Conway Scenic Railroad (CSRX) discussion thread

[MEC407]

Jeeze... imagine what they could accomplish if they spent that kind of money on livable wages for their employees...

[Westbound31]

Sounds like those hairline cracks found in the trucks of 7470 could have been fixed professionally rather than canceling two railfan events and replacing the trucks with freight car trucks. If you look at their brochures now, they’re advertising the Notch train as a transcontinental streamlined experience. So it would seem that this whole stainless steel passenger equipment and non matching coaches is here to stay. It’s funny because I’ve heard Solomon use those exact words during the dozens of radio and tv interviews he’s been doing when advertising the notch train. Everything really is changing and it’s changing fast. Now that all the railroad guys are gone and have been replaced, it’s full steam ahead on the Swirkus Circus railroad. I wonder when the money will run out if it hasn’t already…

[ConwayScenic252]

I was happy to hear the 5 chime was back on but all excitement was thrown away when I saw how low Swirk has it sound. It’s the first time I’ve ever considered what would happen in the event something major happened to #7470… I say ship it to Strasburg and keep it there, take the open air car if they aren’t going to use it, Strasburg has a few of those and they could use it on passenger service. Fits in well with #89 and #7312 there… sure Court, Paul, Russ, whoever would rather see it in use with its sisters in far away territory than with a bang-up job at Swirk’s Circus on rails. Starting to make me worried it would have a #2100 outcome…

[NHN503]

Jeeze... imagine what they could accomplish if they spent that kind of money on livable wages for their employees...

Ehhh maybe. There are still some real employee issues in this area right now that even if they bumped it to say the $15+ that it is in the Carroll/Belknap area right now that it wouldn't solve their staffing issues. We have a customer for us that is struggling to find and retain employees and they are starting at $32hr with a 3 on 4 off schedule. But that's for an economics forum!

I think the reputation is proceeding it, and no amount of money would get reasonable people to work there at this point. They could make me salary at 100K, and I wouldn't return.

[CSRR573]

Maybe next year if they’re still operating and they show up, we can grill them at the Big E. Get a group big enough and they’ll have to answer us in person

[Jonathan]

Do any of yall know if Swirk had been this bad at G&U or Pioneer Valley? I mean, before now, people have been praising him. Now it seems like hes changing things for the worse. Was that the case with pioneer valley and grafton and upton, or were they praising him at those places? Cause obviously this isn't the first railroad hes been involved with, and as previously stated, things are changing for the worst, presumably.


I can guarantee that IF CSRX DOES go bankrupt, there will be a group that tries to save the railroad from having the tracks ripped up and paved and becoming a rail trail. I can't see that happening, I cannot see a rail trail existing where the tracks are now.

[ConwayScenic252]

I’m not sure about Swirk’s history… but if CSRX went bankrupt here’s what I think would happen to the engines:

#7470 would go to Strasburg, Downeast, or Steamtown
#501 would go to Downeast Scenic or Steamtown, most likely Downeast considering NESC would be happy to take her in for restoration
#4266/4268 would go to Downeast or another museum
#216 would go to a N&W museum, maybe VTM or steamtown?
#252 and #255 will go to Downeast or CSX
#573 goes CSX or steamtown…
#1751 Finger Lakes
#1741 would go with the twins
#23 would go to a railroad somewhere…

That’s all I can think of off the top of my head.

[Jonathan]

7470 would stay at Conway.

[CSRR4266]

Depends on which chapter of bankruptcy they would file. If equipment has to be liquidated, it would be seized by the banks and sold to highest bidder.

[NHV 669]

Several of those units aren't owned by CSRX (4266/68, 1741), so there's no reason they'd go anywhere. Downeast has no need for all that power....

The state owns the tracks, why would they be ripped up if the operator goes belly up?

[Who]

First off, the Conway Scenic is not going anywhere, they still have solid ridership, and their trains will be nearly sold out as usual come autumn, for years to come.
But to continue this ridiculousness, should the railroad go out of business, you would have to look at what caused it to go out of business. $200,000 in open line of credit is the weak point (as with any type of debt), you do not want to see that number grow. Should the railroad not be able to pay off their debts as agreed upon with their creditors, the creditors could place a lean on the equipment in question or even the railroad as a whole and cease what belongs to them. Worst case scenario the creditors would own the railroad and would sell it to the highest bidder possible, to make back their money. The railroad could be sold in whole (good) or parted out (bad) the creditors won't care either way, so long as they get their money back. Now it would never be that cut and dry because the bankruptcy courts would be involved but you get the drift. Now if the railroad went out of business because of low ridership, then the railroad would likely be shut down by ownership and the equipment and rail infrastructure (Conway Branch only) could be liquidated to the highest bidders. As for the 470 RR Club equipment, they would likely have to be move to Bartlett, and be temporarily stored there until they can find a new home.

[ProRail]

Do any of yall know if Swirk had been this bad at G&U or Pioneer Valley? I mean, before now, people have been praising him. Now it seems like hes changing things for the worse. Was that the case with pioneer valley and grafton and upton, or were they praising him at those places? Cause obviously this isn't the first railroad hes been involved with, and as previously stated, things are changing for the worst, presumably.


I can guarantee that IF CSRX DOES go bankrupt, there will be a group that tries to save the railroad from having the tracks ripped up and paved and becoming a rail trail. I can't see that happening, I cannot see a rail trail existing where the tracks are now.

The answer is simple.
When Swirk was at Pioneer Valley and G&U he was just an employee. It wasn't his money that was invested in those properties.

He bought Conway Scenic with loans and credit so he is heavily leveraged financially. So it hurts him directly. He has no choice but to cut corners to stave off ruin.

Good, solid employees don't equate to being savvy investors.

[Reader#108]

Allow me to quote an engineer that worked for him at G&U:

"He will destroy that place, just like he tried to do this one. It will be so far leveled that it will never come back when he is done."

As for the equipment going anywhere> Good Lord above please stop.

[Reader#108]

The 470 equipment will not go to Bartlett. The roundhouse is in no condition to harbor the fugitives.

Probably to North Stratford it would go.....and honestly, the further away the better from the Swirky Mittens.

[Jonathan]

Again, I firmly believe that there will be a organization that saves the railroad at some point.