BY BETTY ADAMS

Staff Writer

A century ago, Litchfield's residents could step aboard a trolley and, about an hour later, arrive in either Augusta or Lewiston.

They could board at either of two way stations along the Lewiston, Augusta and Waterville Street Railway Line: Dennis Hill or the Tacoma Inn.

The electrical rail line was completed in 1908 and abandoned in 1932 because of roadway improvements, the introduction of buses and the popularity of automobiles.

Visitors to the upcoming Litchfield Fair -- Sept. 5, 6 and 7 -- will be able to learn about the railway line through a display prepared by Ed Avis, a member of the Litchfield Historical Society. The continuous slide show will feature pictures of early homes in town, Litchfield trivia questions and promotional material for the historical society itself, as well as Avis's findings on the street railway that ran through town.

Avis' interest in the railroad began with an old photo he found on eBay. It was labeled "First Car in Litchfield, Maine" and shows a steam engine on a track. The ties are incomplete.

"That really piqued my interest," he said. "I never knew of a railway in Litchfield. The only thing I knew about was the trolley."

The electric railway line was built by John R. Graham, of Bangor, president of the Bangor Railway & Electric Co., and ran through Webster, Wales, Monmouth, Litchfield and West Gardiner. The line ran almost parallel to Route 126, according to a book by O.R. Cummings, a trolley expert. A single overhead trolley wire powered the line.

From Cummings' book, Avis learned that steam engines were used during the construction of the trolley line.

He said he has yet to see any similar photo from Litchfield.

"I don't think it's particularly valuable, but for a local historian it's very interesting," he said.

A story carried by the Kennebec Journal on Oct. 13, 1908, touted the line -- a 55-mile link between the Androscoggin and Kennebec rivers -- as offering "Great Trade Possibilities for Kennebec Cities and Towns." The route, which carried passengers and freight, ran from Lewiston to Augusta and Waterville.

Cummings' book illustrates the importance of the line in rural communities, including Litchfield:

"Regular crew and patrons were, for the most part, friendly and congenial and conductors and motormen were not averse to waiting a few minutes for a tardy passenger at his regular boarding place. They frequently did various small errands for farmers' wives, carried messages in the days before telephones became numerous, and during the fall, winter and spring, kept an eye on and out for the children bound to and from school.

"School buses were unknown during the heyday of the Lewiston-Augusta route and even had they existed, the roads in the area served by the trolley line were so poor they couldn't have been used. As a matter of fact, the present Route 126, between Sabattus and Gardiner, was only a narrow dirt road until the end of the street car era and parts of it were impassible during the winter and early spring due to snow and mud."

By today's standards, the nickel fare per zone was a bargain. There were 10 fare zones between Lewiston and Gardiner.

Cummings says coal was the most important product hauled.

The Tacoma Inn itself proved a popular destination for company outings. It was beside Sand Pond and for a while offered the spectacle of high diving white horses.

"It is recalled that 17 cars were used on one shoe shop outing from Lewiston to Tacoma and because of low power east of Sabattus, the trolleys moved in slow procession," Cummings reported.

More information on the railroad is available at the Litchfield Historical Society's Web site at www.historicalsocietyoflitchfieldmaine.org/travel.htm.

Betty Adams -- 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com