March 19, 2000                                                                     

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:  Phil Morse, Executive Director, Seashore Trolley Museum, (207) 967-2712, Public 967-2800

Press Contact:      Greg Burke of IMS-21, (207) 985-1766, greg@ims21.net  

“Funding Sought for Atlantic Shore Line Railway Locomotive #100”

SEASHORE TROLLEY MUSEUM:  The Seashore Trolley Museum is applying to the Maine Department of Transportation for funds to restore Atlantic Shoreline Railway (ASL) Car #100 under the Federal Transportation Enhancement Act for the 21st Century (commonly called TEA-21). ASL Car #100 actually plied the streets of Cape Porpoise, Kennebunkport, Kennebunk, Alfred, & Sanford in its numerous trips between 1906 and 1927 hauling freight and coal to the mills. The locomotive continued to operate for York Utilities Co. in the Sanford area up until 1949.

The Maine DOT administers the TEA-21 funds given to the state.  The funds are disbursed to municipalities for projects that have the municipality’s approval and support.  From the Maine portion of these funds several thousands of dollars are distributed for the restoration of transportation related historic objects. The ASL #100 restoration project has the support of the Kennebunkport Selectman and is expecting to be accorded support by the Townspeople by referendum at the Town Meeting to be held on March 25th.  Residents should be assured that should the Kennebunkport and Seashore Trolley Museum be successful in receiving TEA-21 funding there would be no impact or bearing on access to other funds received by the town from Maine DOT.

The Seashore Trolley Museum is raising an additional $30,000 as a local match for the federal funds being sought. Anyone wishing to contribute to this project is encouraged to make a donation or contact the Museum. The Trolley Museum has earned a worldwide reputation for completing many fine restorations.  In fact, the shop may be doing restorations or maintenance on up to eleven cars at one time.  Literally thousands of volunteer hours are spent each year preserving and restoring trolleys and other transit vehicles. To date several dozen historic and unique cars have been restored and many are on display.

Maine had over 2000 trolleys criss-crossing the state during the grand trolley era of the late 1890’s to the 1940’s.  Only 13 of those cars are known to survive today, all of them are at the Seashore Trolley Museum, and ten of them, including ASL #100, are listed on the National Historic Register.

The Seashore Trolley Museum is the oldest and largest museum of its type in North America.  It’s founding in 1939 marked the beginning of the worldwide volunteer movement to preserve rail heritage. Seashore has developed the National Collection of American Streetcars.  Seashore’s property includes almost four miles of the original right of way of the Atlantic Shore Line that connected Kennebunkport, Arundel, and Biddeford.

For more information or questions regarding this project or to simply support the Museum’s efforts please contact Phil Morse at (207) 967-2712.  Or e-mail him at: pmorse@gwi.net.  The Seashore Trolley Museum is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, and contributions may be federally tax deductible.

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The Seashore Trolley Museum has been operated by the New England Electric Railway Historical Society since 1939 as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit educational institution.

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