Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Narcissus Seat Patterns - First Castings

Many of the castings are for seat components to build the first
reversible seat for the Narcissus. PWM

     Ernie Eaton is the Restoration Project Manager for the Narcissus in the Restoration Shop at Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport (ME). On Friday, February 26 (2021), Ernie picked up the first set of seat castings for the reversible seats that will be installed in the Narcissus. Working with Ernie, the staff at Enterprise Foundry in Lewiston (ME), first made the patterns for the metal seat components to be cast from. The Enterprise castings shown above will next require some further machining and for those components that need holes drilled, that process will follow.

     Only one set of seat castings is done initially. Basically, as a test set. This set will be used to assemble a working seat, where it is easy to maneuver, a working reversible seat. Any and every adjustment or modification that is made to any component is identified, and specifications are identified and recorded. Then once the assembled seat is working well and properly, the foundry will be notified of any adjustments needed to any and all cast seat components. The foundry will then make the necessary modifications needed if any, and once done, they will receive the approval to move forward and process all of the seat casting sets of components for the remaining nineteen seats for the Narcissus.

     The original blog post describing the process of identifying the proper seats and manufacturer and the components needed to reproduce the 20 seats, was in the post titled Perhaps you should have a seat first 

The reversible seats in the Narcissus were identified.

Click Here to see the post with a 35-second virtual 3-D video rendering of Narcissus 

The patterns of the two halves that were made to cast the seat base are below.



           

Below, is the new casting of the first seat base cast from the two pattern halves.

Other patterns and castings
                


                  


                                                                  
                  


                                                                


Interior of 1912, Laconia Car Company-built, Portland-Lewiston Interurban,
No. 10, Arbutus. Laconia built cars nos. 10, 12, 14, and 16. This is the
same interior as the Narcissus. Wason built Nos.
18, 20, and 22. There are a few minor differences between the Laconia-built
interurbans and the Wason-built interurbans. The position of the seat handles on
the seat-back, and the shape of the handles, are two of the slight differences
that help to identify which manufacturer built a particular car. This image has
the viewer peering down the aisle towards the number one end of the Arbutus.
We know this because the walls, on either side of the doorway, have no windows,
so the doorway will lead the passengers to the smoking compartment which is
located at the number one end of the interurbans.

First casting of one of the seat handles. PWM

One of the items that is included in this group of castings
is one to replace the item seen in the image above. PWM

Here is one unbroken original that was used as the template to
make the casting. PWM

The new casting. PWM

Another view of the new casting. 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

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