The Conway Scenic railroad has made some changes to its roster that impact locomotives which many would consider to be preservation worthy.

An ex Pan Am nee NS highhood GP35 #216 has arrived in a scheme similar to the Maine Central's harvest gold and green (actual hues tweaked to match CSRR rolling stock, apparently). #252n ex MEC GP38 is on the way from Pan Am, too. While not "preserved" these two old EMDs have life past the Waterville scrap line and perhaps someday will be in a museum collection. Certainly seeing another MEC back on the CRSS's ex MEC Mountain Division will be cool. And they *need* dynamics on the Crawford Notch run.

ALCo S4 #1055, ex Portland Terminal, left North Conway and is headed back to Maine... up the coast from Portland aways to the Downeast Scenic Railroad. Good to see her heading back to her home state with an operational future. Again, someone is extending her career. Good stuff.

Finally, rumors are still flying around the two ex CNR FP9's locally known as "The Sisters." One left North Conway with the #1055 last week. If the railfan rumor mill is right, they are headed to Pan Am for executive train service. So again, not preserved, but in a life-extending role.

For the CSRR this year, it appears MEC GP-7 #573, GTR 0-6-0 #7470, the RDC, plus the newly acquired #216 and #252 will be operational. A B23-7 and U23B on the property are rumored to be slated for cannibalizing into one operational unit. 44 tonner #15 apparently remains out of service and for sale.

Locomotives not owned by the CSRR but remaining on the property include a 44 tonner plus the 470 Rairload Club collection of two B&M F-7's (one operational, one gutted) and an MEC 2-8-0.

I hesitated posting this to RYPN, but it is worthy news.

Why hesitate? An insane war broke out between two railfan websites around these moves, so I ask that anyone wishing to air grievances (who can't wait until Festivus 2010) do so on those sites.

Thanks,

Rob

Thanks for passing along the info, Rob.

The news was mentioned earlier on RYPN, if I recall but was never official if I recall.

You state "one" of the two "Sisters" left the property. What's in store for the other unit? I, like many I assume, will sorely miss the pair at Conway. For those who don't live near by - and perhaps for those who are regulars - the "Sisters" were the face of Conway. Not that change is always bad...

Why did Conway agree to the trade? I assume the F's were not ideal for their needs and the trade is, even though they will need "dynamics" added.

I'd hope that Conway does a good job detailing the historic nature of the new engines as such a link to the past can go along way towards making perhaps the less appealing motive power still a prize to witness and ride.

I suppose the passenger equipment will remain as is though like the NS office cars, not match the motive power.

/Mitch

I'm going to missed those CN F-Units at the Conway Scenic Railway. At least PAN-AM gave them diesel locomotives in return. The Notch Train was the best there with those F-Units.

[quote="Mgoldman"]
You state "one" of the two "Sisters" left the property. What's in store for the other unit?

[Snip]

Why did Conway agree to the trade? I assume the F's were not ideal for their needs and the trade is, even though they will need "dynamics" added.

[/quote]

The first Sister left the property in trade for the GP35. The other will leave in trade for #252, when she arrives.

Conway agreed to the trade because the FP9s, attractive though they may be, aren't ideal for the Crawford Notch run because of their high speed gearing and lack of dynamics. (The Notch run is steep and slow.) CSRX has been going through brake shoes rather quickly on the Notch Train equipment, which the two "new" Geeps (with freight gearing and dynamics) are expected to alleviate.

I too will miss The Sisters, and I'm now all the more glad I made the steep climb to the overlook above Willey Brook Bridge on Railfan Weekend last year. But, I'll take solace in the fact that 252 was the lead motor on MEC's last revenue freight on the Notch back in 1983. And that yellow paint is pretty slick.

Hi Mitch,

The reason, as I understand it, that #216 is not in MEC Harvest Gold and Pine Tree Green is so she will match the Crawford Notch cars. She wears the same gold and green they do. Will it look as sharp as The Sisters in gold, green and red? Probably not, but they did make the effort to match.

What I learned following this whole thing is that at least 2 MEC U18-B's exist in a scrap yard in Montreal. They were favorites of mine as a kid hunting down trains across the Notch.

Rob