Date: 9/13 – 8:15 am – 4:00 pm
Grappone Center pick up and drop off
Pre-Registration Required = Yes
Cost = $159.00
POC – Tage Erickson 860-575-5826
Notes: Limited to 54 registrants.
Take the Conway Scenic Railroad on a unique and unforgettable journey, from North Conway, through Crawford Notch, to Fabyan. A VIP bus will transport registrants from the convention center to the tour and back. Along the way, we will see how the restoration of the Flying Yankee is going. Before departing on the Mountaineer train ride, we will visit the iconic Russian Revival style station in North Conway, the nearby railyards, engine facilities, rolling stock collection, as well as the North Conway Model Railroad Club’s HO scale layout. This tour includes an exclusive ride in a vintage railcar, with other convention attendees and a photo run-by! A box lunch is included. Register early and have your camera ready!
Date: 9/11 – 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
910 Main St.
North Walpole, NH 03609
Distance From Hotel = 88 miles
Pre-Registration Required = Yes
Cost = $0.00
POC – Glenn Mitchell 603-856-4103
Handicap access: No
Notes: Very limited parking – Registrants departing from the convention hotel may benefit from carpooling. PPE Required- Hard hats, safety glasses, long pants, work boots or hiking boots. A limited number of hard hats and safety glasses will be available. Bring your own if you have them. You will need to sign a waiver of liability. Prior to the event, Glenn Mitchell will be in contact with everyone who registers for this tour. Limited to 30 registrants.
This is an eye-opening tour of a working repair facility for tank cars, covered hoppers, boxcars, and gondolas. You will see a roundhouse that is still used in the modern era, and a working turntable. Every repair at the facility meets some level of federal certification, and every part is tracked. The roundhouse has five stalls, four of them used for car repairs. You will see cars undergoing work. This is a dynamic, jumping railroad facility!
Date: 9/12 – 9:00 am – 10:00 am
520 Hall St.
Bow, NH 03304
Distance From Hotel = 3.5 miles
Pre-Registration Required = Yes
Cost = $0.00
POC Glenn Mitchell 603-856-4103
Handicap access: No
Notes: PPE Required – Hard hats, safety glasses, long pants, work boots or hiking boots. A limited number of hard hats and safety glasses will be available. Bring your own if you have them. You will need to sign a waiver of liability. Prior to the event, Glenn Mitchell will be in contact with everyone who registers for this tour. Limited to 30 registrants.
What goes on in a feed mill? Many of our model railroads have feed mills, so come see the inner workings of the Blue Seal Feed Mill in Bow, NH. We will tour the mill while it is in full operation, on the Friday morning of the convention. This mill receives grain and other feed components by both rail car and semi truck; CSX provides the rail service. Animal feed, bird seed and grass seed constitute the outgoing products, delivered by truck – either in bulk or in bags.
Date: 9/12 – 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm
211 Lakeside Ave.
Weirs Beach, NH 03246
Website (click here)
Distance From Hotel = 34miles
Pre-Registration Required = Yes
Cost = $50.00
POC – Ken Moller 207-233-0063
Handicap access: Yes
Notes: Ship departs at 12:30 pm. The operator requests passengers to arrive 30 minutes prior to departure, i.e., 12:00 noon.
Take your significant other on a 2 1/2 hour narrated cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee, aboard the historic M/V Mount Washington. Originally built in 1888, she has been lengthened and modernized with diesel power. This historic ferry boat has modern amenities, including three decks, a restaurant and full bar, and several lounges. You’ll learn about the history of the region and local folklore, surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in New England.
Date: 9/13 – 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
154 Main St.
Meredith NH 03253
Website (click here)
Distance From Hotel = 40 Miles
Pre-Registration Required = Yes
Cost = $25.00
POC – Ken Moller 207-233-0063
Handicap access: Yes
Register to ride this excursion train through the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. The two hour round trip ride will take you along the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, on rails that were once home to the renowned Boston, Concord & Montreal line, dating back to 1848. September is the perfect time to ride, as you’ll experience the Lakes Region’s rich history and natural wonders.
Besides the five Special Events described above sponsored by Concord Flyer, we highly recommend you consider the two following Special Events that you could plan to do on your own before or after the convention.
The Cog Railroad offers a breathtaking 3.5 mile ride up to the top of Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the northeast. The railroad has a fleet of 2 steam engines and 7 bio-diesel engines. The first trip of the day usually rates a steam engine. Pre-buying tickets is highly recommended. The ride to the Cog Railroad Base Station is 1 hr. 31 min. from Concord, however the website warns that the local area is poorly mapped by GPS services. Follow directions on the website. More information is available at www.thecog.com.
Warning about Mt. Washington Weather – The weather at the peak is different from that of the cog railroad base station. The following data is for the month of September at the top of Mount Washington:
If you decide to take the Cog to the top, be prepared. Pack extra warm clothing.
The Seashore Trolley Museum is off of I-95 in Kennebunkport, ME (1hr. 28 min. from Concord). The museum has an extensive collection of trolleys from around the country and offers 40-minute trolley rides.
A new purpose- built building at the Seashore Trolley Museum houses a model of the Maine Central Model Railroad. On the grounds of the oldest and largest trolley museum in the world, it is Maine’s largest HO-scale model railroad!
2600 square feet are devoted to the model and an additional mezzanine (complete with several beautiful O-scale scratch-built dioramas). There is a 1040-foot main line, with an additional 300 feet of trackage. 14-15 locomotives are rotated in with two running at a time (by computer). There are at least 600 cars.
On the layout you will find Quoddy Lighthouse, paper mills, Dragon Cement, streets representing communities that the MEC served, roundhouses, tunnels, rivers, and the ocean. Begun in the Jonesport, Maine, home of Helen and Harold “Buz” Beal, the couple opened their home to guests from all over the world for decades while they worked on the layout for 35 years.
More information is available at www.trolleymuseum.org.
