One of five, new ACF-Brill buses is behind Birney Car
No. 616 at the end of the line at Old Orchard Beach late in
June 1939. Operators of the new buses were in training
until Trolley operations ended on July 5, 1939.
The buses would replace all the trolley cars on the
Biddeford and Saco Railroad beginning the morning of
July 6, 1939.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_15_118
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum
Happy 85th Anniversary!!
Eighty-five years ago today, on July 5, 1939, trolley cars provided their final day of public transportation for the communities served by the Biddeford Saco Railroad. July 5th was also the day that Ted Santarelli, on behalf of a small group of young men working together to save open car No. 31, of the Biddeford and Saco Railroad, from being scrapped, was able to pay a deposit to the General Manager/President of the Biddeford and Saco Railroad, J. Burton Stride.
The deposit delayed the date Car 31 might be scrapped. The balance of the cost to purchase Car 31, needed to be paid by June 14th. Ted Santarelli and his group of friends were still working hard to overcome several challenges. They were successful, and on July 15, 1939, Car 31 was transported to what is now the main entrance to the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine. This series of activities led to the beginning of what is now the Seashore Trolley Museum and will be explained in the next post :)
Here is the link to "the next post" July 15, 1939
There will be many special events at the Seashore Trolley Museum during this 85th Anniversary season.
This blog post is going to focus on the transition of the Biddeford and Saco Railroad from Trolleys to Buses. It includes a story told by Foster Leavitt, Sr. Foster operated the last trolley that carried public passengers on the final night of public operations for the Biddeford and Saco Railroad, July 5, 1939
The next post will follow the activities that took place after the June 18, 1939, fan trip featured in the previous post, i.e., the eight men who were able to contribute some money towards the expenses, as well as working on the tasks needed to save, transport, and provide property for Car 31's "new home." These eight men would become known as the founders of the Seashore Trolley Museum.
The "Mother Car" of all trolley museums in the world,
Biddeford & Saco Railroad Company No. 31 at
Biddeford & Saco Railroad Company No. 31 at
the Seashore Trolley Museum.
Photo courtesy of Dan Vardaro.
Click Here: Read about Car 31 and the Biddeford and Saco Railroad during the year that Car 31 arrived in the Biddeford-Saco area, 124 years ago, on June 6, 1900.
Car 31 has the unique distinction of being the first trolley car (anywhere in the world) to be saved by a group of individuals to start a trolley museum. Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, ME, was founded in 1939 with the acquisition of Car 31. Car 31 is recognized as the "Mother Car" of all trolley museums worldwide. Car 31 is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is also a member of Save America's Treasures.
Click Here: Ted Santarelli tells the story of how Car 31 was saved. Santarelli was one of the young men who saved Car 31 in 1939, and in doing so, became one of the founders of the Seashore Trolley Museum.
Click Here: Car 31 Returned Home to Biddeford, Saco, and OOB in 1999 - 60th Anniversary Home Tour
Some of the text in this post is taken from the 1989 publication, Streetcars To Old Orchard Beach: The Biddeford and Saco Railroad and Connecting Lines by O. R. Cummings and Edward D. Leavitt.
Buses Take Over
Replacing trolleys with buses began in
other Maine communities in the 1920s.
Biddeford, Saco, & Old Orchard Beach
joined in the trending movement in 1939.
Sanford was still a few years from
totally completing the transition.
Journal Tribune - June 8, 1939 - Pg 10
On April 29, 1939, the directors of the Biddeford and Saco Railroad Company authorized company president Stride to seek authority from the Public Utilities Commission to operate motor coaches. On May 6, Stride was empowered by the BSRR Board to purchase "such buses as he deems best suited to our needs and execute necessary contracts for same."
The Biddeford and Saco Railroad announced that modern buses would replace the trolley cars serving the Biddeford, Saco, and Old Orchard Beach communities (on) about June 20th (1939).
This announcement of the buses taking over was learned by three friends who were trolley fans. They were fond of the Biddeford and Saco line, in particular, the open cars used in regular daily operations during spring, summer, and fall. Practically in unison, they blurted out the need to try and save one of the trolley cars of the Biddeford and Saco. Over the next few weeks, they would work together; to gather friends, raise money, and implement a plan to save one of the cars. These actions would lead to the founding of what we know as the Seashore Trolley Museum.
