Conway Scenic Railroad (CSRX) discussion thread

That would be amazing to have The Flying Yankee crossing the Frankenstein Trestle once more.

b&m 1566 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 15, 2022 12:51 pm There are two wyes available to the railroad (Bartlett and Quebec Jct), both could be capable of turning the Yankee.

I wouldn't hold my breath on either turning any equipment, let alone a trainset that doesn't run or have wheels under it, anytime soon.

CSRR573 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 15, 2022 4:10 pm Ive noticed that, have they stopped using the Chocura? Also I hope the new car will be painted to match the notch consist. I cant stand how the Rhonda doesnt match

They had different crews or catering companies for each dining car. From what I've read it seems they only have a Mountaineer crew at this time. There are also no evening runs either at the moment. Outside of dining, those always seemed to be lightly attended anyways, so maybe they're reevaluating the concept. Maybe we'll just see chocorua join the mountaineer?

As to the new dome scheme....there is a version of the NP dome that is partially stainless on the lower panels and painted elsewhere. http://www.trainweb.org/amtrakpix/excur ... P558A.html
Perhaps a clever adaptation of this could help transition the notch scheme to better include the RL dome? I also think a stainless teardrop observation would fix it too...RL is a cool car, I think the real problem is just that it looks out of place carrying the markers.

CSRR573 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 15, 2022 4:10 pm

Jonathan wrote: ↑Wed Jun 15, 2022 9:45 am having a 3rd dome makes sense though, Conway has put the Dorathea Mae on their valley runs, and hopefully the 3rd dome will be used on the mountaineer runs.

Ive noticed that, have they stopped using the Chocura? Also I hope the new car will be painted to match the notch consist. I cant stand how the Rhonda doesnt match

They don't use the open air cars anymore either. Silver Cascade and Black Mountain have both been side lined since the end of 2019. I have no idea why they stopped using them, they were both very popular with riders. Silver Cascade only made one appearance and that was last year for the 470 RR Club's trip to Quebec Junction. Last time I saw Black Mountain, it looked like it had been filled with scrap wood, I wonder if the seats have been removed from it?

All of these changes to Conway Scenic are just the tip of the iceberg. I visited last weekend while up there with my family. I have been going to the railroad since before I even have memories. My best memories of the place are walking the yard on those long summer nights with my grandfather who would teach me all things railroad as we walked. Those are some of the best childhood memories I have. I loved the place so much that I even worked there for a time.

While up there last weekend, the first thing that stuck out to me were all of the fence posts with the yellow chains attached to them surrounding the station, surrounding the yard and surrounding the platform. All of them with "Platform Access Restricted" or "Restricted Area STAY OUT!". 7470 was under steam on the turntable so I decided to go take a look. The second I stepped onto the grass from the parking lot an employee told me that I had to leave the area. I asked if it was the new management and he said yes, "everything is changing" were his exact words. I was angry to say the least.

And I wasn't the only one. I watched an elderly couple get kicked off of the grass while eating icecream. People can say that covid is the reason for this but it's really not. Go check out other tourist railroad operations, you can even watch the Strasburg Railroad live on Youtube. People walking the platforms and the property. Employees talking to patrons. None of that now at Conway Scenic.

There's no Chocorua on the Valley trains anymore because they can't find anyone to do the job. And again, its not due to covid. Go over to glassdoor.com and check out worker reviews from Conway Scenic. The Attitash crew all left in a hurry and not in a good way. The ball signal fell to the ground a couple years back and is still no where to be found. Trains don't ever run on time. Emails are not responded to, employees aren't willing to talk to you and the property is chained off like a construction site.

This isn't the Conway Scenic any of us grew up with. Swirk came in strong and seemed promising but slowly, every single employee that worked there including myself during the Russ and Paul years either quit or was fired. That should speak volumes of this current ownership. You can go search public records online and check out the equity loans Swirk has been pulling against the railroad to buy new dome cars and rent track equipment. Meanwhile you have a steam locomotive with freight car trucks, the suspension of dining services on the Valley trains, no more open air cars, huge piles of garbage piling up in North Yard, zero employee retention and ownership who refuses to listen.

