September 2025 Wheel Report
By Brian Solomon
Photos by Mike Lacey
Busy Labor Day
The summer season typically reaches its crescendo on Labor Day weekend and this trend has held true this year. Both Mountaineer and Valley excursions were very well patronized this Labor Day weekend and the railroad entertained well over 2,000 guests over the busy three days. Immediately after Labor Day, the railroad entered its two-three week quiet period before the expected tsunami of autumn visitors. As the manager of marketing, I always find it a bit ironic that it is quiet during one of the nicest times to visit the railroad. Early September has wonderful weather, the trees are beginning to turn, and yet the Mount Washington Valley has relatively few visitors. A word to the wise: the first couple of weeks in September is a great time to visit Conway Scenic; come and enjoy the comparatively cool, sunny and bright days, and the trains are not too busy since students back in school and while the serious leaf peepers are holding out for peak foliage. In this momentary lull, Conway Scenic has briefly scaled back: Valley excursions are limited to just four round trips daily (except Saturday when a full schedule operates), and the Mountaineer returns to a one-train per day operation five days a week. This helps to give our crews a breather, while making time for track work and equipment repair in preparation for the railroad’s busiest period. Hold on, the autumn crowds are coming!
Autumn Peak Schedule
This autumn the railroad plans to operate more Crawford excursions than ever before. The busiest period is between September 28 and October 17, when the regularly scheduled Mountaineer will resume its twice a day operation with departures from North Conway at 9am and 1:30pm. This also allows for the Crawford-to-North Conway round trip option from Crawford Station. In addition, on select days the railroad will also operate an 11:30am departure to Crawford, largely for the benefit of group tours including cruise shore excursionists. As a result, on days when two train sets are on the move, Crawford excursions will be making scheduled meets at Bartlett and/or Sawyer River. To help facilitate meets at the Bartlett siding, the track department has improved the siding trackage by restoring the switch at the west end (near the Bartlett roundhouse). This change will obviate the need for reverse moves in/out of the siding via the existing crossover near Albany Avenue.
Valley excursions will be making between four and six round trips depending on the day of the week. On the weekends of October 18-19th, 25-26th, the railroad will be offering options for the Halloween Express experience on the 12, 1:45, 3, and 4:15pm Valley excursions. Halloween Express is a new offering aimed at families with children that replaces the Pumpkin Patch Express. Where the Pumpkin Patch Express involved altering the train-operating schedule to allow for guests to exit the train at Conway and pick out pumpkins, etc., the Halloween Express is an on-train experience with character actors that enables the railroad to run the same basic Valley schedule, while also continuing to offer the Valley Train experience. Tickets for both are available on the website at: conwayscenic.com