Conway Scenic’s Dave Swirk with founder Dwight Smith and longtime employee George Small standing in front of 7470 after it was named for Dwight.
Brian Solomon
NORTH CONWAY, N.H. — On the Sunday, the 45th anniversary of Conway Scenic Railroad’s first revenue run, the railroad named steam locomotive No. 7470 after founder Dwight Smith.
Conway Scenic President and General Manager David Swirk presided over a short naming ceremony. Smith purchased the Canadian National 0-6-0 in 1968 and in 1974 he founded the railroad with the heavy switcher as the heart and soul of the line.
Over the decades, Conway Scenic has carried hundreds of thousands of passengers, and locomotive 7470 has entertained countless visitors and is dearly loved by many people. Now it carries the name of the man who saved it and founded a railroad on which it could run.
The locomotive recently returned after an overhaul that had it out of service since 2015.
We have been running the 7470 on the Conway line at 10:30 and 1:30 on Sundays and Mondays this summer. Thanks to a talented group of mechanics, who work in our North Conway roundhouse, the locomotive is operating better every day that she is out running. On August 31st it will be placed into freight service followed by an over 80 mile round trip, pulling our Notch passenger consist on Sunday September first. Being that I rode behind this engine when I first visited the Conway Scenic with my parents back in 1975, it gives me great pleasure to have restored the engine to operational condition for everyone to enjoy.
Is the 7470 actually back in service? I know she’s supposed to power an excursion over the crest of the Crawford Notch grade all the way to Hazen on Labor Day weekend. Thanks for any insights. I’m a great fan of this lovely and surprisingly powerful engine, having enjoyed multiple Winter Steam trips behind her sponsored by the Mass Bay RRE chapter.
In 1968 I was assigned to train 762 out of Montreal. I handled the 7470 between Montreal and St. Hyacinthe Que,When I asked the man riding the engine, (Dwight I believe) what he was going to do with it, he told me of his plan to run it again. I thought it never happen. I really glad I was wrong!
A classy move from a classy railroad. Nice to see them remember their history.