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Diesel locomotives replaced steam powered locomotives because they were cheaper to operate,eliminating the need to buy huge quantities of coal, store huge amounts of water at various locations, stopping to take on water cut into time to get from point A to B. Time for boiler washings, what to do wit...

Thank you for that info. So, it works out to be about $60 per mile to operate the steam engine. As for personnel, that too makes perfect sense, so I'm not surprised that you said that and it did cross my mind but it was after I submitted the post. The Conway Scenic certainly hasn't been immune to t...

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the current amount of monies that are required to be set aside for operation & maintenance of your average size steam locomotive are something like $40.00 - $50.00 per mile. This would include wages, insurance, fuel, water & maintenance. ...

I was on a train that had 4266 running backwards. IIRC, it was around 2000, before the Crawford Notch line was open, I think they had just started running to Bartlet. The occasion was a B&M Historical Society Charter from N. Conway to Conway for a dinner, then back to Conway. 4266 was on the he...

Railfans must be extra careful not to go inside #1701 for photos as like was stated above, should metals theft take place their fingerprints will put them suspect.

Current FRA 230 -49 codes allow 1,472 days of service days that the engine has been under steam & or in use. Once those days are used up the engine needs to be overhauled in addition to the 30/60/90 some odd days for washouts, etc. I believe 15 years was or is the maximum as well. I'll believe C...

One of the disadvantages of using the same locations for conducting run-bys is that everyone gets to know where they are going to be, add cell phones & scanners & the elements of surprise are lost. Again... #7470's past history with overheated driving rods requires the addition of diesel hel...

Someone asked me in an earlier post why there has not been a CSRX " Wheel Report " since April 2019 at which time we were promised a " Update " regarding the steam program? It's easy to figure out, as in my opinion & from my sources there is nothing to report especially regar...

The TE of the W1 Class of 2-8-0's was 3680 lbs and based on the classification numbers on 7470's cab its TE is 3300. A larger 2-8-0 like WM 734 would be necessary to pull a passenger train up the grade to Crawford Notch. Bob Meckley Just for the record...... MEC#501 2-8-0 weights. Engine 193,000 LB...

From a recent posting I will respond like this... I will " NOT " throw out anything I consider of value regarding The MEC #501 that is in my possession. My position on the time frame comes from knowing for fact that extensive work was performed on #501's running gear by MEC RR back in 1949...

Well, after writing to the powers to be at CSRX regarding some questions I had about MEC #501, I have the following to report. Plans are to have it running by the year 2029, that's ten years from now. I could see if the locomotive was in very poor condition or was a very late age of steam model with...

There have been many feasibility studies, plans & proposals conducted by NH DOT over the last decade regarding restoring freight and / or passenger train service along certain routes. So far I can only imagine how much money was spent undertaking such work. What do they have to show for all thos...

There is no $4 passenger car toll anywhere in the State of Maine. The barrier toll at York is $3. You don't have to pay a toll again until you hit New Gloucester, a distance of 60 miles. This comes out to 5¢ per mile. Seems like a helluva bargain compared to the NH I-95 toll or the MA Tobin Bridge ...

Those grade crossing signals were installed at least some 15 years ago. Ni-cad batteries only have a certain lifespan, have they ever been serviced or replaced Whatever agency that designed the system to work the way it currently does should be called in to check them & make things right. Now th...

Problems with crossing signal circuits usually come from voltage issues / poor electrical contacts / dirty-rusty rails that need lots of shine put back onto them. Rock salt dumped all over the grade crossings in winter also cause corrosion issues. Sounds like that part of the line needs a good tune ...