The Conway Scenic Railroad will celebrate precisely fifty years of operation on Saturday and Sunday August 3rd & 4th! It was on Saturday, August 3, 1974 that former Canadian National 0-6-0 7470 made its first official test run between North Conway and Conway, New Hampshire. While on Sunday, August 4 the first tickets were sold for public train rides.
Since Conway Scenic began on the former Boston & Maine Conway Branch, to celebrate this milestone, on August 3rd and 4th, Conway Scenic’s 50th Anniversary Valley Train will make five diesel-hauled round trips to Conway, augmented by additional round trips using Buddliner Millie. This classic RDC was built for the New Haven Railroad as its number 23. This car is very similar to the Budd RDC’s that Boston & Maine assigned to the Conway Branch from the mid-1950s until the end of revenue passenger service in December 1961.
The railroad has plans to host a variety of activities at North Conway and Conway. Visitors can purchase tickets to depart from either Conway or North Conway. In addition to the Conway trips, short trips on Buddliner Millie Budd Car are planned to make a dash to Intervale and back with special low-cost throwback fares.
The official recognition of the fifty years will begin with the 9:30 AM Saturday Valley train. Activities in Conway are to include the barrel train ride for young children, the “you’re the engineer” model railroad, face-painting, railroad safety displays, and historic photos of the railroad.
Activities in North Conway will include historic displays of Conway Scenic and the history of the iconic North Conway Boston and Maine Railroad Station (150 years old this year.) Also, by the historic freight house there will be opportunities to tour a diesel locomotive cab and a caboose, and board Budd Vista dome Leslie Ann to view a video presentation telling the early Conway Scenic Railroad story.
The Mt Washington Valley Model Railroad Club Layout located in the North Conway freight house will be open to visitors. On a siding in front of the North Conway Station preserved former Maine Central 2-8-0 501 will be on display for photographers and the general public. The 470 Club is planning demonstrations of their track car, pump car, and velocipede—equipment that represent the historic mainstay for track maintenance crews until the advent of modern-day HyRail trucks (capable of traveling on track or highway).
A photo freight train is scheduled, and with the help of the 470 club this will make a run to Conway before the first passenger excursions, and may also operate toward Bartlett on both Saturday and Sunday. Vintage motive power may include former Maine Central GP7 573 and other classic diesels. VIP Tours may offer a bus service to provide photographer transportation along the photo freight route to visitors with a valid North Conway—Conway ticket.
Tickets will be sold in both North Conway and Conway and will be valid for the whole day. The tickets will also allow the holder to take part in all activities in both Conway and North Conway.
It will be a weekend of Railroad activity and celebration. Join us for a memorable day!
For details and tickets please visit https://www.conwayscenic.com/