The arrival of the buses was delayed. The State Public Utilities Commission authorized the replacement of trolley cars with buses. The Biddeford and Saco announced the new date of the change to busses that take place on July 5, 1939.
Biddeford Daily Journal - June 22, 1939
Daily Kennebec Journal - June 23, 1939
Five buses, each seating 29 passengers, had been ordered from the ACF Brill Motors, and with their arrival, the training of operators began. By early July all was in readiness and the last trolleys were run on Wednesday, July 5, with the buses being placed in operation the next morning.
Portland Press Herald - June 23, 1939
As Day One of bus operation approached, many residents of Biddeford and Saco took sentimental last trolley rides to the beach and the railway did a land office business on July 1 and 2 and on Independence Day. Every available open car was in service on the holiday, and Birney cars were run as well.
Biddeford Daily Journal - June 24, 1939
All the remaining trolley cars (24), with the exception, of Open Car 31 and the body of Birney Safety Car No. 615 (both are at the Seashore Trolley Museum), that were still at the Beach Street Carbarn of the B&SRR on July 5, 1939, were all going to be scrapped within several days, of the buses taking over. The carbarn itself was also going to be totally razed and replaced with a new building to house/maintain the bus fleet.
Reportedly, on July 5, three open cars and three Briney cars were on the line during the final day, with open Car No. 246, an ex-Portland car making the last regular trip off the beach at night. Later, Birney Car No. 616, running as a charter car, carried the mayor and city councilors of Saco on a round trip between the city hall and the beach. Eugene I. Hill was the motorman and when No. 616 returned to the Beach Street Carhouse, well after midnight, the power was shut off, and trolley operations in Biddeford, Saco, and Old Orchard Beach were a thing of the past. In addition to open car 246, we know open Car 31 also was used to carry passengers on July 5, 1939, and that Birney Car No. 605 was used as well.
This full-page article for folks to save on the final day of trolley operations on the Biddeford and Saco railroad on July 5, 1939, is below and is divided into separate segments...fyi
Full Page - Biddeford Daily Journal - July 5, 1939
Ibid
.jpg)
Ibid
A copy of the photo used in the newspaper article above.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_16_058
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum
.jpg)
Ibid
.jpg)
Ibid
Biddeford and Saco Box Car No. 10. Built in 1899. Arrived
in Saco early in 1900 and operated on the line until the end in 1939.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_15_062
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum
.jpg)
Ibid
.jpg)
Biddeford and Saco Opn Car No. 246 was the last
open car to operate on the line on July 5, 1939.
Here is a photo of Open car No. 246 waiting on the siding on Beach Street
across from the Saco Carhouse. Photo taken during the June 18, 1939 fan trip.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_14_143
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum
.jpg)
Ibid
.jpg)
Ibid
.jpg)
Ibid
Ibid
The Seashore Trolley Museum does have one of the next-generation
ACF-Brill buses, from 1947. Here is No. 31. It seats 39.
Matt Cosgro photo -
Courtesy of Seashore Trolley Museum
.jpg)
.jpg)
Ibid
.jpg)
Ibid
.jpg)
Ibid
.jpg)
Ibid
.jpg)
Ibid
.jpg)
Ibid
.jpg)
Ibid
This is a copy of the photo used in the article above. Single-truck
Open Car, No. 21. A 10-bench open car built in 1896 for the BSRR.
Operated on the line until 1920.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_16_059
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum
.jpg)
ibid
.jpg)
Ibid
The one-man cars from 1919-1939 were mostly
Birney Safety Cars. Either made by American Car Co.
or Wason Company.
Ibid
Here is a photo of No. 34, one of the many single-truck, one-man,
Birney Safety Cars by the BSRR from 1919 until 1939.
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_16_013
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum
.jpg)
Beach Street Carbarn of the BSRR.
Ibid
Here is a photo of the Saco Carbarn. The handful of Birney Safety Cars
seen are all being prepared to be scrapped. 1939
O. R. Cummings Collection 2009_2_14_162
Courtesy Seashore Trolley Museum
Birney Safety Car No. 605, operated by Ray Bellefieulle,
at "Cemetery Curve" on Beach Street, about to enter
Orchard Street (now Old Orchard Road) en route to
Old Orchard Beach on the final day of trolley car operations
on the Biddeford and Saco Railroad - July 5, 1939.
