Superintendent George Hanscom posing with car No. 58
on the Atlantic Shore Railway private right-of-way west
of Route One in Kennebunk and Wells circa 1911.
O. R. Cummings Collection
Here is the newest release in the Maine Bicentennial series of electric railways in Maine. This blog post features the Atlantic Shore Railway summary/images from the book, "Atlantic Shore Trolleys" Bulletin No. 2 NEERHS by O. R. Cummings, January 1, 1966, "Atlantic Shore Line Railway" by O. R. Cummings, presented as Transportation Volume 4 by the Connecticut Electric Railway and the National Railway Historical Society-Connecticut Chapter - June 1950 Re-issued January 1957. And text/images are also taken from an O. R. Cummings book, "Trolleys To York Beach: The Portsmouth Dover & York Street Railway", Bulletin No. 1, New England Electric Historical Society, December 30, 1964. Some text/images may be from the NEERHS 2015 publication, "The Illustrated Atlas of Maine's Street & Electric Railways 1863-1946. Additional images will be credited or from O. R. Cummings Collection.
To see the online version of the 1957 book, Atlantic Shore Line Railway at Bangor Public Library here
No. 18 at York Beach terminal circa 1915. The Atlantic
Shore Railway car was equipped with a Baker hot water
heater. Notice the stack protruding from the clerestory roof.
O. R. Cummings Collection
- 3.15.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - York Utilities Company 1923-1949
- 3.14.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Atlantic Shore Railway 1911-1923
- 3.11.2020-Maine Bicentennial Series - Portsmouth, Dover & York St Rwy 1903-1906
- 3.9.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Auburn, Mechanic Falls & NorwayStRwy1902-3
- 3.7.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Portland & Brunswick Electric Railway 1902-1911
- 3.7.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Androscoggin & Kennebec Railway Co. 1919-1941
- 3.7.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Lewiston, Augusta & Waterville St Rwy 1907-1919
- 3.6.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Lewiston, Brunswick & Bath St Rwy 1898-1907
- 3.4.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Hydro-Electric Company 1925-1945
- 3.4.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Penobscot Central Railway 1898-1906
- 3.3.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor. Hampden & Winterport Rwy 1896-1905
- 3.2.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor, Orono & Old Town Railway 1895-1905
- 3.2.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Railway & Electric Company 1905-1925
- 3.1.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Bangor Street Railway 1889-1905
- 2.23.2020 -Maine Bicentennial Series - Portsmouth, Kittery & York St. Rwy 1897-1903
- 2.22.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Sanford & Cape Porpoise Railway 1899-1904
- 2.21.2020 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Mousam River Railroad 1892-1899
- 1.31.2019 - Maine Bicentennial Series - The Norway and Paris Street Railway 1894-1918
- 1.27.2019 - Maine Bicentennial Series - Aroostook Valley Railroad 1909-1946
- 10.17.2018 - Maine Bicentennial - Portland Railroad History 1860-1941
Atlantic Shore Railway
The reorganized Atlantic Shore Line Railway was incorporated by the new owners on January 1, 1911, as the Atlantic Shore Railway, with essentially the same management as before, attempted to inaugurate operating economies and at the same time make improvements to the service which would draw more patronage. The old route of the former Portsmouth, Kittery & York Street Railway was rebuilt to eliminate many sharp curves in Kittery and York; several trestles were replaced and many new rails and ties were laid at various points on the system.
At York Beach, is Atlantic Express Company delivery wagon
and Atlantic Shore Railway box motor car exchange
goods. Circa 1912. O. R. Cummings Collection
Practically every car on the line was put through the Town House shops for overhauling and painting. Schedules were speeded up, also, but try as it might, the railway just couldn't make money. The heavy funded debt and high operating costs were still present and in addition, automobile competition was beginning to become a factor in declining revenues.
\
Looking south from what would become Route One, the
Atlantic Shore Railway dipped under the Boston & Maine
RR bridge that is just north of Route 1 and Route 9 in Wells,
where Route 9 leads to Kennebunk/Kennebunkport.
O. R. Cummings Collection
Looking at what is now Route One near the Kennebunk/Wells
line with what is now the Water District building on the right.
O. R. Cummings Collection
Maine Street Kennebunk. From Main Street; the trolleys could
head south to Wells and on to York Beach, Kittery, South
Berwick, and Dover, NH; or head west from Main St.
to West Kennebunk, Alfred, Sanford, and Springvale; or
from Main St. turn east on Summer Street and then on to Arundel,
Kennebunkport, Cape Porpoise, and Biddeford.
