In a little over two weeks we'll be celebrating the Ohio Centrals salute to our nations steam/railroad heritage at Trainfestival2004 in Dennison Ohio.

Just in case you haven't already done so check out the details at www.Trainfestival2004.com

I'm told that the advance ticket sales are very strong and that with decent weather the hoped for 3 day attendance of 20,000 may be exceeded?? At any rate I'm sure it will be a grand time and it will be a special pleasure to meet and greet fellow foamers from around the nation.

It's also comforting to know that the whole Ohio Central enterprise is headed up by a man who knows that "the show is the show"!!!

It's also our big chance as railfans/preservationists/historians to help give birth to an event that holds the real promise of becoming THE annual national event that will bring what we so love into the general publics view in a positive, celebratory yearly way!! And we can have a great time to boot!!!

I look forward to seeing many of you there!

Ross Rowland

rrowland@weidel.com

> In a little over two weeks we'll be
> celebrating the Ohio Centrals salute to our
> nations steam/railroad heritage at
> Trainfestival2004 in Dennison Ohio.

> Just in case you haven't already done so
> check out the details at
> www.Trainfestival2004.com

> I'm told that the advance ticket sales are
> very strong and that with decent weather the
> hoped for 3 day attendance of 20,000 may be
> exceeded?? At any rate I'm sure it will be a
> grand time and it will be a special pleasure
> to meet and greet fellow foamers from around
> the nation.

> It's also comforting to know that the whole
> Ohio Central enterprise is headed up by a
> man who knows that "the show is the
> show"!!!

> It's also our big chance as
> railfans/preservationists/historians to help
> give birth to an event that holds the real
> promise of becoming THE annual national
> event that will bring what we so love into
> the general publics view in a positive,
> celebratory yearly way!! And we can have a
> great time to boot!!!

> I look forward to seeing many of you there!

> Ross Rowland
Mr. Rowland,

Do you think there is a possiblity for a certain 4-8-4 to join in the festival in a year or two?

Just a happy thought.

JD

mnfrailhist@hotmail.com

> I look forward to seeing many of you there!

> Ross Rowland

Ross, I wonder if you would be so kind as to explain what your relationship to the Ohio Central and Trainfest is? Your promotion of the event is certainly admirable.


Soo Line 4-6-2 No. 735
dougb@sunserver.com

> Mr. Rowland,

> Do you think there is a possiblity for a
> certain 4-8-4 to join in the festival in a
> year or two?

> Just a happy thought.

> JD

To answer both above questions.

Yes I think there is a reasonably good chance that a certain 4-8-4 might well be a player in a future Trainfestival(especially if this first one goes well).

I'm only related to the event as a volunteer (I've signed up for 2 weeks starting this Friday) and a steam lover that sees the possibility of this growing into THE annual event that will get our steam/railroad heritage in front of the nation in a first class way AND give all of us an event we can help happen!

My hoped for reward is to see thousands of potential new foamers come, be enthralled and leave converted into life-long railfans!!

I look forward to seeing many of you there!

Ross Rowland

rrowland@weidel.com

As Mr. Rowland said, TrainFest is fast approaching. My two cents are as follows.

BE THERE.

Believe me, you will not be dissappointed. Ohio Central's operation is first class, Dennison is an interesting little town, and the people are wonderful.

My invitation especially applies to the younger fans like myself out there. This is a wonderful opportunity. Come out and talk to people like John Rimmasch and Jason Johnson, they embrace the younger generation of steam fans. If you can track me down, come on up and introduce yourself, I'd love to talk to you. If I can get off work long enough(summer job with a certain consumer electronics store that rhymes with "West Fry") then I hope to be there volunteering. Otherwise, I'll be around, probably making puddles of foam everywhere. Either way, come say hello!

The exhibits will be very impressive, even without the two Berks that weren't able to make the trip. You'll still have the fabulous 1293 and 6325, plus 33. (Can't wait to see how this baby turns out!) Not to mention the Flagg Coal Co. 75 Switcher, and the other steamers and other equipment OC's bringing.

Come on out and see for yourself. Heck, I've only volunteered once thus far and I'm already singing the OC's praises. Hope to see yins all there.

Tim Botti
University of Pittsburgh
Mechanical Engineering

PS...Hey Ross, how bout driving out in that certain 4-8-4 instead of your car next year? :-)

tjb231@comcast.net

For those of youwho might want a diversion from the soot and cinders, the Dennison museum is offering a very limited number of seats on some of the private cars for the all day excursion to Sugar Creek as well as a Morgan Run guided tour and some very special private photo opportunities. It will be an all private car train hauled by the PRR E units. The museum shares in the proceeds of the ticket sales.

Contact the museum for tickets. The seating is limited including dome car seating. The pricing is very moderate for a private car excursion1



v-scarpitti@att.net

> In a little over two weeks we'll be
> celebrating the Ohio Centrals salute to our
> nations steam/railroad heritage at
> Trainfestival2004 in Dennison Ohio.

> Just in case you haven't already done so
> check out the details at
> www.Trainfestival2004.com

> I'm told that the advance ticket sales are
> very strong and that with decent weather the
> hoped for 3 day attendance of 20,000 may be
> exceeded?? At any rate I'm sure it will be a
> grand time and it will be a special pleasure
> to meet and greet fellow foamers from around
> the nation.

> It's also comforting to know that the whole
> Ohio Central enterprise is headed up by a
> man who knows that "the show is the
> show"!!!

> It's also our big chance as
> railfans/preservationists/historians to help
> give birth to an event that holds the real
> promise of becoming THE annual national
> event that will bring what we so love into
> the general publics view in a positive,
> celebratory yearly way!! And we can have a
> great time to boot!!!

> I look forward to seeing many of you there!

> Ross Rowland

Are tickets available for main gate and excursion trips "at the door", or are reservations required for the event??

RailsPast@aol.com

> Are tickets available for main gate and
> excursion trips "at the door", or
> are reservations required for the event??

To answer any and all questions regarding Trainfestival2004 go to the web-site...........www.trainfestival.com

I want to echo Mr. Levins comments above and strongly recommend the Sat. private car trip as it will be one of the very rare times you'll be able to be a "millionaire for the day" at an extremely reasonable price AND get to ride behind his beautifully manicured E'8's (and who knows maybe at least a portion of that day might see steam on the head end of the PV's???), but in any case it's truly a bargain!!

Look forward to seeing you all there!

Ross Rowland

rrowland@weidel.com

Ross, you seem very interested in making Trainfestival 2004 a success, how about giving 614 a little sprucing up and putting it on display with the other engines. I haven't seen her in person since the Erie Limited trips of 1997
and would love to see her in the same cosmetic shape. I figured it would be an extra drawing card.