Conway Scenic Railroad (CSRX) discussion thread

[jaymac]

Me, three...

[TomNelligan]

Where else in the world are you required to hit a golf ball over active railroad tracks?

It's been gone for more than thirty years now, but the B&M's East Deerfield-Turner's Falls branch also ran through the middle of a golf course, in Montague. I remember shooting a photo back in the late 60's of the Turner's Falls local plodding across the course behind an Alco switcher at about 10 mph while a couple golfers looked on.

[p42thedowneaster]

I'd be curious to know what happened as well. However, the good news is that the railroad, and its people, are already great as it is. While there was a potential to improve the railroad, it could also come with a risk of it going the other way.


Hrmm maybe there is one thing I would change this year though...
"Covered Wagon in the Snow" event would read: "El Niño in the Notch" day?
Kidding aside, if there was ever a year to traverse the notch in the winter, I suspect this could be a candidate.

[p42thedowneaster]

Where else in the world are you required to hit a golf ball over active railroad tracks?

It's been gone for more than thirty years now, but the B&M's East Deerfield-Turner's Falls branch also ran through the middle of a golf course, in Montague. I remember shooting a photo back in the late 60's of the Turner's Falls local plodding across the course behind an Alco switcher at about 10 mph while a couple golfers looked on.

That would have been great with all the train traffic down that way. There are couple other courses in NH that have tracks bisecting the courses...the Jack O Lantern in Woodstock (HOBO RR) and the Androscogin CC (SLR) in Gorham. While you never hit the ball over the tracks, you do drive your cart over the tracks a couple times.

[gokeefe]

Me, three...

I am just as confused. .... #4

[b&m 1566]

I did not realize till now that Jon was not going to be the sole purchaser of the Conway Scenic. Al Harper, owner of the famed Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in Colorado, was also in on this purchase.

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

I did not realize till now that Jon was not going to be the sole purchaser of the Conway Scenic. Al Harper, owner of the famed Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in Colorado, was also in on this purchase.

So...can anyone clear up for us what the precise state of affairs is re: the sale?

a) Priscoli involved.
b) Priscoli no longer involved.
c) Priscoli involved with other co-owners.
d) Sale's off.
e) None of the above.

[Mikejf]

As stated in one of the original announcements, Priscoli was partnering with Harper. The deal fell through on the buyers side.

[CSRR573]

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=3015904" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; nay more details on the GRS special on CSRR?

[Otto Vondrak]

As stated in one of the original announcements, Priscoli was partnering with Harper. The deal fell through on the buyers side.

Can anyone please provide a link? I missed the announcement that the sale fell through, and I can't find anything in a Google search.

-otto-

[Reader#108]

You won't find anything in a Google search.
We were told before a Journey To The North Pole Event by Mr. Seybold.

So.......here is your scoop.

Mr. Seybold is approaching the future with a new pizzazz.
There are things that he wants to do.......no specifics given.
The conversation was short and to the point, and as an employee, if he had given specifics I wouldn't post them anyway........

Mr. and Mrs. Seybold will continue to be the owners. Mr. Hallett will remain in his role, and no other changes will happen for now.
They are pretty transparent when it comes to operation, I am sure that anything new will be in a Wheel Report!

Here is the most important thing:
Without so much as a dusting of snow on the ground, every JTTNP trip has been CHOCK full.
It continues to be a fabulous ride and fabulous product.

Come out and take a ride........tickets are still available for January 2 as well.
Buy a ticket, ride the train.

[gokeefe]

Interesting. I do think the changes we are seeing and the obvious decisions to increase capacity around the station are all very promising signs.

In this case "more is definitely more".

[RRFAN]

I saw a crossing near Maine after Redstone and the Saco river, that used to be paved over and now the pavement was taken off the rails. But haven't seen brush cutting over there.

[gokeefe]

I saw a crossing near maine after redstone and the saco river, that use to be paved over and now the pavement was taken of the rails. But haven't seen brush cutting over there.

Well......that is certainly very interesting.

Brush cutting to keep the right of way clear is one thing. Doing some basic bridge work to preserve the structure for use in a distant future is another.

But clearing pavement from crossings that haven't been used in decades (?) .... hmmmm. It "still" could be basic state of good repair or even "just for the railfans" who want to get that last few hundred feet of "rare" mileage. But taken as a whole it seems like a lot of money to spend on something you really have no intention of using.

I would maintain that a shuttle to the Fryeburg fair still has some potential and would make sense within CSRX's current business plan. It's a small additional source of revenue for very little additional cost on a Right of Way that they already maintain to a limited extent anyways. The additional exposure to ridership that it generates would appear to also have added potential for additional trips on the Valley Train or the Notch Train.

[CSRR573]

gofeeke makes an interesting point about the shuttle to the fair, and perhaps im over thinking this. But could this years 4 of July shuttle trains be some sort of test? I mean, if there's enough ridership on shuttles for a one night event only 5 miles away, it makes sense that there might be enough ridership for a week?(don't know how long it goes) long event further way. And seems kind of strange that the first time in the 41 years of CSRR that they've done a shuttle train, it coincides with work being done past redstone that hasn't been touched since the 80's