Conway Scenic Railroad

Type: heritage tourist railroad based in North Conway, New Hampshire, in the Mount Washington Valley/White Mountains region. Founded August 4, 1974 by Dwight Smith. Operates from an 1874 train station in North Conway Village, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979. Currently owned by Profile Mountain Holdings Corp (since January 30, 2018).

Conway Scenic Railroad is a heritage tourist railroad running vintage passenger trains out of North Conway, New Hampshire, in the heart of the Mount Washington Valley. It was founded in 1974 by Dwight Smith, then a Boston and Maine Railroad employee, along with two local businessmen, who acquired the old Conway Branch line to run excursion trains from the town's handsome 1874 station, a structure now on the National Register of Historic Places. The railroad operates two historic routes totaling 51 miles: the Conway Branch, which it owns outright, and the Mountain Division line through spectacular Crawford Notch to Fabyan, which it leases from the State of New Hampshire. Its excursions range from a short, family-friendly "Valley Train" loop to the multi-hour "Mountaineer" run through Crawford Notch, along with themed rides such as a mystery dinner train and a comedy tour. The railroad's roster includes vintage steam and diesel locomotives, and the company has occasionally run revenue freight as well, most recently in 2009.

Conway Scenic Railroad's home station is at 38 Norcross Circle in North Conway Village, New Hampshire, in the Mount Washington Valley region of the White Mountains. Its two operating lines run the Conway Branch between North Conway and Conway, and the Mountain Division line from North Conway through Crawford Notch to Fabyan.

The White Mountains/Mount Washington Valley region has a humid continental climate with cold, snowy winters and warm summers; sources for this destination did not include destination-specific temperature or snowfall averages, so no numeric figures are given here.

The seasonal Mountaineer route through Crawford Notch runs May through November, per Wikipedia's summary of the railroad's operations, making late spring through fall the widest operating window for the full experience; the shorter Valley Train and other themed excursions run on a broader schedule from the North Conway station. Fall foliage season (late September-October) is a traditionally popular time for scenic train rides in this region, though this was not separately confirmed as the operator's own stated peak season.

Conway Scenic Railroad was founded on August 4, 1974, by Dwight Smith, then an employee of the Boston and Maine Railroad, together with two local businessmen who acquired the Conway Branch line. The railroad's North Conway station complex, dating to 1874, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Ownership changed in 1999 when the railroad was purchased by Russ and Dot Seybold, and again in 2018 when it was sold to Profile Mountain Holdings Corp on January 30. Beyond passenger excursions, the railroad has periodically run freight service, most recently in June 2009, when it moved a 227-ton transformer through Crawford Notch, the first scheduled freight movement on the line since 1983. A cab fire involving steam locomotive No. 7470 occurred on January 3, 2022, but was caught early by a malfunctioning whistle valve alerting staff; the locomotive returned to service by June 2022.

Visitors can choose from several themed excursions: the roughly 1-hour, 11-mile round-trip Valley Train, a family-friendly heritage ride; the 4 to 4.5-hour, 50-60-mile round-trip Mountaineer through Crawford Notch, described by the railroad as its most scenic route; a 1-hour "Murder on the Rails" mystery dinner-theater train; a 1-hour comedic scenic tour with a live comedian; a Crawford-to-North-Conway round trip (4-4.5 hours); and an 8.5-hour "Hiker's Ticket" that allows a layover at Crawford Notch for hiking before the return trip. Some trains offer open-air car seating, and food options are available on board.

The centerpiece is the 1874 North Conway station itself, a National Register-listed historic building that serves as the railroad's home base. The Mountaineer route passes through scenic Crawford Notch, one of the White Mountains' dramatic mountain passes. The railroad's rolling stock includes vintage steam locomotives (Canadian National 7470, an 0-6-0 from 1921, and Maine Central 501, a 2-8-0 from 1910), several diesel locomotives, a Budd RDC-1 railcar, and the historic Flying Yankee streamliner (1935), which is under restoration.

The railroad departs from North Conway, New Hampshire, reachable by car via NH Route 16, the main road through the Mount Washington Valley. There is no airport or rail passenger connection directly to North Conway; visitors typically drive in, with Portland, Maine's airport being a commonly used regional gateway, though this specific distance was not confirmed in the sources fetched for this destination.

Passenger trains run year-round from the North Conway station, according to Wikipedia's summary, while the seasonal Mountaineer service through Crawford Notch to Fabyan operates May through November. Confirm the current season's specific train schedule and dates directly with conwayscenic.com before visiting.

As of research, themed excursions were priced starting from stated minimums: the "Murder on the Rails" show train from $59, the comedic scenic tour from $49, and both the Crawford round trip and the 8.5-hour Hiker's Ticket from $75. Pricing for the standard Valley Train and Mountaineer excursions was not listed on the pages fetched; check conwayscenic.com directly for current fares, since prices likely vary by route, season, and car class.

Excursions range from about 1 hour (Valley Train, Murder on the Rails, comedic tour) to 4-4.5 hours (Mountaineer, Crawford round trip) to a full 8.5-hour day for the Hiker's Ticket option with a Crawford Notch layover.

North Conway is a well-established White Mountains resort town with a wide range of hotels, motels, inns and vacation rentals catering to visitors of the railroad, nearby ski areas, and outlet shopping; specific property names were not confirmed in the sources fetched for this destination.

Some Conway Scenic trains offer food service on board. North Conway village, immediately around the historic station, has a range of casual and sit-down restaurants typical of a White Mountains tourist town; specific restaurant names were not confirmed in sourced material.

Flume Gorge and Franconia Notch State Park lie within the wider White Mountains region reachable by car. Crawford Notch, traversed by the Mountaineer route, is itself a scenic destination. North Conway's outlet shopping district and Mount Washington (reachable by separate cog railway or auto road, not part of Conway Scenic's own routes) are nearby draws for visitors extending their stay.

There is no airport or intercity rail station directly in North Conway; the nearest sizable regional airport commonly used for this part of New Hampshire is Portland International Jetport in Maine, though the exact distance was not confirmed in the sources fetched. Most visitors arrive by personal car via NH Route 16.

Standard rail-excursion safety practices apply: stay behind posted platform lines while boarding and follow crew instructions, particularly on trains with open-air cars. Book seasonal routes like the Mountaineer in advance, since schedules and operating dates can change with weather and maintenance. For any emergency, dial 911.

A camera for scenic mountain views, a light jacket for open-air car seating or cooler mountain weather, and snacks or cash for on-board food service (where offered) are worth bringing. Comfortable clothing is useful for the multi-hour Mountaineer or Hiker's Ticket excursions.

Book tickets in advance online through the railroad's FareHarbor reservation system, especially for themed trains like the mystery dinner train or comedy tour, and for the seasonal Mountaineer route, which can sell out during peak fall foliage and summer weekends. If you want to combine a train ride with hiking, the 8.5-hour Hiker's Ticket with a Crawford Notch layover is a distinct option built for that purpose.

Dial 911 for any emergency. For general railroad inquiries and reservations, Conway Scenic Railroad can be reached at 603-356-5251 or by email at info@conwayscenic.com.

Conway Scenic Railroad - https://www.conwayscenic.com

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.