Restoring the Conway Branch

[steamer69]

The only thing "new" is the paint and the name. I haven't seen anything else out of them that is "new".

[Cosmo]

The only thing "new" is the paint and the name. I haven't seen anything else out of them that is "new".

I respectfully beg to differ!
The indications are that "Fink the Jr" is much more interested in what you would call "real railroading" than his Sr.
While I don't see it's leading to Pan Am reactivating the tracks themselves, I'd give it a higher likelihood they'd be less inclined to hold up the efforts of others to do so.

[b&m 1566]

Unless I missed something, the first step will be inducing Guilford/Pan Am to sell the little bit of RoW they kept just beyond the current end-of-track, presumably to prevent NHN from getting another connection via Conway. I have no idea how much effort that will be.

Pan Am hasn't owned any part or section of the Conway Branch since 2001, when they sold the remaining section in Ossipee and the small section that ran through Albany. All the information was covered in the study done back in 2003. Pan Am/Boston and Maine still holds the rights to any and all bridge traffic (same as the MD), terms that were agreed upon in the sale. I assume it's common practice, for such terms of agreement.

[Cosmo]

Well, there ya go.. "clear field, PLAY BALL!"

[steamer69]

The only thing "new" is the paint and the name. I haven't seen anything else out of them that is "new".

I respectfully beg to differ!
The indications are that "Fink the Jr" is much more interested in what you would call "real railroading" than his Sr.
While I don't see it's leading to Pan Am reactivating the tracks themselves, I'd give it a higher likelihood they'd be less inclined to hold up the efforts of others to do so.

I'll take a wait and see attitude towrds it for the time being. Jr is still a Fink, and has a lot of bad blood to clean up. Willing to give the kid a chance....Indications don't run railroads, but then again niether do the oppinions of a few foamers.....

[Cosmo]

The only thing "new" is the paint and the name. I haven't seen anything else out of them that is "new".

I respectfully beg to differ!
The indications are that "Fink the Jr" is much more interested in what you would call "real railroading" than his Sr.
While I don't see it's leading to Pan Am reactivating the tracks themselves, I'd give it a higher likelihood they'd be less inclined to hold up the efforts of others to do so.

I'll take a wait and see attitude towrds it for the time being. Jr is still a Fink, and has a lot of bad blood to clean up. Willing to give the kid a chance....Indications don't run railroads, but then again niether do the oppinions of a few foamers.....

Pan Am hasn't owned any part or section of the Conway Branch since 2001, when they sold the remaining section in Ossipee and the small section that ran through Albany. All the information was covered in the study done back in 2003. Pan Am/Boston and Maine still holds the rights to any and all bridge traffic (same as the MD), terms that were agreed upon in the sale. I assume it's common practice, for such terms of agreement.

Seems it's already happened. Or at least, the first step in it's being possible. But there's still the effort of rehabbing the line, then prying service rights from Pan Am.
We'll see.

[Mikejf]

Thanks for sharing that Noel. Nice story.

Mike

[gokeefe]

I'll second that.

Very very nice piece of history.

[B&Mguy]

We just passed the 40 year marked of the Conway Branch being abandoned north of Ossipee Pit, and ironically Downeaster service to Freeport and Brunswick just commenced. It will be interesting to see how the new service will do, and whether NH will take any notice.

[p42thedowneaster]

Wow 40 years... Sadly I still don't see the need to rehab the Conway Branch yet. There are no freight possibilities in North Conway...and there's no reason to haul through Conway only to have to climb over Crawford's anyways. I think weekend excursions from Dover to Conway could be popular, but it couldn't possibly justify the cost of rehabilitating the line.

If you' want to restore a NH rail line it would have to be the Northern out of Concord. Not only would it provide an Amtrak route from North Station to VT and possibly Canada...it could also provide an alternate route for freight trains to travel during service interruptions, and crowded rails. I believe the freight component of the Downeaster route is key to its overall sustainability.

[b&m 1566]

You have Coleman's in Madison that is bigger now than when the B&M abandoned them in 1972 and I believe it was mentioned in the study that they would use rail if available. I've been verbally told Madison Lumber would be interested (can't remember if that was in the report). Either way, there is potential but no money to rehab the line.
In regards to a tourist route, not a chance. There's a reason the folks in North Conway haven't expanded southward, there is very little scenery south of Conway.

[Mikejf]

Well that brief glimpse of Silver Lake may be scenic. :<)

[theseaandalifesaver]

How much work is REALLY even required to get the line up and running?

[Ridgefielder]

How much work is REALLY even required to get the line up and running?

If it's been o/o/s through 40 New Hampshire winters, I'm guessing "a lot." Probably close to a ground-up rebuild. Look at how much work they're having to do to get the Grafton & Upton back in service-- that was only dormant for what, 25 years?

[theseaandalifesaver]

I'm sure the rails are unusable. But as far as the entire ROW being intact, there hasn't been anything built on it, correct?