Don't just take my word for it. Go to their Facebook page. All of their posts have the ability for commenting turned off. When there are comments posted, marketing goes through and deletes the ones they don't like. Also, you no longer have the ability to leave reviews on their Facebook page. I have photos of the burnt up cab on 7470, the new dome car crashed into the roundhouse (no one made sure the clearances were enough before backing it into a historic building and busting up the roof), a video of crews rerailing a notch train car at the golf course switch using a chain and a backhoe where the chain breaks nearly causing the car to crash into the worker... its a joke. It's not the railroad I grew up with, not the railroad I worked for. It's sad and heartbreaking. You're no longer welcome.

And to top it all off...7470 will be fired up this weekend for fathers day for display only. I'm sure Swirk will go up into the cab and toot the whistle to his hearts content while people watch from the parking lot, not allowed in the yard, standing behind yellow chains. Welcome to the new Conway Scenic where "Everything is changing."

Riding a tourist train in the summer, don't you want windows that open? This isn't Commuter Rail.

I think they took the open coaches offso that people wouldn't group together in them due to COVID restrictions and haven't put them back in service yet

Wooden passenger equipment doesn't seem to be their specialty at Conway. They dropped the D&H combine and MEC Mt Surprise open coach (both now at DSRX) years ago with apparently repairable issues as they are both now running today. 1557 is wooden a Laconia car, former B&M open platform commuter coach. Knowing Strasburg is actively seeking parts for Laconia cars, I wonder if it would be worth more to Conway as a trade than an operating piece.

Hi Westbound 31
Very interesting, post on Conway Scenic, it looks under the new leadership, of the railroad, it going right down hill. When you start to have trouble holding onto help, and employees, can only spell disaster.
I always enjoyed going to the railroad, but to kick and elderly couple off the property just for having ice cream, and also yourself being kicked out, just for a quick look around.
Westbound 31 just wondering could you post some photos of the Dome Car hitting the roundhouse? Because I never heard about that, until I saw your post. Thank you , Pat.

Westbound31, I too have been riding the rails there since '91. I too have seen a deep decline in quality there since swirk took over. It seems to me he only cares about the notch train sorry Mountaineer. I was up there for the 4268 debut and the best way i could describe the experience is sterile. I dont see this ending well

p42thedowneaster wrote: ↑Fri Jun 17, 2022 12:38 am Wooden passenger equipment doesn't seem to be their specialty at Conway. They dropped the D&H combine and MEC Mt Surprise open coach (both now at DSRX) years ago with apparently repairable issues as they are both now running today. 1557 is wooden a Laconia car, former B&M open platform commuter coach. Knowing Strasburg is actively seeking parts for Laconia cars, I wonder if it would be worth more to Conway as a trade than an operating piece.

I hope they do not get rid of Black Mountain, it's the only ex-B&M passenger car they have. If there's any weight to what you just mentioned (a history that goes back long before Mr. Swirk purchased the railroad), then it's likely to continue under this ownership. I overheard a discussion in the railyard, they are in search of another Parlor car like Gertrude Emma. If this other heavy weight car turns out to be steel or at least a steal frame car, then we might see the end of Gertrude Emma too.

NHV 669 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 04, 2022 8:14 am They've had that for a couple years now. For what, who knows?

Something to throw CSRX 's past reputation under.

Hi Westbound 31
Thank you for posting the dome car photo, also for what I read in the last post, from Arthur d, and others, it seems that the new owners, only care about one thing, the Notch train.
The roundhouse damage doe not look good, that was a good sized beam that broke, that will take a lot money and time to repair. The building inspector, could comdem the roundhouse until repairs are made.

Also the way they handling the people, sounds like when I first when to Steamtown, in Scranton, Pa, here go for the ride, look out the window, and don't bother anyone. Again Thank you, Pat.

Who wrote: ↑Fri Jun 17, 2022 2:10 pm
I overheard a discussion in the railyard, they are in search of another Parlor car like Gertrude Emma. If this other heavy weight car turns out to be steel or at least a steal frame car, then we might see the end of Gertrude Emma too.

That quite frankly would be a slap in the face to Dwight. They're running out of room for all the equipment and swirks personal toys.