Conway Scenic Railroad (CSRX) discussion thread

[ConwayScenic252]

The only active equipment we have right now are #252, #216, and (possibly) #255. #573 is drained, #1751 has wheel issues, #7470 had the fire (not to mention it's steam), #4266 is drained, & #4268 is not completed. If #216 breaks down (which could be more sooner than later) there is only #252 and #255 to fill in. #255 is sitting in the yard last time I checked, I have no idea what their plan is. But for now we are back at 3 active units.
I'm thankful they got #252 running when they did; there was only #216 & #255 before then.

To answer @MEC407's question that they didn't see anything about minimal wage, I didn't talk at all about it because I was skeptical and didn't know much, but you can look back and see, it was a bit after the "Mass Bay cancelled #7470" drama.

Waterville is probably the closest shops; or knowing Conway, It probably won't run for another year and a half...
For now, I hope 2022 is good to the railroad. Honestly it's at a bad start, I just hope it can get better...

[Jonathan]

Let’s list all the GOOD things for CSR that happened in 2021:
- Snow Trains through January
- Gertrude Emma returned
- #1751 gets an M3RT1 horn
- Progress on #4268
- #4266/68 repainted and glossed
- #72 added to the roster
- 470 Club Trip
- #255 added to the roster
- #252 restored
- #7470 restored briefly

Let’s now list the BAD things that happened:
- No time for equipment matinence
- Railfans Day 2021
- #252 down for over a year
- #7470 never ran until the VERY END of the year; for 2 days
- Too much unnecessary equipment purchased- a generator?
- Mass Bay exposed Conway to have been not working on #7470 - website said “very little work has been done”
- Many railfans quit after Conway cancelled Steam in the Snow
- Other bad management decisions made.

What will probably happen in 2022?
- #216 breaking down
- #255 painted yellow
- More railfans quitting
- #7470 runs? I hope
- Doubleheader photo freight #255/#252 - they call that “railfans day”
- #4268 runs
- Amazing 470 Club Trip- Revenue run of #4268
- #6505 & #6516 brought back, new owners will take anything
- Equipment breaking down

I am one railfan that will never quit going to Conway Scenic. I know that line well, and I know all the good locations along the line to get pictures of the train going by. I agree, the railroad is going downhill fast, however, let's add a few more things to the list of success the owners had, not just in 2021, but as a whole. They got 7470 running, they completely revamped Railfans weekend by having a photo freight on Saturday (still my favorite chase I ever did at Conway was the freight extra for Railfans 2018, kinda wished I went to Railfans 2019 when 7470 was on the freight), and a special "rare mileage trip" on Sunday (in 2018 and 2019, which the 2019 trip was steam powered.) They also ran 7470 the week between Christmas and New years during the peak of the pandemic. Us railfans have a lot to be grateful for as it pertains to the successes of the ownership.

[NHV 669]

7470 was already running, prior to the bolster issue.

They didn't "revamp" Railfan's Weekend; they canned it entirely. They ran a "freight" with a dome car in the consist, and those who rode in the car made a point that they wish they hadn't, due to the way the trip was set up, especially since little to no info was put out about the move until the last possible minute. That trip was in May, and a standalone event.

They did take out the old LVRC plow with 255 yesterday to Attitash to clear for this weekend's snow trains.

[ConwayScenic252]

...they completely revamped Railfans weekend by having a photo freight on Saturday...

The revamp of RFW is more of a simplification. Even in 2020 they did 2 photo freights, one which went to Redstone and another which went to Conway, and on Sunday they brought out #4266 and pulled it up the notch and did photo run-bys. In 2021 they went to Sawyer's River with #573. I might've said something different or had a different reaction had it worn the Maine Central magnets, but nope, they kept it the same. A couple times a guy with a camera stood out the cab door, ruining the feel of a 1950's era freight. Nothing on Sunday. Not even caboose hops? We know from the 470 Trip they CAN go to Hazens, and that since they used the line last year, we know they CAN go to Redstone, so that trip is entirely possible. Oh, and on Labor Day Weekend they added a Caboose to the train. It was private though.
I'm not trying to change your opinion, I respect it, but I am just trying to say they could've done something better. Let's hope 2022 has good things in store for us.

[CSRR573]

The 470 Club posted some short videos of 4268 running for the first time.

[MEC407]

Posted where?

[NHV 669]

On their Facebook page.

[BandA]

Seemed like it was running very smoothly for an engine that hadn't turned over in 40-50 years. And very clean inside.

[ericofmaine]

It had only been about 6 years since the engine last ran.

Eric

[p42thedowneaster]

Is there any way to install low (speed) range dynamic brakes to make them more marketable to the railroad for use on the notch? Can a B-Unit be set up with dynamics only? Or maybe 216 could be painted red like 573 and placed between the sisters? The F3s and GP7s mingled quite often in the notch, so that would at least have some photographic precedent -ish.

[EastYorkTrainFaan]

I don't think there are any plans to change 216's paint the only engines that are planned to be painted this year are 255 to be like 252 and 216 and there is a rumor that 1751 may get a paint job too

[ericofmaine]

Is there any way to install low (speed) range dynamic brakes to make them more marketable to the railroad for use on the notch? Can a B-Unit be set up with dynamics only?

There's a post in the EMD forum somewhere what explains it better, but essentially, no. While we could get the grids and fans, the wiring for the dynamics on a GP / F7 is different than that of a GP / F9 and later. I suppose that they could be made to work together, it wouldn't be an easy conversion from my understanding of the conversation.

Eric

[NHV 669]

I don't think ther are any plans to cahnge 216's paint

It was only a suggestion...

the onlyu engines that are planned to be painted this year are 255 to be like 253 and 216 and ther is a rummor that 1755 may get a paint job too

Huh? 253? 1755? No such units exist at North Conway. No timeframe has been suggested for 255 to get whatever paint job they decide to put on it.

[EastYorkTrainFaan]

Sorry I made a mistake with the numbers and fixed it in my original post.

[p42thedowneaster]

Thanks for the explanation on dynamics in the F7. When combined, we always see 1st gens leading uphill westbound and 2nd gens leading downhill.

If that's because the F7 cannot trigger the dynamics in a 2nd gen then there would be no need to repaint the 216 as it would never be placed between the F7s anyways. There will not be any case when the F7s will lead in both directions on the mountain...just valley train runs.