THE
MAIN LINE
Vol 1
No 7
The M onthly Bulletin
of the N ew England Electric Railway H istorical Society Libraries
September 2009
Happy Fall everyone - I have been dragging my heels a bit this month
for while committee meetings and working groups were going forward
as usual, actually the really important day-to-day activities, this does
not make for especially riveting prose and pictures. Because the
ribbon cutting for ASL-100 was coming up on the 25th I thought I
would wait for a picture of ASL-100. I am delighted that I waited;
hopefully you will be as well, as everyone at Seashore did an
amazing job of putting together a really super event. This issue of
The MAIN LINE will still provide information on whatʼs happening
with the Library but I am going to use some space with pictures and
comments about the spectacular ASL-100 event. Phil Morse and the
ASL-100 project team plus everyone including the shop, operations,
office, grounds and a whole lot of really hard working members made
it something of which all of Seashore can be very proud. A large
number of guests including officials from Maine DOT, state
legislators, a state senator, representatives from other donor
organizations, local town and city government people in addition to
Seashore members were on hand. ASL-100 is a very impressive
example of highly skilled restoration and following by only a month
the dedication of Wheeling 639 makes doubly evident the amazing
level of skill represented by Don Curry, the staff and volunteers of the
restoration shop – just amazing stuff guys – congratulations! The
following are some pictures taken with my little Sony:
ASL-100 (Laconia Car Company 1906) being dressed for
the occasion by GM Roger Tobin and John Mecurio.
Dr. Patricia Erikson of the ASL-100 project team and O.R. Cummings
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The official ribbon cutting – Iʼm not a very aggressive or talented
paparazzo so my pictures are usually shot over someoneʼs head
Part of the some 150 or so invited guests in attendance as ASL-100
starts to move around the loop to the loading stairs.
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O.R. Cummings, Phil Morse and John Middleton board ASL-100ʼs
inaugural run to Talbot Park.
Seashoreʼs original car - Biddeford & Saco 31 was out to greet the attendees.
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Aroostook Valley Railroad #70 has a rare outing.
Portsmouth, Dover & York Street Railway #108 –
US Mail Car (Laconia Car Company 1904) and
Manchester & Nashua Street Railway #38 Interurban
(Laconia Car Company 1906) were out to greet the crowd.
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The body of Portland – Lewiston Interurban #14 - The Narcissus –
(Laconia Car Company 1912) added to the Maine theme of the day
and showed off the stunning lines of this great candidate for restoration.
Only a month after dedication the beautiful Wheeling Transit Company #639
reinforced the skill and dedication of Seashoreʼs restoration shop. (Cincinnati Car
Company 1924)
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Lehigh Valley Transit Company #1030 high-speed interurban – deluxe parlor car
(nee Indiana Railroad #55) rolled into the yards. If you have never heard the
horns on 1030 they are quite amazing. Then again if you could go that fast (80
mph) people needed to hear you coming. (American Car & Foundry 1931)
The “other” Biddeford & Saco Street Railway #31 (American Car & Foundry
model C-36 built in 1947).
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Yet another Maine member of the collection: Portland Coach Company #4
(Mack 1936)
If you havenʼt seen ASL-100 you should try to do so and also there
are numerous very interesting videos of the various stages of the
project that you can watch at the ASL-100 site on the Museumʼs web
page (http://www.neerhs.org/ASL100/main.php?page=news). I am
not even touching on the spectacular new displays in the exhibit room
done as part of this project named "History in Motion: Public
Transportation Connecting Maine Communities" with the work of
graphic artist Kim Traina of Jumpstart Creative and Dr. Patricia
Erikson, the curator of the exhibit, of Whitecap Museum-Consulting
Services.
Again, thanks to everyone who took the time to provide comments or
asked to be added to The MAIN LINE distribution list. As I have
stated in earlier issues, hopefully this will let the libraryʼs members
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and friends of the library receive information on a more timely and
organized fashion and provide expanded material of some interest.
CURRENT HAPPENINGS
The Collection – The several levels of inventorying of the overall New
England electric railway Historical Society (NEERHS) collection are
continuing. Specific materials such as albums and individual photos
continue to be transported to York County Community College
(YCCC) for individual identification, inventory, scanning and packing
in protective sleeves, etc. as needed.
As reported in the July bulletin an agreement with Publius Research
of Harpswell, ME was under discussion. That agreement has now
been executed with Publius to supply support to the Library in
strengthening of the revised Hidden Library Grant application for
2010 submission, general grant application development and review
of interior design and work flow of the new library. This interior
review is highly desirable because of the intensely archival nature of
the NEERHS Libraryʼs holdings and the impact of this upon
appropriate interior design. Dr. James S. Henderson, Director for 20
years of the Maine State Archives, formed Publius Research in 1985
as a part-time venture. After his retirement in 2007 Dr. Henderson
has focused on selected projects of interest for Publius.
A contract for professional services related to siting and permitting of
the new Seashore Trolley Museum Library Building has been signed
with SMRT of Portland, ME. The work will be undertaken in phases.
