How do you turn the Flying Yankee around? Bartlett's the only wye on the system.
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Conway Scenic Railroad (CSRX) discussion thread
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Even if the Quebec Jct. wye were to be restored to operable condition, you'd have to run that as an all day trip.
Avatar: NHV 669 at the south end of the "Pompy" in White River Jct., VT on 4/29/1993. Photo by Richard Roberg.
https://youtube.com/@NHVT_Productions
https://youtube.com/@NHVT_Productions
FtHill1231 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 9:22 am The grounded and mothballed Flying Yankee deserves to be (at minimum) a static display at CSRX.There's a group trying to get the restoration going again.
Funds, logistics and negotiations with the state of New Hampshire etc are likely factors nullifying that possibility.
Who's on first?
Yes, there was previous discussion both in this thread and the FY thread.
Avatar: NHV 669 at the south end of the "Pompy" in White River Jct., VT on 4/29/1993. Photo by Richard Roberg.
https://youtube.com/@NHVT_Productions
https://youtube.com/@NHVT_Productions
My excitement for the FY has shifted to the Mark Twain Zephyr. Those folks have an operational plan for it that makes sense. They were not afraid to alter the power plant and reconfigure the interior layout to suit their operations.
The FY group orignally tried to restore for accuracy. I say keep that thought,
but scale it down to a cosmetic restoration. So attain a more as-built condition and display it indoors.
The FY group orignally tried to restore for accuracy. I say keep that thought,
but scale it down to a cosmetic restoration. So attain a more as-built condition and display it indoors.
How fast and easily could the FY run backwards? IIRC the Valley Trains only do about 5 mph.
OTH, I always wonder why anyone would want to ride on the CSRR in a car in summer with windows that don't open. Half the point of going to NH is that it's cooler than Boston, Providence, Hartford, whatever. The one time I rode through the notch, the smell of firs was a important part of the scenery. I see the RR's current "streamliner experience" trainset for the Mountaineer and wonder if I am that out of sync with high-end scenic RR customers. I'm used to knowing that non-railfains don't get excited about cinders blowing in the window, but I would have thought that that people paying to ride through the Notch wouldn't want to spend 5 hours sealed in an air-conditioned tube when they could be getting open-window sights, smells, and sounds. But I've ridden once and my fare won't make the RR a profit, so I guess I'll assume they know their customers. Maybe they just wanted newer cars, easier to maintain?
OTH, I always wonder why anyone would want to ride on the CSRR in a car in summer with windows that don't open. Half the point of going to NH is that it's cooler than Boston, Providence, Hartford, whatever. The one time I rode through the notch, the smell of firs was a important part of the scenery. I see the RR's current "streamliner experience" trainset for the Mountaineer and wonder if I am that out of sync with high-end scenic RR customers. I'm used to knowing that non-railfains don't get excited about cinders blowing in the window, but I would have thought that that people paying to ride through the Notch wouldn't want to spend 5 hours sealed in an air-conditioned tube when they could be getting open-window sights, smells, and sounds. But I've ridden once and my fare won't make the RR a profit, so I guess I'll assume they know their customers. Maybe they just wanted newer cars, easier to maintain?
The majority is 15mph on the Conway Scenic, there are sections with restricted speeds lower than that, and likewise some sections where they can go faster than 15, but it still all averages out to 15mph.
The FY operated in reverse regularly but I'm not sure if it did so with passengers on board. It had to operate in reverse either to or from the shops in Concord for servicing. The nearest place to turn the train from Concord was in Nashua.
The FY operated in reverse regularly but I'm not sure if it did so with passengers on board. It had to operate in reverse either to or from the shops in Concord for servicing. The nearest place to turn the train from Concord was in Nashua.
It takes real skill to choke on air, fall up the stairs and trip over nothing. I have those skills.
You could put a cab car on the back of the FY, but then all the seats would be riding backwards. I used to think the FY was unique and the first of it's kind, i didn't know that Budd made several trainsets, some longer and with different configurations. Just looking at it at Edaville it was impressive and you could see the family resemblance with the RDCs of twenty years later and even the Amfleets of forty years later.
Got to agree with Arborwayfan, operable windows should be required on the CSRX. And it would be a crying shame to operate the FY at 15MPH!
Got to agree with Arborwayfan, operable windows should be required on the CSRX. And it would be a crying shame to operate the FY at 15MPH!
Since Attitash is renaming one of their chairlifts to "The Mountaineer", we will, coincidentally and oddly, see the Mountaineer pass the Mountaineer.
Besides that, it seems that they've finally dropped the ball on railfan events. I expect we won't hear of any fan-trips until October comes around with the 470 trip, which we are still waiting on details (it is the 27th, a member at Amherst said so). I could be completely wrong though.
Besides that, it seems that they've finally dropped the ball on railfan events. I expect we won't hear of any fan-trips until October comes around with the 470 trip, which we are still waiting on details (it is the 27th, a member at Amherst said so). I could be completely wrong though.
ConwayScenic252
Main Power for the Mountaineer since 2011.
Main Power for the Mountaineer since 2011.
They've dropped the ball on that several times within the last few years, including dumping the weekend event entirely.
Avatar: NHV 669 at the south end of the "Pompy" in White River Jct., VT on 4/29/1993. Photo by Richard Roberg.
https://youtube.com/@NHVT_Productions
https://youtube.com/@NHVT_Productions
They cut all of their evens except for the Easter Bunny Express, Pumpkin Patch Express and the Santa Claus Express trains.
Who's on first?
Hopefully they're spending the off-season washing the equipment. Watching recent videos on youtube, the rolling stock is FILTHY!!! Never seen it this bad in 31 years!
I'm guessing the lack of events is partly due to the universal crunch on staffing...but maybe more importantly, insurance coverage for volunteers. If thats the case, perhaps it would be interesting to see if they could work out something with the 470 club to staff volunteers and in the process maybe acquire cheaper coverage under their umbrella as a non-profit?
If they're short staffed, it's partially their own fault: I've seen their starting wages in their online job listings and they're not competitive with other businesses in the area.
If their response to that is "we can't afford to pay higher wages," one must wonder why they keep purchasing more and more equipment if they can't afford to pay competitive wages. (And why purchase more equipment if you don't have enough people to operate it?)
If their response to that is "we can't afford to pay higher wages," one must wonder why they keep purchasing more and more equipment if they can't afford to pay competitive wages. (And why purchase more equipment if you don't have enough people to operate it?)
I think it has more to do with keeping their rates low to customer, vs we can't afford it. Purchasing equipment is more or less a fixed expense, either you can afford it, or you can't but paying wages is different, something like that probably requires an increase in the rates, which could negatively impact their sales. It seems like they are trying everything to keep their prices competitive, in doing so they are suffering with help, so they have eliminated the extra fluff from their schedule to insure they can cover the basics.
Who's on first?