Narcissus Restoration Update - November 22, 2025

The SolidWorks 3-D CAD virtual image continues to become more complete,

as statistical files of components are added to the SolidWorks files by Ernie Eaton,

the restoration shop project manager, who manages the restoration of

National Register of Historic Places member, Narcissus.

Interior of the Narcissus created using the SolidWorks 3-D CAD virtual files.

As statistical files of components are added to the SolidWorks files by

Ernie Eaton, the restoration shop project manager, details

all components of the Narcissus, interior and exterior are more visible.

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 narratives of electric railways' impact here in Maine.

Theodore Roosevelt was a passenger aboard the Portland-Lewiston Interurban, No. 14, Narcissus on August 18, 1914, while campaigning between Lewiston and Portland, Maine. The Narcissus is featured as the "Elegant Ride" in the multi-award-winning book, Theodore Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride, by Maine author Jean M. Flahive.

Jean and I will be guest speakers for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library's December 8, 2025, live virtual YouTube broadcast. Jean will talk about the book, and I will talk about Roosevelt's connections to the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine, and Theodore Roosevelt's Maine Heritage Trail. Click Here: for the post about the TRPL live virtual broadcast program

Above left photo, taken by Phil Morse, of the right side sill and steel C-channel,

a few weeks before being joined and attached to the Narcissus on November 18, 2025.

Above right photo taken by Ernie Eaton

Click Here: for the post on the removal in the fall of 2018 of the original right sidesill and steel C-channel

The overhang truss rod, on the right side of the Narcissus, will be one of many

components required to be connected to the side sill. See the image below for

how the ends pass through the sill. Photo by Katie Orlando

The overhang truss rod (blue) literally passes through the side sill. This image is

a screenshot from a SolidWorks 3-D CAD file created by Ernie Eaton.

Click Here: for the post on the various truss rods and their condition when removed from the Narcissus.

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The Number 2 end of the Narcissus.

One of the next steps, to follow the completion of the securing of

components to the side sills, will be to install the crowns to the vestibules

on each end of the Narcissus. Of course, that will include securing

the door and window posts that travel between the vestibule roof to

the crown. Photo taken in October 2025 by Phil Morse 

Lower left above - using Ernie's SolidWorks 3-D CAD

printouts as blueprints, the two crowns were made by

the master woodworker, STM restoration staff member

Seth Reed. Each crown will be installed in the vestibule

end of the Narcissus it was made for.

Click Here: for the post about developing, building, and positioning the placement of the new crowns to

the vestibules.

Above left photo, taken by Phil Morse, of the left side sill and steel C-channel,

a few weeks before being joined and attached to the Narcissus on November 18, 2025.

Above right photo taken by Ernie Eaton

 

Click Here: for the post on the removal in the fall of 2018 of the original left sidesill and steel C-channel

Click Here: for the post in January 2019 with photos and videos of the removal process of the sills

The overhang truss rod, on the left side of the Narcissus. Photo by Katie Orlando

The photos below show how Ernie fabricated a couple of the unusual bolts for mounting the crowns.

The bolt head is a few thousandths bigger than the hole, so it doesn't spin when tapped in.

The heads are welded up to make them large enough for turning. Replacing the

head of the heavily rusted bolt, via welding, then milling the welded head while

it spins in a lathe. Ernie Eaton photo

Ernie Eaton photo

The bolt diameter hole is drilled in the crown and H beams.

Ernie Eaton photo

The jig tool in hand, to drill the wider hole to accept the head of the bolt.

Ernie Eaton Photo

Secondary hole to accept the head of the bolt and have its top be flush with

the timber side. Ernie Eaton photo

During the same day in October 2025, I also spent some time with Ernie, as he showed me many of the metal components from the Narcissus that have been worked on, sandblasted, primed, and painted. They will be stored in the safe, secure, 53-foot storage trailer full of Narcissus components.

Numerous metal components from the Narcissus

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Below are a series of close-up photos of the items just painted and of items painted recently before, the items on the table in the above photo.

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Below are items painted before the items above.

