150 Years And Counting
On Saturday August 2, 2025 five days shy of the 150 years, the Conway Scenic Railroad celebrated the anniversary of completion of the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad. The regular Mountaineer train made the 30 mile trip from North Conway to Fabyans station and is seen paused at about MP 89.2 on the former Maine Central Railroad Mountain Sub where a ceremony was held which mirrored the one which took place adjacent down at Crawford House on August 7, 1875. On that date the railroad hauled a borrowed cannon on a flat car from Portland and paused along the way at the great rock cut at the Gateway of the Crawford Notch to drive the last spike before proceeding to a stop beside the grand mountain hotel. There P&O President John Samuel Anderson watched as 10 shots were fired off before a band played the 'Star Spangled Banner' and 'Hail Columbia.'
On this date, however, the cannon arrived by road not train and the 6th Maine Artillery Brigade fired only three shots, the smoke from the last of which is eveloping the crowd. Current railroad President David Swirk gave a short speech, and then the Mt. Washington Valley Community Band played the same two songs before passengers reboarded the train for the trip back down to North Conway.
Leading the train seen on the runaround at right is CSRR 255 an EMD GP38 which is right at home here having been built new for the Maine Central in November 1966. She came to Conway Scenic in 2022 after a nearly two decade second career as Clarendon & Pittsford 203, having being sold by MEC successor Guilford Transportation in the early 1990s. She received this Maine Central style paint job back in June and now matches her sister unit on the roster, number 252.
Fabyans
Town of Carroll, New Hampshire
Saturday August 2, 2025
150 Years And Counting
On Saturday August 2, 2025 five days shy of the 150 years, the Conway Scenic Railroad celebrated the anniversary of completion of the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad. The regular Mountaineer train made the 30 mile trip from North Conway to Fabyans station and is seen paused at about MP 89.2 on the former Maine Central Railroad Mountain Sub where a ceremony was held which mirrored the one which took place adjacent down at Crawford House on August 7, 1875. On that date the railroad hauled a borrowed cannon on a flat car from Portland and paused along the way at the great rock cut at the Gateway of the Crawford Notch to drive the last spike before proceeding to a stop beside the grand mountain hotel. There P&O President John Samuel Anderson watched as 10 shots were fired off before a band played the 'Star Spangled Banner' and 'Hail Columbia.'
On this date, however, the cannon arrived by road not train and the 6th Maine Artillery Brigade fired only three shots, the smoke from the last of which is eveloping the crowd. Current railroad President David Swirk gave a short speech, and then the Mt. Washington Valley Community Band played the same two songs before passengers reboarded the train for the trip back down to North Conway.
Leading the train seen on the runaround at right is CSRR 255 an EMD GP38 which is right at home here having been built new for the Maine Central in November 1966. She came to Conway Scenic in 2022 after a nearly two decade second career as Clarendon & Pittsford 203, having being sold by MEC successor Guilford Transportation in the early 1990s. She received this Maine Central style paint job back in June and now matches her sister unit on the roster, number 252.
Fabyans
Town of Carroll, New Hampshire
Saturday August 2, 2025