10 | Lexington’s Colonial Times Magazine OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2009 Car 41 THE MINUTE-MEN TROLLEY Part of the former Middlesex & Boston Street 2 Railway that Operated in Lexington

By Laurie Atwater and was founded in 1939. It is the oldest and largest electric Doug Carrier is enthu- railway in the world. siastic about the future for Car 41 is scheduled to Car 41. He’s been leading the move into the shop next year fundraising program to restore and begin the long process of the trolley car for fourteen restoration. During its stint years and the fund is now as a diner in Natick, it suf- $72K strong with only about fered alterations that must be $40K needed to get Car 41 reversed. Specifically, the inte- ready to run once again rior seating must be restored, Carrier is a volunteer at the openings that were cut the Seashore Trolley Museum in to the main body (when in Kennebunkport, . He it served as a diner) must be has a special fondness for Car repaired an the original doors No. 41 because he spent his replaced. Otherwise the car is high school years in Lexing- in excellent condition accord- ton and graduated from Min- ing to Carrier because it was uteman High School in 1996. stored under a tarp at the open 1 And, he’s pretty sure that his end of a warehouse and not grandmother must have ridden exposed to the elements. 3 in this very car when she lived The Trolley Museum’s in the area. skilled restoration team will 1. Clockwise from top left: Jim Shantz, Doug Carrier and Ed Dooks stand tackle the cosmetics and the on the tracks of the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine. A car with complicated task of re-fabri- 2. The exterior of the museum founded in 1939. 3. The rear of the museum cating the running and control leads out to the tracks where you can ride a trolley from May through Octo- many lives ber. 4&5. The inside and exterior of Lexington’s Car 41. According to history gears. Carrier is hoping that gathered by Courier, Car 41 the car will be ready to roll was built by the John Stephen- along the tracks at the museum son Car Company for the in five years and loves the Lexington & Boston Street idea of bring it to Lexington Railway (LBSR) in 1901. by flatbed for the April 19th The LBSR was bought out parade once it is fully restored. by the Middlesex and Boston Carrier calls the various Railway in 1912 and No. 41 trolleys and busses scattered became part of its 250 car fleet around the property “architec- where it ran the “Route of the ture that moves” and revels in Minute Men Trolley” because their different shapes, designs of it operated in Lexington, and colors. The property Bedford and Concord. around the museum houses In 1930 Car No. 41 was hundreds of transit vehicles pulled out of service and sold waiting to be sponsored into to a Mr. McGowan of Natick. restoration. 4 5 He turned the car into a diner Each or trolley is at the corner of Worcester distinguished by its route: Road and North Main Street. Lechmere via Highland, San The diner served the people of Francisco Financial District, the Boston & Worcester Air The Golden Gate Bridge Line (a motor bus line). When and even Bastille Paris! The the diner closed in the 1940s assortment of designs and the car was converted into a colors are indeed amazing and salvage store. each scheme distinguishes its Finally, on June 18, area of origin. 1962, the car body was That said, he and every- moved to the Seashore Trol- one at the museum is a trans- ley Museum in Maine The portation fanatic. Lexingtonian museum is located on Log Ed Dooks and his wife Karen Cabin Road in Kennebunkport love the museum so much OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2009 Lexington’s Colonial Times Magazine | 11 they move to Kennebunkport from the routes that currently operate Lexington in the summer where in the Lowell National Historic they both volunteer at the museum. Park to serve other venues in the Jim Shantz, President of the city’s compact downtown, and museum has had a lifelong interest to connect with the commuter in street railways. Shortly after rail line to Boston. Shantz has moving to Boston at age twelve, he worked with the LNHP to create became active at the Seashore Trol- an exhibit entitled On Track: ley Museum in Kennebunkport, and Transit in the American City, has been involved for almost forty In Lowell and Across America years. Jim has served on Seashore’s which presents the history of board for more than twenty-five public transportation in Lowell years, and has been Chairman for in the context of the broader the last fifteen years. national story. Find out more at Initially Jim was very inter- www.nps.gov/LOWE/index.htm ested in restoration which led him In the meantime, Car 41 to learn woodworking, steel work- awaits its makeover. If you would ing (including hot riveting), and like to contribute to the fund, general mechanical work. please contact Doug Carrier at the museum. To learn more about Trolleys make a the museum visit their website at 1 comeback www.trolleymuseum.org. Currently he is active in a movement to promote the re-intro- CAR 41 FUND duction of streetcars across the Douglas Carrier, Jr. country in cooperation with the Project Manager M&B 41 American Public Transit Associa- Seashore Trolley Museum tion. Portland Oregon has been a PO Box A leader in the introduction of new Kennebunkport, ME 04046 streetcars (the Portland Streetcar Loop Project) and is testing an American made streetcar Clockwise from top: 1. The totally renovated 2 made by Oregon Iron Works interior of one of the museum’s trolleys. 2. Trolleys and its new subsidiary Unit- in the museum barn. 3. A control tower from the ed Streetcar, of Clackamas, Boston area. 4. An ad from the interior of a Boston car featuring “Big Brother” Bob Emery of WBZ-TV Oregon. The new company advertising milk from United Farmers. 5. An old hopes to supply streetcars fare box. to cities throughout North America. New streetcars 4 3 have not been manufactured 5 in America for the past 58 years. The Obama admin- istration just awarded $75 million in federal funds to complete the project which was stalled under the Bush administration according to Light Rail Now. Shantz says that trolley systems produce positive economic development impacts. He is also working on a project in Lowell to create trolley routes outside

Near right: The early story of America’s Industrial Revolution is commemorated at Lowell National Historical Park where the Seashore Trolley Museum has collaborated on a transpor- tation exhibit and is working to expand trolly service Pictured here a trolley delivers visitors to the Bootts Mill. Center: A fully restored double-decker. Far right: a display for one of the fully restored trolley cars.