A postcard I picked up in the 1970s while on vacation in the White Mountains

Crawford Notch New Hampshire on the Maine Central RR

Crawford Notch is one of the many highlights in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The narrow passage between mountains carries US Route 302 as well as the Maine Central's Mountain Subdivision trackage.

To the west of the Notch, the land flattens out at 1900 feet above sea level. The unique Crawford Notch depot flanks a small 3 track yard that helped handle pusher locomotives as well as allow a place to drop a few cars or pass a small local. Occasionally these tracks would be used when a train needed to double the hill up to the Notch.



To the east of the Notch, the Maine Central track hugs the mountainside as it descends almost 1300 feet in just a few miles to reach Bartlett New Hampshire. In Bartlett a full locomotive servicing facility with roundhouse used to exist to help handle pusher locomotives and small locals.

Today the MEC track is operated by the Conway Scenic RR, and the depot is owned and operated by the Appalachian Mountain Club. The area is very busy and popular with tourists and hikers.

The slide images below were captured by my late friend Glenn Salvatore on a cold late Fall day in the 1979, traveling along a few miles of Rt. 302 as it passes through the White Mountain National Forest.


Train YR-1 approaches Crawford Notch after traveling from St. Johnsbury through Whitefield and along Rt. 302


After passing through the Notch, the train hugs the mountainside as it starts to descend downhill


The train crosses Willey Brook trestle


The train has reached the floor of the valley in this portion of the White Mountain National Forest


The train passes through the trestle at Sawyer River, and in a few miles will reach Bartlett NH

Here are some more pictures from the Notch I have taken in later years


The shanty at the east end of the small yard, right before trains enter the notch heading to Portland - 1991.


Looking to the west and St. Johnsbury, the depot is further down on the right


In 1999, the Conway Scenic had taken over operations of the line from North Conway to Whitefield. Here I saw a work train headed up by 44 Tonner 15 (ex-MEC)

On my layout, the Crawford Notch scene is one of the first things visitors see when entering through the doorway into the room. To the left when viewing, the tracks move through the Notch and disappear into staging. At center is the 3 tracks of the small yard and…. a lot of trees. Anchoring the scene to the right is the depot depicted as it appeared in 1980 just prior to the sale to the AMC hiking club, in green paint and with some boarded up windows.

Below are pictures from the layout. Most scenery is now basically done, although I still find the need for a few more details, figures, and vehicles from time to time.