I think the why is made clear on the website. I think we know why the project is critically important to Maine and Mainers alike. We are asking people to spread the link. Instead, I'm getting sermons. Guys, go to to the website and read.
It may be that crowd-funding isn't as auspicious a way to bring in funding as was hoped. Still, the premiums are great and the cause is terrific for all the reasons you know.
Please help spread the passion by spreading the link.
Thank you.

Richard, you just asked the right question at the right time. It isn't an attack, just some pretty valid ideas about how you can get much better response to your crowdsourcing of money. Innovators are targets.

OK, you do let it be known in your web site about its importance to people who live in Maine or like Maine. That isn't everybody who might run across your solicitation but didn't get there through the web site to have read it even if they are from Maine, which only a fortunate few people are (except in the winter).

And no, we don't need to know why we like to do what we like to do and why it's importantly bigger than each of us unless we want help from others who may not be of like mind to get it done. If we can't articulate that, it is tantamount to a masturbator appealing for the public to pay for his or her chosen style of porn......for just his or her personal gratification.

dave

Richard,

Believe it or not no one is trying to preach to you. We are trying to help with suggestions from our own experiences. You can't take these comments personal. If you are taking these comments personal and feel like you are being preached to, you will have a tough time with the reality of what is ahead. (Right now is the easy part)

There are some great people here on RYPN willing to help and give you suggestions. It is ultimately up to you to filter that information and put it into your restoration. If what you were doing was working you would be fully funded.

Fund raising is psychological not analytical. (True fundraising has really nothing to do with money, rather emotion) If you are not getting results you wanted, you need to tweak the sales pitch. You keep tweaking until it works. This is very hard for most people on this board, because they have no interest or experience in dealing with the public relations and messaging needed to successfully build an organization. Most people would rather get dirty, fire-up a welder and use really big tools. (There is nothing wrong with that)

If some of us are coming off preachy, I will apologize. I personally feel being up front and honest it the best solution here as you have an uphill(mountain really) battle ahead after fund raising is complete.

There are dozens of steam locomotives sitting in pieces all over country right now that had great intentions. None of us want to see that happen to your locomotive. There are many people reading this message that have the ability to help you or give you guidance, but they won't. The reason is simple, they have seen this happen many times, they they have tried to help and no one would listen as they came across as they knew it all. So these people, having been burnt by other groups will stand idle, and not offer you any suggestions or help.

I applaud you and your organization, I am speaking up to hopefully prevent another park engine from being torn down and never put back together. I think you have a great mindset and intention here. I do not get the sense you are going to let that happen. (or am I making any accusations)

You have a beautiful locomotive and everyone on this board wants to see you succeed.

I am now stepping off my soap box.
Jason

From Alan



Alan is heading in the right direction. I can see the dream. I don't care if there are 4 phases to the project and how you are going to do it, I just want to be part of the dream.

I went to the New England Steam website after I wrote the above post. I could not find the WHY or the dream. I can see the what and how. (lots of how you are going to do it and what you are)

This is a great thing about RYPN, here you have Alan going out and writing a suggestion for a public relations campaign. He is trying to help, you have the rare opportunity to embrace his help or just pass it by as if he doesn't know what he is talking about.

If it were me, I would contact Alan, send him the copy on your website and see what he can come up with. I am sure he would be willing to help, just have to ask.

Jason

I think that your hook, the "Mascot of Maine" is a gem your group should play up more that it has. It was a throw-away line in the video, and it could be the opening and closing line or graphic. Other than steam nerds, and I am one of them, people think a number is just a number. They want to make sense of railroading. They want to know what significance the number has.
"Good Ol 93" gets confused with "Good Ol 86" when people on the edge of historic railroading get involved. With the "Mascot of Maine" line, you can really give the project some gravity and meaning, even to people who aren't from Maine. Alliteration is a good memory key, too.
The fact that you have a restoration plan is great. Don't throw that out. But you, and I am speaking to all the "yous" including myself, need to approach John Q Public with a simple idea he can grasp and feel his money is put to good use by you instead of "Good Ol 86."


I never did like that 86 project anyway :)

After this thread, we, as a group, decided to write a essay explaining "why", as was suggested. Our CMO drafted the original document and each Board member made suggestions. The re-written statement will appear on our website in the near future.

A great deal of our effort is "seat of the pants" learning, but thus far, we're moving forward, so obviously, we must be doing a number of things well. Certainly, we don't pretend to know every aspect, tweak, and corner of the steam restoration road. We've accepted guidance from some, requested it from others. Followers should know, we are listening to what you have to say!

May every restoration project be blessed with the humility, honesty and passion represented in Richard's quote.

#470 has never had the chance she has today. To paraphrase John Irving, goodnight you mascot of Maine, you king of New England.

Rob

And many more thanks for showing your work and how your thinking evolves with some helpful (and some not so much so) advice from those of us who want to see you succeed. The nuts and bolts of the campaign and project management are not often enough demonstrated as a useful lesson for us all.

You teeming mass of metal, yearning to steam free.......

dave