The Mass Bay RRE ran two fan trips on the Conway Branch on May 2, 1991.
The trips originated in Rochester, as the NH Northcoast only owned the
line from Rochester to Ossipee at that time.
The first trip ran from Rochester to the Ossipee pit. The passengers were
allowed off the train in the pit to witness a train being loaded with gravel
to Boston. Then the passenger train proceeded from the pit to the junction
with the Conway Branch line, at the area where the NHN shop is located today,
and the passengers were again allowed off to watch and photograph the gravel
train with two units and 15 cars working hard out of the pit up to the main line.
The passenger train consisted of a NHN geep and four coaches from the former
Winnipesaukee Railroad and the NHN (former MEC) caboose. The Winnipesaukee
railroad, not to be confused with the current Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad, had
gone out of business and was moving the coaches to the Maine Coast Railroad in
Rockland. The plan was to have Guilford drop the coaches at Dover for the MBRRE
to use for one day. Guilford was told not to leave the coaches in Lowell during their
trip from Concord to Dover. But, GRS knew better. While parked at Lowell every
window in all four coaches was smashed by vandals. The damaged coaches arrived
at the Ossipee pit on the Monday before the Saturday trips. Unbelieveably, every
window was replaced in time for the trips. I always have wondered who paid that bill.
The trip from Rochester to Ossipee quickly sold out, so the MBRRE scheduled a second
shorter trip in the afternoon between Rochester and Sanbornville and return. I was
fortunate to have had a ticket on the morning train. Here's a short video of the train.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8834Gvz3ZNI
I m guessing that the MBRRE has looked into another trip in more recent years, with
the train maybe originating in Boston and with the NHN owning the track all the way
from Rollinsford to Ossipee. However, there would be a number of issues to bringing
this to fruition. Either Amtrak or the MBTA would have to make a trainset available.
PAR would have to grant approval and the NHN would have to approve and provide a
pilot for the move on their track. It seems unlikely that all this will ever come together.