - except for a single-truck closed car and a four-wheel snowplow which were taken over by the WF&O.
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We continue the restoration work on the 1912, Narcissus, the only surviving high-speed, luxury interurban coach of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban.
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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!
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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.
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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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