Conway Scenic Railroad (CSRX) discussion thread

I'm just wondering what other changes are coming. So far in my opinion they haven't been good and the employee who kicked me out of the yard informed me that everything is changing. I really hope that doesn't mean the end of the open air cars and wooden coaches. I know Chocorua is out of service because the railroad can't find a service to replace Attitash on the Valley runs. It does appear as though the Notch trains are top priority.

It's a shame, to see Conway Scenic go under like this. I really hope things turn around and 7470 runs again. Since as long as I can remember, it's been a dream of mine to work for this railroad.

Hi All
Maybe the new owner should start paying attention to his employees and the railroad, because one man or woman, cannot run a railroad on there own.
For what I am reading off the different posts, from other individuals, the future of Conway Scenic does not look good.
As for Swirks toys, maybe he should keep his toys off of railroad property and store them in another place where they would be more useful. Pat.

I'm not so sure the notch train is their top priority; it only runs 3 days a week compared to 4 before covid. For the bulk of the notch train's history the operations during the summer had been Tue, Wed, Thu & Sat but since covid the Wednesday departures have disappeared. Also, the Valley Train has gone from 5 daily departures to 4.

As a person with a not-that-great immune system who definitely would not survive COVID, the only way I'd ride a tourist train these days would be in an open air coach. Sad to hear that those coaches are no longer in service.

They're also just a really fun and unique way to experience the sights/sounds/smells of a railroad and the railroad's surroundings.

I'm reading a lot of negative messages about CSRX; Is the situation as bad as I am reading, or is it something that is fixable? Is it still a good operation or one to be avoided?

BandA wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:25 pm Is it still a good operation or one to be avoided?

I definitely think it's worth going! I was up there to ride on the first run of the F7s to Sawyer's River back in May. The trains and ride were still fantastic. Train crew and snack attendants were great! Lots of work still going into keeping the rolling stock in good shape and plenty of time being invested in the track too!

The new rules for the N. Conway yard, and station/boarding rules seem totally nuts.....But remember: the new rules are not the fault of the staff. Be nice to them, and they will help you have a more enjoyable visit within the bounds of what is permitted (which is actually more than you might think initially).

BandA wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:25 pm I'm reading a lot of negative messages about CSRX; Is the situation as bad as I am reading, or is it something that is fixable? Is it still a good operation or one to be avoided?

Ultimately it’s the decision of the consumer. Conway is no longer a railfan friendly place. If you’re a railran then probably not. If you’re a vacationer then all these new rules and regulations probably won’t matter to you.

That said, reviews on Trip Advisor for the railroad have been increasingly negative. When I worked there we used to look at the reviews and even respond to them. But the idea of looking at them was so we could improve the operation. Susan Logan, the old marketing manager, did a great job of reaching out to the public via Trip Advisor and through Facebook. It was important for her and for Russ and Paul to actively be responding to reviews and comments on Facebook so they could improve the customers experience moving forward.

A big complaint I’m seeing on Facebook from the non-railfan community is that no one returns emails or answers the phones anymore. The communication isn’t there. Customers are confused because they’ll order tickets online but still need to get a ticket printed out when they arrive at the depot. They’re not getting instructions or being told the process. They just pay and show up and then figure it all out there. That’s probably why trains are consistently late now. The 3:30 departure for Conway didn’t have last call until 3:43 when I was up there.

When I worked for Russ and Paul we had timetables. If train 20 was scheduled to be at mountain junction at 11:37am, it was there. You could set your watch by those trains and I’m not kidding. Running on time is important to vacationers because they typically have multiple things planned for the same day. Trains running consistently late can mess those plans up.

Back to the reviews. When Susan Logan retired she was replaced by Brian Solomon to head up the marketing of the railroad. One of the first things that happened was the ability to comment on Facebook posts was limited. Comments were completely shut off for about 6 months on any post when the railroad had to cancel the Lerro and MassBay events in the beginning of the year. In fact the entire post was removed which I found odd because Lerro and Mass Bay both commented on why the cancellation had to happen with the engine not being ready. Comments now are mostly back on but they are heavily filtered. Brian will delete the comments that bring up valid questions or concerns.

When Solomon took over the reviews section was also removed from Facebook. Reviews have mostly been negative since the takeover so I’m guessing that’s why. But these weren’t negative because the scenery was bad or a railfan was complaining about the yard being closed. One review which I took a screenshot of complained about a leaking roof in one of the Notch cars. They posted a photo of a cup on a seat to catch the water leaking in. That’s a valid review, people should be aware of that and the railroad should be responding to that. When the railroad removes these reviews and removes the ability of non workers to just take a look around, you have to ask yourself why. A lot more is being hidden there now, there’s no transparency anymore and the lines of communication have all gone dark.

Ultimately the decision is yours if you’d still like to go or not. Personally I’ve decided not to and I know the majority of former employees are in the same boat. With Russ and Paul you had complete transparency. With Swirk and Solomon that’s completely gone and that’s unsettling.

Also, for anyone who has sent me a private message, I am not yet able to respond to them as my profile is still too new on the forums. Once I get permission I will respond to private messages.

Hi Westbound 31
I have a question for you, what is the date of the photo, of the Dome Car Hitting the beam in the roundhouse. Also again I want to Thank you, for all the information you have posted on the railroad. Pat.

Pat, I believe it was a year ago this week, based upon a search of this thread.

NHV 669 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 24, 2022 11:09 am Pat, I believe it was a year ago this week, based upon a search of this thread.

There was a second incident.

BandA wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:25 pm I'm reading a lot of negative messages about CSRX; Is the situation as bad as I am reading, or is it something that is fixable? Is it still a good operation or one to be avoided?

Its 100% fixable and a management issue. While there were quirks with Russ and Paul it ran like a well oiled machine. It was a night and day difference when Dave came along and there were major lack of "Safety Culture" issues which ultimately was the reason why I and others left. Bring in a top down new ownership and that place can thrive.

The Valley has been packed, and it was during Covid. There was no lul here at all, to the detriment of us residents, so there's no reason other than lack of employees and poor management as to why the schedule is the way it is.

They've apparently put 7470 on the west end of the Valley train to lead the trips back to N. Conway today.

Do you have any footage from this?

Nope, just sharing what was posted to the CSRX Instagram.

I did pass by the station twice today on an unrelated trip, 7470 was steaming in place on both sightings.