(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. Because dogs are part of the family, we are always dog friendly.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. From the omnibus, to electric streetcars, buses, light rail vehicles, and rapid transit cars, we’ve got them all. It includes examples from the timeline of public transportation. Our vehicle collection represents the evolution of public transportation. All of our visitors experience a powerful connection to the past at Seashore Trolley Museum. Riding on a private railroad, in antique streetcars with uniformed crews is memorable. We also welcome individuals, families, school groups, tourists and historians. Transit enthusiasts and professionals around the world know about the museum. Our visitors learn about, and gain a new appreciation for, the role public transportation. Our exhibits and guides call attention to the technological, aesthetic, and historically significant characteristics of our collections. Seashore Trolley Museum proudly continues the legacy of its founders by maintaining and sharing our world-class transit collections and knowledge with you. The National Streetcar Museum at Lowell, MA is a satellite of New England Electric Railway Historical Society’s Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine. New England Electric Railway Historical Society was established in 1939 in Kennebunkport, Maine. We preserve knowledge, context, and resources for future generations by collecting, restoring, operating, and exhibiting significant public transit vehicles and artifacts. New England Electric Railway Historical Society shares powerful connections between the past and present. This organization has no active opportunities.įind volunteer opportunities from thousands of organizations that need your help.
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