September 18 & 19, 2010

Railfans’ Weekend at Conway Scenic Railroad

RDC #23 on the Valley Train

Conway Scenic Railroad will be the site of great fun when it hosts its 36th Railfans’ Weekend on Saturday & Sunday, September 18 & 19. There will be frequent departures of passenger trains and mixed passenger/freight trains, powered by diesel and STEAM. (A link for train times, destinations, and motive power is at the bottom of this page.)

In addition to our regular trains, there will be other round-trip excursions throughout the weekend to Hazens' switch in Whitefield, Sawyer River in Hart’s Location, Crawford Notch, and Redstone.

Several of these departures will include unique “photo run-by” opportunities, so be sure to bring your camera. Run-bys are scheduled along the scenic former Boston and Maine branch-line south of North Conway, and along the former Maine Central Mountain Subdivision line from Mountain Junction in Intervale to Twin Mountain and beyond. There will also be photo run-bys at isolated locations along both the Crawford Notch Line and Conway Branch.

Designed not only for avid railfans, but also for the entire family, the event will feature an outdoor Railroadiana flea market, displays of special equipment, collectors’ displays, a turn-of-the-last century operating turntable, as well as the chance to try an old-fashioned hand car and rail velocipede, a 3-wheel, human-powered vehicle created in the Victorian age, also known as a “boneshaker.”

The North Conway Model Railroad Club display will be open for viewing both days and is free to the public. Housed in the Railroad’s historic Freight House, the Club maintains an exhibit that’s the envy of many other clubs around the country. The complexity and details of its displays give visitors a fascinating look at what the area looked like 100 years ago.

Weather permitting, there also will be a Saturday evening photo session in the Rail yard, coordinated by professional photographers. The public is invited to participate.

For train times, destinations, and motive power, please click here.