These will include the siting of a new library building using a footprint
provided by the NEERHS, design and permitting support of the
associated access, parking and utilities infrastructure. Included are
such design considerations as locating a new on-site sewage
disposal system, a private well to serve the building and employees,
a small driveway and parking area, site grading, storm water control,
soil erosion and sediment control. The extent of the design tasks will
be determined by Maine DEP permitting requirements, and
interpretation of their rules as they apply to this project.
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RepairsDoug Carrier has put a lot of elbow grease and perspiration into the
repainting of the publicly visible side of the Libraryʼs storage boxcar.
We still need to work on the ends and the other side but it looks and
is a lot better with Dougʼs year-long effort of scraping, sanding,
priming and painting. Thanks much Doug!
Donated Materials to Our Collection- We are continuing process
the donated collection materials reported in last monthʼs bulletin.
Mike Frost moved a large quantity of these items to Maine that had
initially been dropped at my home in Newburyport, MA. Thanks Mike
– my aged Volvo has limited carrying capacity.
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Seashore History –
The barber shop from a quonset hut (bowling alley) from Lynnfield, MA arriving
on site circa 1955 to be part of the then Seashore Gift shop – later the current
library.
Do we have any question why the roof leaks?
Connecticut Company 1391 (Osgood Bradley Car Co. 1910) gets some help
around the Visitor’s Center loop in July 1990.
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FundingAs part of the Strategic Plan initiated in 2009 the NEERHS is
developing a Capital Fundraising Program to support the libraryʼs
construction and operation. This is a very important undertaking and
to that end if anyone has expertise in capital fundraising techniques
and programs and would have any time to participate with the
development and/or conduct of such please let us know.
The NEERHS Grants Committee is looking into other near and longer
term grant possibilities for the Library. Library Committee member
Herb Pence is a member of the Grants Committee which also
includes Phil Morse and NEERHS VP Development Steve McIssac.
Hopefully we will be successful with some of the smaller grants in the
near term. As our preservation, cataloguing and scanning activities
have become established we are consuming supplies such as acid
free paper, plastic sleeves, etc. at an increasing rate. The cost, just
for materials, to properly mount a photograph on acid free material,
and enclose in a plastic sleeve runs from $.60 - $.75 per photo. This
doesnʼt count anything for storage cabinets and space nor the other
cataloguing and scanning activities we do concurrently. Donations of
such supplies, we can give you details, or donations of coin of the
realm to purchase such supplies are always welcome. We are
attempting to process the rare high-interest images first but the good
news - bad news is that a great deal of your NEERHS Library
collection qualifies as rare and of high interest.
Please remember when sending donations for the library to note that
it is for Library Development – Fund 951.
Information Requests The Library continues to receive and respond to information requests
through the Museumʼs website. If you encounter people searching
for information that we may be able to help them with please direct
them to the library link on the Museumʼs website.
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Do You Recognize This? –
First, the answers to the August Issue:
Here are the two number eights of the Berlin Street Railway (NH).
First is the original #8 built by Laconia in 1902 and destroyed by fire
in 1934. Note the large detachable headlight, favored by BSR,
attached to the original number 8 in this picture. The second #8 built
by Stephenson in 1905 and purchased from Portland Railroad in
1934 to replace the first #8. The second #8 survived until the end of
service on December 1, 1938. In the following picture, prior to itsʼ
repainting, it still displays the livery and number 204 of the Portland
Railroad.
The original #8
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The second #8
This monthʼs do you recognize –
A clue: This electric railway was not based in usual suspect states
for these photos of Maine, NH or Massachusetts. However, this
company still exists and operates in all three of those states, although
unfortunately not with streetcars.
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Just Interesting –
Exeter, Hampton & Amesbury Street Railway (NH) – Mail Car No. 18 at Exeter, NH
Depot in 1906. The motorman is R. Nicholas Walsh of Amesbury, MA.
Library Committee Meetings – The next meeting is scheduled for
October 10 from 10AM to 12 Noon at York County Community
College – (2nd Floor) in Wells. PLEASE NOTE: There is no working
group scheduled after the October 10 meeting so that attendees may
participate in Transit Day at the Museum. In November the Library
Committee meeting will be on November 14 from 10AM to 12 Noon at
YCCC with a Working Group afterwards from Noon until 4PM.
Please come and join us at the Library Committee meetings, we all
look forward to seeing you and hearing your thoughts and
needs. Canʼt make the meeting – please drop an email to the library
SeashoreLibrary@ramsdell.com or use the contact link on the
Museumʼs Internet site.
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Next Working Group Meeting- There is working group scheduled at
YCCC from 12 Noon to 4PM after our November 14 Committee
meeting.
Please let me know your thoughts, suggestions, criticisms, etc. The
Main Line exists to share and exchange information and ideas about
your NEERHS Library.
Ed Ramsdell, Librarian
New England Electric Railway Historical Society
TheMainLine@ramsdell.com
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