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Click Here: For the list of links to Theodore Roosevelt Maine Heritage Trail Posts in Easy Order to View

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 first captivates, then 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

Click Here: for 3rd Grade Lesson Plans - Example for Viewing the Vocabulary Activities for Grades 3-8

Independent book publisher Phil Morse,

holding 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

Narcissus Restoration - A Wooden Interurban - February 25, 2016

A CAD drawing of Narcissus. This was designed to

be colored, cut out, and folded. It is a "replica,"

of the Narcissus. PWM

This post on restoration work on the Narcissus was released on February 25, 2016. It was one of about 100 posts that got messed up on the morning of May 15, 2021 - Google Blogger removed more than 150 Narcissus blog posts from being available to the public. Evidently, they investigated malware infiltration and, to be safe, removed posts that may have been compromised. There were about fifty posts that remained available at the time. Once Google Blogger approved the other 100 posts to be

reactivated. Unfortunately, the contents within many of those posts needed a lot of editing and reformatting before being reposted for public access. Took me a few days...sigh. This post slipped through the cracks, sorta speak. I found it as a draft on New Year's Eve Day, while I was going through, editing, and updating all of the 324 posts, 34 drafts, and 20 pages. And here it is now, re-released, for the first time since May 2021 :)

 Narcissus Project.  Restoration of the National Register of Historic Places member, Narcissus.  

Long vertical truss rods pass through the side of the edge of

the roof (blue circle) all the way through the side sills. PWM

Vertical truss rod. PWM

Many of the threaded ends of

the truss rods had to be cut

off due to being deteriorated

beyond repair. A new section

of a rod with washers attached.

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     To repair the vertical truss rods, the lower end was cut off, and then the remaining length was pulled up through the roof area. Repairs were made, then the sections were sandblasted, primed, painted, and returned. Tightening up these vertical trusses assists in holding the wooden body of the interurban together. Adjustments are made where necessary when squaring up the car. The need to be sure the car body is square and plumb at the beginning of the restoration process...and throughout the process is critical to having a successful restoration.

     There are also truss rods that run horizontally through the body of the Narcissus from one side sill to the other.

Horizontal truss rod as seen from the inside. You can

see the end of the truss rod to the left in this

image, inside the hole drilled in the side sill.

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Volunteer Lary Shaffer is cutting a horizontal

truss rod. The rod can then be extracted through

the side sill on each side of the body.

Repairs can then be addressed as necessary.

Parts are then sandblasted, primed, painted,

and returned. DGC Image

     Tightening these horizontal truss rods assists in holding the wooden body of the interurban together. Adjustments are made where necessary when squaring up the car. The need to be sure the car body is square and plumb at the beginning of the restoration process...and throughout the process is critical to having a successful restoration.

New sections of I-beams were welded into

place on the Number 1 end of the Narcissus.

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     There are two...I-beams...that run parallel down the center of the 46-foot body of the Narcissus. So, in this regard, the Narcissus, technologically speaking, is a transition car. Transitioning from all wood to what would become all metal/steel construction for electric railway vehicles. Lengths of wood (not added here yet) run along the inside of each side of the I-beams.

The original "bumper" aligned with the various

components on the Number 1 end. PWM

Trusses also run along the bottom of each side sill. These add

strength and stability in connecting the body to the "trucks".

The Narcissus has two "trucks"(the term used to describe

the set of wheels, motors, axles, springs, and other mechanical

components as a set) under its body. PWM

Where the side truss connects to the bolster. PWM

Turnbuckle for the side trusses.

Tightening/loosening, as needed,

 for adjusting the tension. PWM

Side truss bar (left-right) near

as it approaches the center of

the body. See also in image three

pics above. PWM

Truss rod end casing. These are cast.

At least one new one will be made.

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     Hundreds of square-head bolts and nuts need to be replaced throughout the body. Steel flat head screws were also the standard used throughout the car on the exterior, and will all be replaced.

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Click Here: For the list of links to Theodore Roosevelt Maine Heritage Trail Posts in Easy Order to View

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

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 first captivate, fascinate, then generate 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 donating 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 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

Gold Book Award Winner plaque for

 Middle Reader category for The Eric

Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to

award-winning Maine author,

Jean M. Flahive