Hey Dave:

Most of us are doing it right now, for example:
* DOWT
* Santa trolley/train
* pumpkin patch
* Halloween trolley/train
* Polar express under whatever name we disguise it
* Pizza trains, bag lunch trains, barbecue trains
* Et cetera

None of these special trains are historically accurate (altho the Tweetsie's daisy picker specials and the trolleys running to their own amusement park are probably the equivalent for the period). But the above special events certainly do bring in the revenue all out of proportion to the number of days or trains/trolleys that we operate. And they get people's attention and they come and ride when perhaps they would not otherwise.

Thanks!

Sorry Jim, you guys do way too good a job of producing these events well and providing a good quality experience and value for the money spent.

It isn't about accurate history - I like a well produced fantasy too. And, Rob is mistaken in his contension that I am considering it from a fan's POV - I'm considering it from a casual visitor's, in competition with the other places I could choose to patronize for entertainment. I'm wondering why I prefer quality and content to popular media, and if I represent a very narrow market share, and as such, ought I to reconsider my motivation to want to provide a better experience in terms of visitor experience and do as well for less by not worrying and just doing the minimum and selling tickets?

I could say the same thing about theatre, movies, or what shows I watch on TV or books I read.

Somebody has made Barbara Cartland the best selling author ever. I truly don't get it. Somebody makes it very profitable to produce Survivor and Jerry Springer - I get that less. Obviously, there's a lot I don't get. Could somebody enlighten me, please? What makes anybody wish to consume it and how can we capitalize on that?

dave

Dave, I acknowledge my goof on your pov. I have a tremendous respect for you built over years of online communication, and I think I understand your thoughts on this.

I think the tv experience vs the tangible experience have different rules in terms of what people expect. I don't think you should dumb down the experience, but there is room for something like having Matt do an appearance.

What you probably would benefit from, and many other's museums would too, is a full understanding of your visitors demographics, complete with segementation that let's you tailor marketing and event planning to the appropriate people.

Understanding your segmentation helps you plan for the right kind of growth, but also helps you market diverse things like Thomas vs.a wine train by getting the message to the right people. You have to know who they are before you can seek them out.

You may find that Extreme Trains is a household favorite of one segment, another segment may never miss Oprah and a third may only watch CNN. Knowing this can help you tune events, but also inform things like local cable ad buys. And everyone is advertising on local cable avails (which run on the big nets like CNN and MTV but are only seen locally)? It is the best deal out there.

I am rambling... Gotta stop so I can get off my train and go home.

Rob

I used to think so too until I found this ad for an Erie Lackawanna Santa Claus Express in 1960! Sadly the Wyckoff Department store went out of business in the 1980's (and Sears moved out to the Mall outside of town), the railroad and the stations listed all still exist. So, we can recreate the EL's Santa Train! Of course, based on the ad it looks like it was pulled by an Alco PA - Doyle are you reading this? :)

Thanks Rob and guys. It didn't occur to me that schlock would be welcomed in some circumstances but not accepted in others. The more I think about that, the more reasonable it seems. After all, we accept a certain quality of product and service at Burger King, but a very different one at a gourmet full service restaurant.

Back to market and audience analysis - probably one of our industry's weakest points. We are pretty good at running trains, but not as good as knowing how to get more people to ride them, why they do or don't, and who is and isn't.

Now I'm reconsidering my puzzlement in terms of the deciding factors in defining a strategy or identity - do we want to be the Burger King of railroads, the Olive Garden, or the Ruth's Chris? All choices may be good under differing circumstances. Do we aim to diversify our audience base, concentrate on strengthening the sectors into which we have achieved some penetration, or reach out to specific new segments? What operating strategies need be addressed to do any of the above?

It is easy to understand why the mass media (and Shoney's) has chosen to concentrate on the lowest common denominator of product. It potentially offends the fewest people. Doesn't really excite too many, but stays safe from massive turnoffs. Not sure how applicable that is to niche businesses like ours, however.

dave

Let's point out an important distinction between the British-style "heritage railways" that can properly do a time-capsule experience and MOST of our operations.

When the British groups took over a line, usually they were taking over something about to be abandoned by British Railways, or recently abandoned not all that long ago. We were also not talking a derelict freight line like the Strasburg, Wilmington & Western, and others. A proper analogy today might be a commuter branch to the suburbs on the likes of SEPTA, MBTA, Metra, etc., complete with several small stations, towers, and passing sidings.

If Strasburg were run in the same way as these British lines, there would be a full station with staff, newsstand, small eatery, signal box, Amtrak connecting platforms, etc. at Leaman Place, and a station building at Groff's Grove. The Strasburg station would retain its commercial quality (it pays the bills, after all), but there would be a destination at the other end, not just a place to turn around. If I wanted to carry this fantasy further, Groff's Grove would also have a freight siding with a vintage boxcar parked as if awaiting loading or unloading, and the station agent would have his horse and buggy parked out back.

The Wilmington & Western, as another example, would have two or three "stations" between Greenbank and Hockessin, perfect for letting off hikers or swimmers, or visitors to the shops of Hockessin.

Now, I will admit that there are a number of "out-and-back" rides with a "dog's breakfast" consist in the UK as well. But I've yet to ride any rail excursion in the States that I can recall that provided anything close to the "trip back in time" experience that the better UK lines can. (The EBT comes close on their better weekends, with a few vintage autos/a bus and some appropriate decor at Orbisonia, but once you leave the station that's it.) Half of it is perhaps lack of opportunity, but maybe the other half is lack of trying or a good role model?

My first train ride was a Heironymus Department Store Santa Claus excursion out of Lynchburg Va. in the early 1960's. I don't remember much detail about it, but it was probably made up of a "Redbird" GP-9 and modernized heavyweight coaches. The Santa trains were fairly common on the N&W in the 1950's and early 60's, with sponsorship by various local department stores.