Conway Scenic Railroad (CSRX) discussion thread

[John Smythe]

If they had to stop #7470 due to a overheated bearing, I wouldn't be surprised to learn it's the same main rod crank-pin bearing on the fireman's side that they have had trouble with for years. If I remember correctly, the crank-pin has a reverse taper " Outside diameter is larger than inside diameter next to where it is set into the driving wheel. At the time 20+ years ago when I was around I took several measurements with my machinist measuring tools and offered a solution, besides making new bearings & pumping automotive ball joint grease into the void. Really made it bad. I'm surprised nobody has been able to fix this yet.

My solution to this issue if it is still the same one as I believe it is will be available to Mr. Swirk.

[Jonathan]

I think they stopped to check a rod on the steam engine at notchland, then stopped at Crawford Depot because of a generator problem with the Dorothea Mae dome car.

[b&m 1566]

The summer schedule for 7470 has been released. It will operate to Conway only, Sunday's and Monday's for the 1030 and 1330 departures from now to the end of August. This is the first time since 2006 the 7470 has been given a summertime schedule.

[John Smythe]

I forwarded to CSRX a list of coal suppliers and other related information that I feel will be very helpful to them regarding the issues with their poor performing coal on the recent trip to hazens. The former owner was said to purchase low performance stuff & all the way back to the days when I was up there some 20 years ago, they had the same problems. The firebox rake always got a good work out breaking up klinkers.

[Dick H]

From the Conway Sun.
A bit off topic, a stellar 4th of July weekend for North Conway and Mt. Washington Valley businesses.
https://www.conwaydailysun.com/business ... d95cc.html

[John Smythe]

Just like the positive thinking people in the world of economics and others have been saying.... the U.S. economy is on fire right now, unemployment is at record lows, higher wages for many, gasoline is plentiful & priced lower, etc. Seems like more people walking around with more money to spend.

Now if The State of NH had more wisely put state tax dollars & federal funding into revitalizing the Conway Line from Conway down to Dover, NH back when they were originally were cranking out reports & cost estimates, perhaps several thousand tourists would take a train from points East & South to N. Conway, spend the day or a weekend and return home. Lots of people doubted what was to become a huge popular success with Amtrak's Downeaster. Smashing success. After all who in their right mind enjoys sitting in bumper to bumper traffic, crawling along whether it be on Rts. 95,128, 3, 1, 302 or 16 ?

[NHV 669]

They put out an RFP several years back for that purpose, as has been pointed out at least 10 times in this thread. The Request got zero bites, not even a nibble from the two lines that operate at the truncated branch ends.

If neither NHN nor CSRX put in an offer to operate the OOS section for freight or passenger hauling purposes, who is this magical tourist/commuter train operator you speak of?

[John Smythe]

I have a very strong feeling that once The State of NH puts words into action, acquires serious funding dollars, puts out bids to do the work, secures materials to do the work with & begins to make progress, interest by those who want to get in on the action, meaning to operate trains will begin to let themselves be known to state officials. Say for instance that some state wants to plan, budget & build a new highway link between two big cities that otherwise have been located alongside a large river that has a long bend / curve shape that goes on for many miles. Building a new bridge & a half mile long tunnel will cut some 20 miles off the current layout. Well until it gets built people aren't going to drive out over the water & up the side of the mountain in the way. But as work begins & word spreads those who would use this route are waiting for opening day.

Lots of railroad companies who would like to earn profits hauling freight to & from potential trackside customers who would ship by train if only one serviced the line they were located on. The MBTA runs a commuter rail train between S. Station all the way to T.F. Green Airport all the way down in R.I. Perhaps Amtrak could sell tickets for their Mt. Washington Valley Flyer route. Trains could come as far as Conway then transfer or arrangements made prior to rehab all the way to N. Conway yard. The options, choices, stops along the way are endless.

