From "Newswatch 16" article in which a $6.00 entrance fee to Steamtown Grounds is announced.

The article quoted a Ron Richards of King Of Prussia who stated he didn't think twice about the $6.00 entrance fee when he visited the park Tursday., noting that one usually pays up front when visiting places. The flat fee is new for the park.

The article notes that "train enthusiasts used to able to wander the grounds outside for free, but not anymore".

"It just seems like something that should be free. I understand it takes money to run a national park. I think it would put off a lot of people if you just wanted to come up. It puts a negative sheen on things", said Joe Scherbenco of New Jersey.

Steamtown opted to join the ranks of other National Parks in adopting a more stanbardized entrance fee. Children who used to have to pay are now free, and certain senior citizens discount cards will now be honored. "It opens up the whole park to them. They can participate in the interpretive guided tours, the back shops, and the short train ride for the $6.00 fee", said Kip Hagan, Part Superintendent, who also called this a "better system".

Visitors won't see any physical changes at the site. They will still come to the ticket booth where they'll buy a ticket. In the winter it will look like a ski-tag, in the summer a wrist bracelet, so park rangers can see who has paid. Hagan said that park rangers will NOT police the site, but he's hoping that the change will be good for everyone".

(End of article)

So there it is. What they don't mention is how they will monitor anyone who wanders down the walkway from the Steamtown shopping mall.

What used to be a nice railfan respite with a lunch purchased locally, will now cost $6.00

I myself would like to see some form of "one price covers-all" where a one-time fee would cover perhaps a year, rather than have to come up with $6.00 every time. Perhaps a window permit sticker for your vehicle.

They also say that the rangers will not police the site for violators to this policy, but that seems doubtful to me.

I really wonder if this is a logical answer to the financial problems they have. It sure seems to have a negative impact on the people I have spoken with.

What used to be a hobby in which a old-timer once described as "standing in one place, and leaving only your footprints", is becoming more and more of a hassle each day.

The NPS has such a thing, the National Parks Pass. Costs 50 bucks, valid for 1 year, covers standard user fees or admission at any and all national parks and monuments. A great bargain if you are a regular park system user.

http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm

Erik,

you might also add the Golden Eagle pass for those Senior Citizens among us. The pass is free and is good for life!

Tou can get one at almost any National Park. At the san Francisco Maritime National Park adults pay $5 and the same passes etc apply .

Ted Miles

Even those of us ekeing out an existence in this industry can aford a lousy 6 bucks to support a national railroad interpretive site. What is that, about a third of the cost of a roll of film and processing? Less than a earlybird discount movie ticket? Looks like a real bargain to me - cheap for a day's entertainment.

And I am not generally known for an open wallet, raised by two generations of extremely thrifty New England yankees, Pennsylvania Dutch storekeepers, Irish alcoholics and Welsh hardrock miners. Sure beats Hershey Park.

dave

So there it is. What they don't mention is how they will monitor anyone who wanders down the walkway from the Steamtown shopping mall.

What used to be a nice railfan respite with a lunch purchased locally, will now cost $6.00

I myself would like to see some form of "one price covers-all" where a one-time fee would cover perhaps a year, rather than have to come up with $6.00 every time. Perhaps a window permit sticker for your vehicle.

They also say that the rangers will not police the site for violators to this policy, but that seems doubtful to me.

I really wonder if this is a logical answer to the financial problems they have. It sure seems to have a negative impact on the people I have spoken with.

What used to be a hobby in which a old-timer once described as "standing in one place, and leaving only your footprints", is becoming more and more of a hassle each day.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIEANCE WITH STEAMTOWN as a volunteer has been bitter sweet at best. I used to maintain the horns on NKP. GP-9 514, which I restored some of the existing horns on that locomotive at no cost to the NPS. I lent, and installed horns from my own collection now, and then.

After a while I was told these horns are too loud and could not be on the locomotive. Soon a directive came out from upper management for operating personal not to blow horns in the park complex at full valve, this included the Steam locomotives as well.

As a member of the Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley NRHS. Chapter who is working toward furnishing funds for the restoration of Boston & Main Pacific 3713, mostly from funds generated by running a consession at Moscow Station for the weekly excursion train. Guess what? Steamtown no longer runs weekly or stops at Moscow station. The restoration continues, but hampers our contributions towards this project.

