Conway Scenic Railroad

The Conway Scenic Railroad is a heritage railroad located in North Conway, New Hampshire, owned by Profile Mountain Holdings Corp. The railroad operates over two historic railway routes: a line from North Conway to Conway that was formerly part of the Conway Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad, and a line from North Conway through Crawford Notch to Fabyan that was once part of the Mountain Division of the Maine Central Railroad. The Conway line is owned by Conway Scenic, and leases the Mountain Division that is owned by the State of New Hampshire.

The railroad's main terminal is located in historic downtown North Conway in the Mount Washington valley. The North Conway station complex has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979. (District - #79003792)

History The Conway Scenic Railroad was formed by Dwight Smith, who was an employee of the Boston and Maine Railroad in the late 1960s. After years of negotiations, Smith was able to convince his employer to sell a portion of the Conway Branch, which it planned to abandon, to him and two local businessmen in 1974, and the Conway Scenic Railroad began that year. In 1999, the original owners were bought out by husband and wife Russ and Dot Seybold and on January 30, 2018, the railroad was sold again to Profile Mountain Holdings Corp.

Operations

The railroad operates passenger trains out of its station in North Conway Village year-round. The railroad also operates the Mountaineer train from North Conway, through Crawford Notch up to Fabyan Station from May through November each year.

Special freight operations On July 30, 1980, the first paid freight movement for the railroad occurred. A huge brush slasher was dropped off by the Maine Central at Intervale siding. From there, steam locomotive No. 108 hauled it from Intervale to Conway Village.

On June 20, 2009, a 20-axle Schnabel car was brought down through Crawford Notch carrying a 227-ton transformer for Public Service of New Hampshire, an electrical utility company. The train was led by locomotives No. 573, No. 6505 and No. 6516. It was the first scheduled freight train through Crawford Notch since September 3, 1983, and the first freight train of any kind since October 1984. The empty cars were shipped out nine days later, led by No. 6505 and No. 4266. This shipment completed the most recent revenue freight move for the Conway Scenic to date.

Future In recent years, the Conway Scenic has been looking to restore the rest of the Mountain Division, specifically the stretch in Maine that runs from Fryeburg to Westbrook. The primary goal is to establish a new freight service to serve local businesses, though tourist operations are a secondary possibility. The line also faces the possibility of removal for a recreational rail-trail.

Equipment Locomotives +Locomotive detailsNumberImageTypeModelBuiltBuilderSerial numberStatus7470Steam1921Grand Trunk Railway22/1500Operational23BuddlinerRDC-11952Budd Company5504Operational216DieselGP351965Electro-Motive Diesel30297Operational252DieselGP381966Electro-Motive Diesel32661Operational255DieselGP381966Electro-Motive Diesel32664Operational360Diesel44-ton switcher1942General ElectricUnknownDisplay501Steam1910American Locomotive Company47732Display, awaiting restoration573DieselGP71950Electro-Motive Diesel12369Operational1741DieselGP91957Electro-Motive Diesel23239Operational1751DieselGP91965Electro-Motive Diesel22036Operational4266DieselF7A1949Electro-Motive Diesel8476Operational4268DieselF7A1949Electro-Motive Diesel9932Operational

Visiting units +Locomotive detailsNumberImageTypeModelBuiltBuilderSerial numberPrevious ownerStatusCurrent ownerFlying YankeeDiesel-ElectricStreamliner1935Budd Company, Electro-Motive CorporationUnknownBoston & Maine RailroadUnder restorationFlying Yankee Association

Former units +Locomotive detailsNumberImageTypeModelBuiltBuilderSerial numberNotes15Diesel44-ton switcher1945General Electric27975Sold to Southern Prairie Railway108Steam1920Baldwin Locomotive Works52820Sold to Rannoch Corporation1055DieselS-41950American Locomotive Company78416Sold to Downeast Scenic Railroad1757DieselGP91956Electro-Motive Diesel21888Scrapped after being used as parts source for F7A 4268.1943DieselB23-71978General Electric42056Sold to Finger Lakes Railway2820DieselU23B1975General Electric40130Sold to Finger Lakes Railway6505DieselFP91954General Motors DieselA635Sold to Pan Am Railways6516DieselFP91957General Motors DieselA1046Sold to Pan Am Railways

2022 fire incident On the morning of January 3, 2022 at 4:44 AM, a radio inside No. 7470's cab caught fire, and it caused the inside of the locomotive's cab to burn up as well. The fire also damaged the spring in the whistle valve, causing the whistle to continuously blow, which alerted the nearby steam locomotive mechanic, who called 9-1-1. The nearby fire department arrived shortly afterward to put the fire out. Had it not been for the whistle valve blowing itself, the 1874-built roundhouse it was stored in would have received critical fire damage and collapsed onto No. 7470. The cab has since been repaired and the engine returned to service in June 2022.

Appearances in film In the 2005 Christmas film, The 12 Dogs of Christmas, starring Jordan-Claire Green, the museum's depot was filmed in several scenes during the beginning of the film, and the Conway Scenic's passenger cars were also used in the film.

See also North Conway Depot and Railroad Yard List of heritage railroads in the United States List of heritage railroads in New Hampshire List of heritage railways

Notes

References

Conway Scenic Railroad

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