[b&m 1566]

The state is not going to blindly refurbish the Conway Branch, without a commitment from an online shipper/receiver and/or an operator; look how well the played out in Maine for the Mountain Division. The whole reason the state sent out RFP (3 to 4 years ago) was because state officials got word that there were interested parties and the state reacted to those rumors. When the deadline came and went for the RFP, not one company submitted an application for expression of interest, not an operator, not a shipper/receiver, no one. It doesn't mean the Conway Branch is shuttered for ever but don't expect much more from the state either. If the new owners of the CSRX want to utilize the track south of Conway for whatever the reason, I'm sure they can reach out to their POC at the state level.

[NHV 669]

It appears a new one was put out this spring- note that the deadline has come and passed. Also note that the new operator would be responsible for all capital rehab costs, and would have to acquire rights from PAR to serve any freight customers.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... OtsiEO53ib

Lots of railroad companies who would like to earn profits hauling freight to & from potential trackside customers

Perhaps Amtrak could sell tickets for their Mt. Washington Valley Flyer route. Trains could come as far as Conway then transfer or arrangements made prior to rehab all the way to N. Conway yard. The options, choices, stops along the way are endless.

Odd that these imaginary shippers haven't contacted the two operators that have rights on the route. There is no bidding involved for the rehab work, the state is clearly uninterested in paying for any of it.

I highly doubt Amtrak is interested in rebuilding the entire RoW for a seasonal at best train. They're certainly not going to operate on 75 pound rail, or even remotely interested in accruing more debt for a new line with minimal ridership at best, given that it seems they'd like to trim some of what they already have at present. The possibilities are actually quite limited, several train sets would be needed. You're talking about riding THREE separate trains, just to get between Boston and N. Conway.

What is this magical tunnel that will cut off a few minutes of travel at best at a cost of millions? Why would the state build a new tunnel, when they can barely afford current basic infrastructure projects? That is such a nonsensical idea, it sounds like it came from David Schwanke himself.

[p42thedowneaster]

The "Sensory Friday" excursions are using the RDC down on the MEC Redstone section. Part of the experience is the reduced horn volume at the crossings.
...so knowing that this is an ex-NH, wouldn't it be great if they could find some old NH Hancock Airchimes! Those have such a nice soft tone to them and they are historically accurate. Wonder how many working airchimes are still floating around (outside the hobo rr)?

[John Smythe]

Just for the record check out how many hundreds of millions of dollars the FRA just recently awarded for all kinds of rehab projects. https://www.freightwaves.com/news/feder ... and-repair

The song & dance story from NH officials make it seem as though someone was too lazy to do a little research. Note how many miles of Pan Am lines are going to be rehabbed as well as how much money The State of Maine DOT will receive.

Perhaps The State of NH would just rather count up all the toll fees they get from motor vehicles traveling back & forth on RT #16 & at the Hampton Tolls as well. A train would compete with them, can't have that. In another decade more hundreds of millions of dollars will need to be spent to widen and add even more lanes to deal with more traffic congestion on RT #16.

[b&m 1566]

The "Sensory Friday" excursions are using the RDC down on the MEC Redstone section. Part of the experience is the reduced horn volume at the crossings.
...so knowing that this is an ex-NH, wouldn't it be great if they could find some old NH Hancock Airchimes! Those have such a nice soft tone to them and they are historically accurate. Wonder how many working airchimes are still floating around (outside the hobo rr)?

There is no use of the horn, all crossings are flagged. I guess if they are flagged, the use of the horn is not required.

[John Smythe]

Here's another fantastic link that shows that federal dollars are in place for railroad projects that are in rural areas.https://www.transportation.gov/railroads

[NHV 669]

Just for the record check out how many hundreds of millions of dollars the FRA just recently awarded for all kinds of rehab projects. https://www.freightwaves.com/news/feder ... and-repair

You do realize these are grants for ACTIVE routes, right? None of these awards are going to a branch line that has been OOS for 40+ years. Common sense, doesn't hurt to use it.