The collection outside on display continues to rust into the ground, CPR. Pacific 2317 is relageted to the park complex due to wheel work needed. Baldwin 0-6-0 remains in a million pieces in the shop.

Now we have a blanket fee to enter the park, preventing a lot of rail interested folks from viewing the Delaware-Lackwanna Alco operations that mostly originate from Steamtown. Plus Canadian Pacific operations.

Little by little Steamtown is picking away at its foundations, slowly crumbling into the ground. And it started out so promising! A shame indeed.

Ed K. cp. Laurel Run

In reality, the NPS budget keeps shrinking in real dollars, so user fees are essential to fund park operations.

Maybe some of that $6.00 will go to the upkeep of the engines in the yard.

Does YOUR museum charge admission? I'll bet it does.

Here here. Why is that we have become a country that demands everything for nothing? That becuase we pay taxes, whether they fund one of our facilities or not, we feel we have the right to go into anything free? I come from very similar stock as Dave: Scotch, Welsh, Irish, German, with a dab of English (I don't mention that much, though). Six bucks will barely by my two kids happy meals at Mickey D's for pete's sake.

TJG

Amen, Brother PmMan!

I recently got my chops busted by an ARM trolley museum colleauge because one of our newer crew members did not honor someone's membership card in lieu of a paid fare at our Museum. (This has been a time-honored tradition within the traction fraternity - at least on the East Coast.) When I am on the road visiting other ARM museums I cannot bring myself to deny them the few dollars that are required of paid visitors.

At $6 dollars Steamtown is a bargain. The old fee for the excursion to Moscow was a give-away compared to charges for similar ride experiences at Strasburg, Durango and elswhere. The same goes for the minimal fees charged at Lowell National Park and the Grand Canyon, etc. Ever been to the Biltmore Estate? Disney World? THAT's what I call an admission fee.

And how many of "our" museums have multiple on-going projects like Baldwin 26, CPR 2317, and the other Steamtown engines often quoted here? Now, who among us wants to throw the proverbial first stone?

Wesley

If you don't want to pay, just hang out on the mall bridge. Problem solved.

Yes, Not me, and yes. ;- )

TJG

People get mad when something was free and now it's not.
Personally, I'd pay ten times that to be able to see Steamtown at least once. Like an idiot, when I was in Maryland in the Army, I was too lazy to go that far. God, how I wish I had now that I live on the other side of the country!

I have a park pass $ 50 it not only gets me in but anyone else that is in the car with me also. My son and I are there at least four times a year and other friends go with us sometimes I think it is the best $50 I can spend. We always have a good time and see the progress all though slow on the locomotives in the back shop and we have asked and been escorted through the shops by the rangers or other staff.
We have always been treated well. And any train ride is better then none.
Al

I would suggest that $6 is certainly a nominal fee in todays world. Unfortunatly however it will certainly drive further down S'towns already paltry attendance #'s.
As has been previously discussed it seems very possibile that due to the drastic reductions in the Federal Budget,S'town and other high cost/visitor Parks may well be closed starting in October 2006?? Therefore it behooves all who can to visit/support S"town while you can!!

Does anyone remember that the Museum-only admission to STEA used to be $8.00? It was changed to $6.00 in 2001 to entice more visitors. By changing the fee structure slightly, the $6.00 now covers a fuller area of the park, for more outdoor activities, which are forthcoming. The fee for children used to be $3.00, and now is eliminated until they are 17.
There are still many areas to enjoy STEA for free, so go exploring along the main line, park outside the Radisson, or the University. But if you want to be on the prime 60 acres, it will have to cost you some.
By the way, you may have noticed, we are a nation at war, and during other conflicts we thought nothing of a sacrifice for the common good. During World War II, most National Parks were closed, and travel was restricted, so museums did not fare too well. You can gripe, the same that I do, about what's not happening, but when the federal government has other priorities, you have to realize, Uncle Sam is not that concerned with what amounts to a hobby.

Just a point of clairfication. PRR 1361 is NOT a Steamtown locomotive. The funds for its restoration are coming from a grant given the Railroaders Museum in Altoona, the locomotive's owner, not from the NPS.