We were up at the crack of dawn again (6:10) to drive up to Lincoln, New Hampshire, to meet Jim Fellows, another New Haven modeller. I first met Jim in person in Hartford at the NMRA convention in 2009.
We drove up Route 113 and despite my paranoia about driving on the right, it all went very well. Breakfast was part way along – home fries at a marketplace. I discovered that you can buy 1.5 litre bottles of wine!
We drove along the Kancamagus Highway to Lincoln. It’s a windy road with views across the White Mountains. All in all it was about 94 miles but longer on the way back as we drove north and came back on the top side of the mountains.
We met Jim at the Hobo Railroad, noticeable for having the Roger Williams – a New Haven prototype train.
They also had a New Haven Budd car that they were working on which they let us look inside.
We went off for lunch and then Jim showed us some of his models. It’s great to see them in person after reading about them on the internet for so long.
Jim, Nigel and me:
After that, we drove north up the I93 and then onto the 302 for the long trip back to portland. We stopped at Crawford Notch, one end of the Conway Scenic Railroad. It’s a 5 hour return trip from North Conway.
The depot:
View down the tracks:
After that we drove down to North Conway. After looking at the locos:
Modelling inspiration:
turntable:
and watching 2 trains come in:
we caught the 4:30 to Conway. We went first class:
and sat on the observation deck:
Turned round:
And on the way back, right behind the loco, an ex-Maine Central GP7:
After the last 60 miles home, we survived a few wrong turns (it’s not easy reading an ipad sat nav on Nigel’s lap) and made it home.
We ate out (again) at the Petite Jacqueline. I had mussels.