North Conway has a beautiful train depot. As the northern terminal, North Conway Depot was built to be the most impressive station on the Conway Branch. Architect Nathaniel J. Bradlee used a unique, Russian-inspired Victorian design. The station's floor plan included a ticket office, a baggage room, and two waiting rooms (one for men and one for women). One of the waiting rooms now serves as a gift shop. Two curving mahogany staircases lead to offices in metal-sheathed domed towers on the second level. An eight-day E. Howard & Co. clock faces the town. The area immediately in front of the station is an open park.
The station was built by the Portsmouth, Great Falls & Conway Railroad in 1874, two years after the Conway Branch was completed. The Portsmouth, Great Falls & Conway was absorbed by the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1890. The station served the village of North Conway for 87 years. The Conway Branch continued slightly north to Intervale just to the north, where it met the Maine Central Railroad Mountain Division. The station saw heavy use in the summer, North Conway being a popular resort destination. Beginning in 1932, downhill skiing made North Conway an increasingly popular destination, and dedicated skier trains unloaded their passengers at the depot.
In the mid-20th century, passenger rail travel declined due to competition with automobile transport. In the later years of passenger service, the Boston & Maine stopped operating traditional locomotive and coaches trains, and switched to Budd Rail Diesel Cars. Finally, on December 3, 1961 passenger service to North Conway was abandoned. Just over 10 years later, on October 30, 1972, freight service was also discontinued, and the station, yard, and rail line were abandoned. The station building had been reused as a firehouse and post office by 1968.
Abandonment did not last long. In 1974, three local businessmen and a host of volunteers restored the abandoned terminal and founded a new heritage railway called the Conway Scenic Railroad.
SideTracked
This term originally referred to a train being put on a side track to allow another train use of the main track. It now also means someone being distracted from an immediate or important issue. "She was sidetracked by an FTF in the middle of her trip."
About SideTracked Caches
SideTracked caches are a popular series familiar to anyone that has been caching in the United Kingdom. SideTracked caches are intended to provide a quick cache n' dash at train stations. Here in the US, we don't have too many passenger trains anymore, but in many cases we'll have an old train station, or the memory of one. This series allows us to look into our railroad history, and grab a quick cache. More information can be found at the SideTracked Website.
About This Event
We'll meet in the parking lot near the ice cream store! Just in case anyone wants some ice cream. We'll be joined by a British cacher with lots of experience finding SideTracked caches. I'm sure there will be trackables to discover or trade. Afterwards, we hope to find a watering hole for a cold one.