Foster Leavitt, Sr. Collection
Courtesy of Mike Leavitt
Open Car No. 31 crossing the Saco River as it approaches
Biddeford from Saco on July 5, 1939, the final day of
trolley car operations for the Biddeford and Saco Railroad.
Foster Leavitt, Sr. Collection
Courtesy of Mike Leavitt
Foster Leavitt, Sr. and his brother, Edward (Eddie), were both motorman/conductors for the Biddeford and Saco Railroad when the transition to buses happened. Their father, Charles "Bob" Leavitt had worked for the Biddeford and Saco Railroad for thirty-nine years, beginning in the late 1890s. As mentioned in the opening text of this post, Eddie is the co-author with O. R. Cummings on the 1989 publication, Streetcars To Old Orchard Beach: The Biddeford and Saco Railroad and Connecting Lines by O. R. Cummings and Edward D. Leavitt. Foster Leavitt Sr. and his brother Eddie were both members of the Seashore Trolley Museum and were volunteer motormen/conductors and dispatchers. in the 1970s and 80s.
During a Trolley Museum event on August 31, 1988, Foster Leavitt, Sr. was interviewed by member, Edward Dooks. The recording was transcribed by Ed. Here is a portion of the interview where Foster describes working at the B&S during the end of the trolleys.
"I operated the last open trolley car, the last regular run out of Old Orchard Beach through Biddeford and Saco and back to the barn after midnight, July 5, 1939, when they started buses the next day. I remember we had the instructor from the ACF Company teaching us how to drive buses and we had him on the trolley with us. We let him run it just a little, but I'll tell you it was a little bit wild. There was a fairly good load of people in the car, local people mostly. The atmosphere was on the sad side; it was to me anyway. This is something I had been born to really. My Dad worked on the trolleys as a motorman for 39 years, so it was sort of bred into me, I guess, and I still miss it today. Of course, Seashore does help."
Open Car No. 246 about to depart from the end of the line in
Old Orchard Beach at midnight. Motorman, Foster Leavitt, Sr.,
with conductor, Jim Feeney during the final public ride for
the Biddeford and Saco Railroad on the night of July 5, 1939.
Photo by Edward D. Leavitt in the Foster Leavitt, Sr. Collection
Courtesy of Mike Leavitt
The final trolley to operate on the Biddeford and Saco railroad on
the night of July 5, 1939, was the special charter ride for the Mayor
of Saco and the many City Council members of Saco. Here they
are just before boarding Birney Safety Car No. 616. Far left is
the operator, Eugene "Gene" Hill.
Photo - Foster Leavitt, Sr. Collection
Courtesy of Mike Leavitt
The final trolley to operate on the Biddeford and Saco railroad on
the night of July 5, 1939, was the special charter ride for the Mayor
of Saco and the many City Council members of Saco. Here they are
on Birney Safety Car No. 616, with the BSRR operator, Gene Hill
standing in the back. The Saco City officials: Sitting on the Left -
Robert Alexander, Alderman, Louis Brock, Mayor, Roland Emerson,
Alderman, Myron Dolby, Alderman, and Mr. Oneil, Jailer.
Sitting on the Right - four seats back - William Wright and Leon Libby
Photo - Foster Leavitt, Sr. Collection
Courtesy of the Saco Museum
The first buses left both Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach at 6 am., Thursday, July 6, the initial schedule called for 69 trips daily from Biddeford to Old Orchard Beach and 72 trips in the opposite direction. The 15-minute headway of the trolleys was continued and the running time was one-half hour, the 15-cent through fare being retained. Four coaches appear to have been in service at one time, the fifth being held in service.
Portland Press Herald - July 6, 1939
Biddeford Daily Journal July 6, 1939
Biddeford Daily Journal - July 6, 1939
According to a report, the first Sunday of bus operation, July 9, was a nightmare, for the Biddeford and Saco Railroad. At one time, all five buses were snarled in traffic at Old Orchard Beach. But, gradually, all the "bugs" were worked out and by the end of 1939, another bus had been acquired and the coach service was well established.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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!
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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.
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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