O. R. Cummings Collection
In an attempt to pick up a few dollars here and there, the company operated excursions from Sanford and Biddeford to Portsmouth Navy Yard, and once when a whale washed up on the shore between York Harbor and Kittery Point, special cars were provided for those who wished to view the monster of the sea. Another time, when a forest fire was raging through the Ogunquit woods, the railway ran cars through the fire zone as long as possible, discontinuing service only when flames were within a hundred feet of the right-of-way. The last car was somewhat scorched from the heat and some passengers were frightened almost out of their wits, but no one was hurt.
A special excursion ticket
O. R. Cummings Collection
In 1914, the Cape Porpoise trestle was abandoned, the hauling of coal from Cape Porpoise to Sanford had been discontinued, and the salvaged rails were laid on a new location around the shore of Cape Porpoise to the Casino. A year later, on Labor Day night, the Casino was destroyed by fire.
1914 ticket to the Casino at Cape Porpoise. One year
before the Casino burned down, never to be rebuilt.
O. R. Cummings Collection
The Cape Porpoise Casino, seen on the left, was opened
in July 1900. Passengers would disembark or load the trolleys
from the end of the wooden trestle.
Postcard of PWM
The Casino in Cape Porpoise is on the right. The Pier Road
to Bickford Island is seen here.
Image from Kennebunkport Historical Society
The Cape Porpoise Casino outdoor decks had an incredible
view of Cape Porpoise Harbor.
O. R. Cummings Collection
Trolley tracks are still visible on Pier Road to Bickford Island.
Circa 1923. In 1914, the Cape Porpoise coal trestle was
abandoned. The hauling of coal from Cape Porpoise to
Sanford had been discontinued. The salvaged rails from the
trestle were installed on the road to access the Casino at
Bickford Island. Image - Kennebunkport Historical Society
Car No. 51 seen on Bickford Island at the end of the line
in Cape Porpoise circa summer 1915.
The coal pocket on the right-of-way just east of the First
Congregational Church at Town House junction.
O. R. Cummings Collection
Just north and next to the coal pocket was the trolley scrap
yard. Storage of trolleys to be scrapped or that had been in
accidents resided here.
Looking out from under the eave of the "new" passenger
waiting station. Town House Junction.
The First Congregational Church is seen on the left.
The tracks that you see turning left are heading up
Log Cabin Road, where the tracks would turn
right at what is now the main entrance to the Seashore Trolley
Museum. The tracks that turn to the right in front of the First
Congregational Church leads to the right-of-way to Cape
Porpoise and pass by the coal pocket seen on the right.
The mainline track to Cape Porpoise passed on the south
side of the coal pocket en route to Cape Porpoise.
pocket. O. R. Cummings Collection circa 1916
The newly built Atlantic Shore Railway offices, carbarn, and
shop as seen here in 1911, was at Town House Junction.
O. R. Cummings Collection
The interior of the shop at Town House Junction 1912.
O. R. Cummings Collection
The waiting station at Town House burned in 1914.
O. R. Cummings Collection
The new waiting station was opened in 1915.
O. R. Cummings Collection
Freight service from NH to Portland and onto the Androscoggin and Kennebec valleys was implemented in 1916.
End of the line north, for Atlantic
Shore Railway was at Biddeford City
Hall. The open car seen here is on
the Biddeford & Saco Railroad line
on Main Street, Biddeford. The
car on the left is on Adams Street.
It is an express car of the ASRwy.
On October 1, 1915, with a deficit of $122,000 accrued to June 30th of that year, the ASL defaulted on payment of interest on an issue of bonds. this triggered a request for a receiver to be appointed. Late in 1916, the restructuring of the various railway properties began. This dismantling took place over a few years.
A car that will depart for Kennebunk is at York Beach Square.
For many years, first, the ASLRwy, followed by the ASRwy,
with trips from Rosemary Junction in Eliot, through
York Beach, to Town House Junction in Kennebunkport.
The 33-mile-one-way trip would take about two hours.
On March 17, 1923, operations were suspended for the trackage served by the former Portsmouth, Dover & York lines. Tracks were pulled up and along with most cars, scrapped.
York Corner Circa 1920.
O. R. Cummings Collection
An Atlantic Shore car on Admas Street with the Biddeford
City Hall is on the right in this image.
O. R. Cummings Collection
The highwater mark for passengers carried on the ASL was 1915, year-end June 30, when 4,814,907 passengers were carried on just over 90 miles of mainline trackage.
Early in 1922, the bondholders of the trackage of the Atlantic Shore Railway reorganized, and on February 1, 1923, the ASL was sold to a newly incorporated company, York Utilities Company.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.