I'm not an expert in the business by any stretch, but I know one of your competitors who seems to make a profit running foreign tours and selling videos of them. At least he keeps doing it.

I wouldn't say I'm at that point in the business yet where I could labeled as being "competitive" with anyone yet.

But we're getting off-topic. Is there any chance (let's just count CSX out right now) where this could be repeated on the mainlines of this country? Even just for one day somewhere this could be done? Use steam engines in commuter operation for a day...

Yes. The question is getting the locomotives there, along with more equipment.

13 years ahead will be the 200th anniversary of the Charter of the Baltimore & Ohio RR. The B&O RR Museum may be repaired by then, and able to host the postponed 175th Anniversary Steam Gathering. Run the MARC Camden Line commuter trains on a Saturday and Sunday!
13 years may be enough time for the Roving Resumes to move to some other company.

My wife and I were there with DD. It was great and the trains we rode were on time to the minute because of the many meets . Over 70 steam pulled trains going everywhere as fast as they could . Some of the engines would run around their trains and run just as fast backwards, tender first. The 2-10-0s, 2-8-2s and 4-6-2s were not shy at flying through turnouts in either direction. I've work in engineering for CNW\UP 38 years and the track and turnouts I rode and looked at in Germany are flawless. The pacifics easily did 75 mph. You all must go if there is ever another one and don't waste time taking pictures , just watch and breathe it all in.

Well, Big Jim,

Take it from another big Jim that releasing videos of Plandampfs for American fans to hopefully buy will never cover your costs. However, what you get out of those events on a personal level makes it well worth doing. I videotaped Plandampfs in 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998 based out of Dresden, Arnstadt, Saalfeld, Chemnitz and other places and ALL were extremely well done. I also attended events in the Czech Republic and Italy plus the regular steam in Poland, producing DVDs of all these events.

Also, once each year there is a Dampflokfest (steam locomotive festival) in Dresden that is worth a trip by itself. The event is held at the former railway shop in Dresden which has TWO roundhouses. The big road engines are housed in one roundhouse and smaller engines in the other. Special excursions from various locations around Germany are run so that a bunch of locomotives attend this event which generally lasts 3-4 days. It isn't uncommon for over 30 locomotives (including those in residence there) to be at this event. Engines come and go from the roundhouse as they are called for trains plus they run between the roundhouses giving cab rides to anyone who wants one. They are spun on the turntable for photographers throughout the day and they are serviced between runs with the public only inches away. There is no event like this in the USA. I think the 2014 event was held around the end of March. In the past, it was held around the first week of May.

I released three DVD's of these events plus more on Italy, the Czech Republic and German narrow gauge lines such as the Harz Schmalspurbahnen. Most American fans won't buy them although those who have seen them agree the subjects and action are fascinating. Most Americans consider European steam as "funny looking" until they actually experience it for themselves. Most are surprised to find that German engines have bells and whistle very reminiscent of the hooters on B&O's 4-8-2's.

Here's a link to a sample from one of the Plandampfs that I shot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOqmBdY5cwk

-Jim Herron

Utterly, totally and completely awesome.

Two comments:

"rich railfan"--- THAT's a real howler!

If I ever go on one of these, I'm bringing a jar of Grey Poupon!!

Howard P.

One more thought:

Here in the "Land of The Free", we think of Europe as a "nanny state". And yet they do things like this. What American railroad would dare consider something even close?

Howard P.
Open Window Coaches Forever, Conn.

We get excited when one engine gets restored. Germany seems to restore them a half-dozen at a time. So many 2-10-2s.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 724&nseq=1

I'm not entirely certain those engines were "restored" as such. That's on the Harz Mountain Railroad, a narrow gauge line that never was totally abandoned (though it was partitioned for quite a while due to the Iron Curtain), and which, to my knowledge, never quit steam operation.

Still, picture the San Juan extension still being intact all the way to Silverton, maybe even to Farmington and having the RGS still around, too. Picture an intact and still running, in its entirety, EBT, with Amtrak connections at Mount Union. That's what you have represented in this shot.

The closest thing we might have, in terms of the amount of equipment in use, its condition, and its general authenticity, would be the Strasburg Rail Road, and perhaps Cass Scenic.

So much for "the Land of the Free."

I like to say the Harz is a combination of D&S, EBT, and a side trip of Cass (the line to the top of the Brocken). It is truly a mind-blowing thing to contemplate, 81 miles of really well-kept, fully-signaled meter gauge railroad, that rosters around 23 active steam locomotives (I think something like 16 of them are those 2-10-2T's), and several rail buses. It connects to the national system at three of the end points, and actually serves as year-round transportation for people in the region, as well as allowing the meter gauge trolley system in Nordhausen to extend it's reach north on the line with dual powered electric/Diesel cars. Ain't nothin' like it here at all! This is the railroad I think of when I think of what might be possible with say, the Adirondack Scenic.

If you want to see the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen, you definitely don't need any kind of organized tour or babysitter to have a great time. The article RyPN published about it is still on the articles section of this site, and it is pretty much still good information.
Just look for the words "Harzer Schmalspurbahnen".... you can figure it out.