Conway Scenic Railroad (CSRX) discussion thread

[NHV 669]

Nope, and as noted by their most recent FB post, the ex RBBX/Amtrak car is to be used as a crew car for seasonal employees.

[b&m 1566]

They started updating their Wheel Reports again and according to that, the baggage car is going to become HEP car. In addition to that, there will be three more passenger cars (similar to the CP Reed car) coming to accommodate a swell of new passengers they expect. Nothing is mentioned about a bunker car, so if RBBX isn't part of that, they have three more cars coming in the near future.

[NHV 669]

As I mentioned above, it's going to be a crew car for seasonal employees, as noted by CSRX themselves.

[eustis22]

I usually try t arrange a famil rail excursion for Father's Day every year, and since we are in western maine, I looked this year at teh Cog and CSRX...question, have the prices for CSRX been this high all along and I never noticed? At least, they seem high to me.

[b&m 1566]

I used to collect their brochures every year starting in 1997 - 2019 but they stopped ordering those when COVID 19 shut everything. I doubt they will go back to them as brouchers are to permanent, now they can fluidly add or subtract things to the schedule as they deem necessary. I will have to dig out the brochures to compare the prices. I know the rates have gone up over the years but I don't think it's been anything eye popping. The insurance and fuel cost are probably the biggest driving forces behind rate increases.

[CSRR573]

Where is all this money coming from? Do the Swirks have deeper pockets then the Seybolds or did russ just not invest back into the railroad?

[NHV 669]

Don't forget the other investor on their team...

[b&m 1566]

It's tough to compare, as Russ was the driving force behind the railroads expansion in the mid 90's, he had it the way he envisioned it. This new ownership is still developing their vision for the railroads future. It's not as easily defined as the expansion Russ had, but this new ownership isn't keeping their plans a secret either. A lot of big changes coming over the next few years. We are already starting to see some of the changes develop.

[CSRR573]

Don't forget the other investor on their team...

Whos that?

[NHV 669]

William F. Sullivan Jr., I believe he's an attorney in MA.

[NHV 669]

Longtime employee Gordon Lang passed this morning.

[Who]

I see they have knocked down the trip times of the Mountaineer from 5 hours to 4 hours and 20 minutes. Gone are the 1-hour layovers at Crawford's which were only necessary to meet the Valley train in Bartlett. With the trips to Fabyan's in the autumn, I wonder if they will keep the Crawford stop or pass on by, it's a popular photo opportunity for passengers.

[CSRR573]

So Ive been seeing on Facebook recently some postings about the railroad working out some deal for the rest of the mountain division? The posts are pretty vague though. Does anyone have any insight as to what is going on?

[NHV 669]

What posts? This post itself is pretty vague. The line is owned by CSXT in VT, and the state in NH and ME, so operating rights is as much as they can get.

[Goddraug]

So Ive been seeing on Facebook recently some postings about the railroad working out some deal for the rest of the mountain division? The posts are pretty vague though. Does anyone have any insight as to what is going on?

There’s a bill waiting to enter the Maine state house, LD 404, that would give the state of Maine permission to remove the tracks from Standish to Fryeburg for a rail trail. Among numerous groups that came out in opposition was CSRX, who said if they were given a 99-year lease on the line they would develop an operational plan with the state of Maine to run the tracks from Conway to Portland. Details can be found in the submitted testimony against LD 404 on the Maine legislature website.

It’s more or less in the proposal stages, still need to have 404 shot down before it even hopes to get anywhere.

As far as I know, there’s no current desire from CSRX to run the Vermont section in the near future.