Photo by GP38-252, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
Conway Scenic Railroad
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About Conway Scenic Railroad
Riding the Conway Scenic Railroad departs from the restored 1874 North Conway depot and climbs through the dramatic Crawford Notch, reaching Fabyan Station before turning back, while a separate service runs the short line from North Conway to Conway. Trains operate year‑round from the historic downtown terminal, with the Mountaineer excursion running May through November.
History
The Conway Scenic Railroad begins operation in 1974 after Dwight Smith, then a Boston and Maine employee, persuades his employer to sell a portion of the Conway Branch to him and two local investors. The original owners sell the line in 1999 to husband‑and‑wife team Russ and Dot Seybold, and on 30 January 2018 the railroad changes hands again, becoming owned by Profile Mountain Holdings Corp. A first paid freight movement occurs on 30 July 1980 when steam locomotive No. 108 hauls a brush slasher from Intervale to Conway Village. The line sees its next freight service on 20 June 2009, when a 20‑axle Schnabel car carrying a 227‑ton transformer runs through Crawford Notch, marking the first scheduled freight since 3 September 1983 and the first freight of any kind since October 1984. On 3 January 2022 a cab fire in locomotive No. 7470 threatens the historic 1874 roundhouse, but the engine is repaired and returned to service by June 2022.
The Trains
The Conway Scenic Railroad runs heritage passenger service from its historic 1874 North Conway depot to Conway Village on the former Boston‑and‑Maine Conway Branch, and from North Conway through Crawford Notch to Fabyan Station on the ex‑Maine Central Mountain Division, which the railroad leases from the State of New Hampshire. Its active steam roster includes locomotive No. 108, which hauled the line’s first paid freight in 1980, and No. 7470, restored after a cab fire in January 2022; diesel power frequently features units No. 573, No. 6505, No. 6516 and No. 4266 for both passenger and occasional freight moves. Passenger consists comprise restored early‑20th‑century cars, while freight operations have employed a 20‑axle Schnabel car carrying a 227‑ton transformer in 2009.
Nearby
Plan a New Hampshire rail weekend around the Conway Scenic Railroad, with The Flying Yankee just 5 mi off, the Mount Washington Cog Railway about 18 mi away, and the J.E. Henry Railway at Loon Mountain roughly 25 mi out.
Where to Stay
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More Railroading Nearby
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The Flying Yankee
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J.E. Henry Railway at Loon Mountain
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Rent a Car
Most heritage railroads sit well off the interstate. Picking up a rental at the nearest airport is usually the easiest way in.
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Book tours & activities near Conway
Pre-book guided tours and things to do around the area.
Bookings made through these links support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
More in New Hampshire
All train rides in New Hampshire →Train Types in New Hampshire
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