Mass Bay RRE and the Conway Scenic Railroad Present
‘Red Ball Special’
on the Conway Scenic Railroad
North Conway, NH to Crawford Notch, Hazens, Whitefield, NH
Sunday, September 3, 2017 ONLY!!
As part of their Railfans' Weekend this year, on Sunday, September 3, the Conway Scenic Railroad will be operating a special train from North Conway to Whitefield and the famous ball signal at the junction of the former Boston & Maine and Maine Central Railroads. The Whitefield ball signal stands as the last signal of its type remaining in its original location. By special arrangement with the Conway Scenic, Mass Bay RRE has reserved 3 cars on this train for our members and guests.
This will be the first passenger train to operate over this section of the former Boston & Maine Berlin Branch since our two-day ‘Day White Mountains' trip from Boston to Berlin, NH in May of 1982 (Photo at right, taken May 16, 1982 by Len Bachelder). Our excursion will depart from the Conway Scenic’s landmark North Conway station promptly at 9:30 AM, heading north and west through Crawford Notch to Hazens. We’ll continue west on the former Boston & Maine track for about 3 miles to the diamond at Whitefield. There we’ll pose the train beside the ball signal for photos. Our return to North Conway is scheduled for around 5:30 PM.
The train will be the Conway Scenic’s regular diesel-powered Notch Train consist. Mass Bay RRE has reserved two standard Conway Scenic coaches and the table car Mount Webster, which is air-conditioned and offers reserved booth seating (SOLD OUT!). Discounted fares are available only to current Mass Bay RRE members. See our member benefits policy for complete details. (Mass Bay RRE membership is not necessary to ride on this train.)
Note: Seats in the Dome Car Dorthea Mae and the First-Class car C.P. Reed, as well as lunch packages in the dining car Hattie Evans, are not available from Mass Bay RRE but may be purchased directly from the Conway Scenic.
ORDER TODAY!
Train capacity is limited! We will assign seats by car only; passengers wishing to sit together must order tickets together at the same time.
This trip operates ONE DAY ONLY, rain or shine. All sales are final and tickets are not refundable. Alcoholic beverages and smoking will not be permitted aboard this train. Tickets will be mailed to you about 10 days prior to the trip. We will send driving directions to the departure point in North Conway with your tickets. Please notify us if special accommodations (ie, handicap seating, etc.) are required.
BOSTON CONNECTION
Mass Bay RRE will operate a motorcoach connection from Boston and Woburn to North Conway with a guaranteed connection to the 'Red Ball Special' if there is sufficient demand to cover the cost.
The motorcoach will depart from Boston's South Station at 6:00 AM and the Anderson RTC in Woburn, MA at 6:15 AM, and will run directly to North Conway with no intermediate stops. The coach will depart from North Conway shortly after the train's arrival at 5:30 PM and will return to Boston around 8:30 PM.
The Boston Connection will operate ONLY if there are enough passengers to cover the cost of chartering the bus. Pricing will be variable, depending on how many passengers ultimately sign up:
20 - 23 passengers: $75 for Mass Bay RRE members, $80 for non-members.
24 - 27 passengers: $65 for Mass Bay RRE members, $70 for non-members.
28 - 31 passengers: $55 for Mass Bay RRE members, $60 for non-members.
32 - 40 passengers: $45 for Mass Bay RRE members, $50 for non-members.
The Connection will not be run with less than 20 passengers. The final connection fare will depend on the total number of seats booked. To reserve space on the Boston Connection, please call us at 978-470-2066 as soon as possible. A decision on whether to run the bus connection or not will be made based on the number of seats reserved through July 31.
'RED BALL SPECIAL' TRAIN FARES:
Coach Seating (unreserved, boarding at North Conway)
Adult Mass Bay RRE Member Coach Fare.......................................... $80*
Adult Non-member Coach Fare........................................................$84
Child Coach Fare (ages 4 - 12) ......................................................$51
Note: Call Mass Bay RRE for children under 4 years old,
Mt. Webster Table Car Seating (reserved seats, boarding at North Conway)
Adult Mass Bay RRE Member........................................................... $87*
Adult Non-member ........................................................................$91
Box Lunch (See description below)...................................................$15
*
One discounted seat per member, except as noted in our Member Benefits policy.
BOX LUNCHES:
The box lunch will consist of a sandwich, chips, snack dessert (granola bar, cookie, etc.), Chef's choice of a side salad, and a beverage. Sandwich choices are as follows:
» Smoked Ham & Swiss Cheese with lettuce on Country White Bread.
» Turkey & Provolone Cheese, on Hearty Grain Bread.
» Vegetarian: Homemade hummus wrap with American cheese, lettuce, carrots, onions, roasted peppers and sprouts on a whole wheat flour tortilla wrap;
» All lunches include: pasta salad with fresh vegetables and a zesty herb dressing, potato chips, homemade chocolate chip cookie, beverage.
Box lunches are $15.00 per person, including tax and gratuity, and must be ordered in advance.
ACCOMMODATIONS IN & AROUND NORTH CONWAY:
North Conway is a major vacation destination, and there are numerous hotels, inns and B&B's within a reasonable distance of the North Conway depot. Because this trip is on Labor Day weekend, Accommodations are reported to be tight and prices at in-season rates. For comfortable Bed & Breakfast rooms at a resonable rate, we suggest the Cranmore Mountain Lodge (Toll Free: 800-356-3596, Email: TheLodge@North-Conway.com). Be sure to mention Mass Bay RRE wnen booking!
HOW TO ORDER:
Please use the order form to order your tour ticket and box lunch. Be sure to enclose a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope for return of your tickets. Full particulars of the tour will be sent with your tickets about ten days before the trip. For further information please call our information line at 978-470-2066, or send email to: trips@massbayrre.org.
Orders are accepted by mail or telephone only. We accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover cards. For telephone orders please call 978-470-2066. No calls after 8:00 PM Eastern Time, please.
To download a printable copy of the trip flyer and order form, Click Here.
Mass Bay RRE is a non-profit [501(c)(3)] Massachusetts educational corporation.
