Anyone have experience with hosting "Pumpkin Patch" type events where your passengers ride out to a designated spot to retrieve a pumpkin on one or more dates in October. If so how does this work? Do you buy the pumpkins in bulk? And what do you with the "leftovers"? Note - I'm not looking for suggestions and details on haunted trolley/train events.Wesley

Here in NJ, we used to have an annual "fall-foliage" trip from the north-eastern portion of the state to a working dairy farm ( Bairds Farm) in Warwick, New York, on the NYS&W railway. We learned a lot in the 10 years that we operated this train, and at the end we had it down to a science, so to speak. Whether we used steam ( Mikado 142), or diesel, they were very popular. One of the things we created was the opportunity for all children to get a pumpkin and have the ability to decorate it while we were stopped at the farm. This was included in the price of the ticket and advertised as such. We purchased the pumpkins in bulk from another farm who grew them nearby, as the tracks did not go through or to a pumpkin farm. We got them at an extremely reasonable price. This necessitated some of our crew to pick up the load of pumpkins in a 3/4 ton pick up truck on the day of the trip. When the train arrived, one of the optional things to do was for the kids to get their pumpkin. We had boxes of colored markers and picnic tables nearby. The kids went crazy over this activity which really gave them something to do. One thing to remember is that every mother will want one for their children, no matter how old, even infants, but it all adds to the spiel, so to speak. Anything left-over was passed on to the members of the train crew at the end of the stop-over. I distinctly recall that there were never too many left-over and on some occasions, while stopped at the farm they had to make an extra trip for more. I'm sure there are different ways that this can be worked out in other situations. We can no longer run these trips because of the prohibitive cost of liability insurance now demanded by the host RR's ( NYSW, NS & Metro North), but they were highly successful and a lot of fun! Hope this helps!

Wes,Contact Scott Becker at Pennsylvania Trolley Museum. They have a Pumpkin Patch event each October.Dave Crow

I think the most successful one I know of is that run by the Western Railway Museum in Rio Vista - maybe someone from there will chime in.We do a variation on that at IRM where we grow our own pumpkins every summer, harvest them in the fall, and fill a farm wagon. Every child can choose one free as they enter (or leave) the property. Moderately successful but not a barn burner with lines at the admission gate. We have also tried to add enhancements with varying degrees of success.One natural fit was having local concessionaires come in to sell apples, honey, jams, jellies, cider, cider donuts, indian corn, gourds, etc. This was very popular with visitors but the vendors declined repeat dates saying they did not move enough material, and were very busy this time of year at their 'regular' roadside stands or operations.Bob Kutella

Here i Campo, we pick up pumpkins and put them inside the display barn. After the train ride, kids get to pick up pumpkins to take home. Popular the first year.Jim

To add to Dave Crow's reply, you can also talk to Lynn Caffrey, the visitor services manager at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum. FYI, the phone number is 724-228-9256.As for leftovers, they go into the "bottomless pit", a hole left over from mining adjacent to our right of way on property owned by one of our members.

The Pumpkin Patch event at the Western Railway Museum at Rio Vista Junction is handled in cooperation with a local group which is preserving the historic Shiloh Community Church. We provide the parking, transportation, PortaPotties, and liability insurance under our policy. We also raise ticket prices, and give a dollar per head to the church restoration project. (about $10,000 in 2004)The local group sells the pumpkins, as well as local home-made products like baked goods, jam, etc.. They also construct a hay-bale fortress for kids to play in, supply some of their animals for a "petting zoo", offer hay rides, provide music, etc.As to the surplus pumpkins, they just leave them in the field to rot along with the hay bale fortress. Al StangenbergerTreasurer, WRM