RailNews

Conway Scenic 7470 Back In Steam After Fire

The former Canadian National 0-6-0 is expected to lead excursions on the New Hampshire tourist road in the coming months. The locomotive is seen at the North Conway yard earlier this month. Photo by Brian Solomon. 

Conway Scenic 7470 Back In Steam After Fire

By Justin Franz 

NORTH CONWAY, N.H. — Conway Scenic Railroad’s former Canadian National 0-6-0 steam locomotive is back in service, six months after it was damaged in a small fire in the New Hampshire tourist road’s roundhouse. 

CN 7470 was parked in the former B&M roundhouse built in 1874 and was scheduled to lead a special excursion in early January. However, early on the morning of that planned run, a fire started inside the locomotive’s cab, damaging seats, gauges, electrical wiring and more, according to the railroad. The fire also melted a spring in the locomotive’s whistle control valve, which in turn set off the whistle, alerting an employee who was on-site at the time. The employee called 911 and the North Conway Fire Department responded to the scene. They quickly doused the flames before the fire spread. The railroad said it believed that the fire was sparked by the locomotive’s radio. 

Although the damage was minor, it still took time to get the locomotive repaired. However, on June 10, the locomotive was back out and under steam, according to Brian Solomon, manager of marketing and events for the railroad. Solomon tells Railfan & Railroad that the railroad is currently in the process of training crews to allow for the resumption of regular steam operations later this year. 

This article was posted on: June 24, 2022