The Main Line opened with an initial fleet of 100 wooden railroad roof open platform gate cars that had manually operated center doors, with 50 more cars being added in 1903. The Main Line initially used the Tremont Street subway through downtown Boston and elevated structures outside of downtown. Boston Elevated Railway’s Main Line Elevated (approximating the route of today’s Orange Line of the MBTA) opened in 1901 along with the Atlantic Avenue Elevated later in 1901.
Boston did not open its first elevated line until 1901. Find her at nation’s first subway, Boston’s Tremont Street subway, opened in 1897 and operated with surface streetcars. Shannon Bryan is a writer and outdoor enthusiast who lives in South Portland. The museum captures a great deal of interesting history and the trolleys are simply cool to gawk at.Īnd while we can always drive our cars straight to Smith Preserve to enjoy a day of hiking or mountain biking (or snowshoeing in the winter), it’s great to know that every now and then we can say, “Today I took a trolley into the woods.” if you miss it, no return trolley for you.Īnd before your afternoon adventure comes to an end, be sure to take some time to check out the collection of vintage trolleys on display in the exhibit barns to properly cap off a unique trolley-meets-trail trip. But note that the last trolley of the day departs the museum at 3:45 p.m. Or hang out in Talbott Park until the next trolley comes to take you back to the museum.
Trolleys depart every 45 minutes or so, so if you time it just right you can catch a trolley with little wait. (Portland Phoenix/Shannon Bryan)Īfter an afternoon of trail exploration, head back along the Trolley Trail to meet up with the connecting trail back to Talbott Park. A trail that is the former Atlantic Shore Line Railway right-of-way guides trolley riders from Talbot Park to Smith Preserve. There’s no wrong turn in Smith Preserve, and the trails are accessible for kids and novice hikers. Bobcat Loop is 7.5 miles and includes crossings over the Batson River and along Bobcat Ridge’s scenic ledges. The longer Trolley Loop is mostly flat and boasts winding wooden bridges through forests of ferns. The 1.7-mile Brook Loop is short and hilly and includes waterfall views along Round Swamps Brook. From there, several miles of scenic trails feature cool wooden bridges, small brooks, and wildlife. The trolley tracks have been removed beyond Talbott Park, leaving a straight, flat trail of dirt and sand, which eventually connects to the well-marked Trolley Trail at Smith Preserve. Tic Shore Line Railway right-of-way (the museum has preserved four miles of this historic railway the demonstration track uses two miles of it). (Portland Phoenix/Shannon Bryan)Īfter getting off the trolley at Talbott Park, there are signs to guide visitors to the trail that connects the museum grounds with Smith Preserve. Aboard a trolley on the trip between the Seashore Trolley Museum and Talbot Park. That demonstration track is now a legit route. It’s a novel way for hikers to trek into the woods and, between you and me, I think the trolley cars love the chance to once again do the work they were made to do: take us places. For most museum visitors, that ride is a highlight.īut visitors can extend their day trip to the trolley museum into a trolley-and-trails experience by disembarking at Talbot Park and heading into adjacent Smith Preserve to hike on 10 miles of tree-lined trails.
It’s a fine jaunt down the line to the small Talbott Park, where the trolley loops around to return to the museum. Many have visited the museum to take a ride down memory lane (even if we’re technically too young to remember) during a 30-minute trolley ride on the museum’s demonstration tracks. The Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport has been restoring vintage trolley cars from around the world since a small group of local railfans purchased their first trolley from the Biddeford and Saco Railroad in 1939. (Portland Phoenix/Shannon Bryan)Īnd while we’d be hard-pressed to get a reliable trolley ride to work these days, we can still ride a trolley into the Maine woods for a scenic day hike on a sunny afternoon. Vintage trolleys come back to life at the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, and provide throwback transportation to Talbot Park and the adjacent Smith Preserve and its 10 miles of hiking trails. In their heyday, streetcars took people places: to work, to school, to the shops, and to scenic, well-landscaped parks where hard-working people could enjoy some respite and a picnic on a Sunday afternoon.
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