We had a friend visiting for the last two weekends (hence the sudden photo dump now that she’s gone), so we were out and about doing a few different things we’d never done before.
One was the Conway Scenic Railroad, out of Conway, New Hampshire, up in the White Mountains. We took the Notch train, which goes up through Crawford Notch. We actually got one that went past the regular Crawford Notch Station stop (though we did stop there too), to Fabyan station, where the engine had to turn around and attach itself to the other side of the train to get us back down the mountains.
We took coach, because we could bring our own food (the dining option didn’t look like anything that special). We also had access to an open car, which we stayed in through the trip. It was a little breezy, but the view was fantastic.
You can drive the road through Crawford Notch (it’s US Route 302), which we have in fact done, but it’s another thing to see it from the train. For one thing, you’re higher up, so your view of the valley is more expansive. Plus, there’s no driver, so everyone in your party can enjoy the scenery without constantly having to stop – definite bonus there.
The only thing that would have made it better would have been if it were with a steam engine. Sadly, theirs is undergoing a federally mandated two year overhaul, so we had to satisfy ourselves with diesel.