Are you a railroad fan? When you visit the North Conway and Jackson area in late spring, summer or fall, you can enjoy many railroad attractions including the Cog Railway up Mount Washington, the Notch Train or the Valley Train to Bartlett on the Conway Scenic Railroad, as well as the Hartmann Model RR & Toy Museum and the North Conway Model Railroad Club that holds open house hours from May – October 18.
Plan to come the weekend of September 14-15, and you can enjoy a special excursion on the Conway Scenic Railroad to celebrate Railfans Days. Here are some of the excursions offered on Saturday and Sunday that weekend. Engines to be used on various runs include #216/252, #1751, #7470, RED #23, #573/4266 and the steam locomotive. For a complete schedule of train rides for each engine, please visit the Conway Scenic Railroad website. In addition to dining car options shown below, box lunches are available, and there are snack cars on the trains. The day-long excursions offer the most White Mountain scenery, and the Conway excursions the least. Before or after your excursion, plan to visit the Model Railroad Club’s layout in the Freight House at the Conway Scenic Railroad. (Open 10:00 am – 4:30 pm Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; free admission but donations accepted).
Saturday, September 14, 2013 ~ Conway Scenic Railroad offers 11 excursions including:
- Hazen ~ ‘Day White Mountains’ excursion departs from North Conway at 9:15 am and returns at 5:00 pm with engines # 216/252. (Luncheon in dining car Hattie Evans offered as part of the first class package).
- Sawyers River and Redstone (Passenger Extra with RDC #23) departs North Conway at 11:00 am and returns at 3:10 pm.
- Bartlett regular excursion but with a steam locomotive leaves North Conway at 11:30 am and returns at 1:10 pm. (Note the locomotive faces West, and this excursion offers a luncheon seating option.)
- Conway regular excursion but with a steam locomotive leaves North Conway at 1:30 pm and returns at 2:25 pm. (This excursion also offers a luncheon option.)
Night Photo Session 7:00 – 9:00 pm with professional photographers at the North Conway yard (free).
Sunday, September 15, 2013 ~ 9 excursions including:
- Fabyan ~ ‘Mountaineer’ excursion with #216 departs North Conway at 10:00 and returns at 4:50 pm. (Luncheon in dining car is offered as part of the first class package).
- Conway regular excursion with a steam locomotive leaves North Conway at 10:30 am and returns at 11:25 am.
- Bartlett regular excursion with a steam locomotive leaves North Conway at 11:30 am and returns at 1:10 pm. (Note the locomotive faces East, and this excursion offers a luncheon option.)
- Conway regular excursion with steam locomotive leaves North Conway at 1:30 pm and returns at 2:25 pm. (This excursion also offers a luncheon option.)
So plan on coming to Railfans Days this September, and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the eastern White Mountains while riding the rails!
