Its really too bad that Steamtown can not advertise under federal law. This is yet another among many problems that hunts Steamtown. If you canÂ’t advertise, your in trouble. Advertising and competition is how business in the real world survive. But the government does not understand private sector business practices. They keep trying to run Steamtown like a park and not a railroad that is the main problem. But these ARE fixable problems folks and the Steamtown story does not have to be all doom and gloom. But the point I brought up before is a point that some still donÂ’t understand. Lets fix the way we do business or mange the place first then pump more tax dollars into it.

I am not totally against spending more money on Steamtown. They do need it. They canÂ’t even get one steamer in running order. But what I am against is blindly throwing more money into a fail programs. Steamtown has become a failed program but it can be fixed. Beware though, it will not be an overnight fix like folks from California expect.

However, if Steamtown stays on the path that it is now with no effort to fix internal problems like advertising, running more trains to bring in more dollars, and promotions like A Day Out With Thomas events, they are doomed to fail like Penn Central. They are beginning to sound and look like Penn Central and as a diehard Pennsy fan, I hope that it is not to be. But if things get worse, we might change the name to Penn Centraltown.

I have recently seen The Strausburg Railroad's T.V. commercial. I think that if Steamtown was allowed to advertise that a T.V. commercial would work! I still can't believe Steamtown doesn't even have one stable operable steam locomotive! What about places like WK&S! They have two operable steam locomotives!

My regards,

Aaron B.


norfolk_western_611@hotmail.com

I still can't
> believe Steamtown doesn't even have one
> stable operable steam locomotive! What about
> places like WK&S! They have two operable
> steam locomotives!

Slow down, slow down a bit.

Well, first of all, Steamtown does have a stable operable mainline locomotive. The 2-8-2 was down for a day for a mandatory boiler wash--maybe bad scheduling but not "inoperable." And you have to remember, keeping Steamtown's mainline locomotives going is a whole different kettle of fish than maintaining the WK&S's very charming little teakettles--it's an apples-to-oranges comparison.

eledbetter@mail.rypn.org

Hello

Its is true that Steamtown, a unit of the National Park Service, cannot spend money on advertising. This is true with all National Parks. HOWEVER, where Steamtown is at fault is the squandering of its partnerships with organizations that COULD and DID advertise FOR the Park. A partnership with the University of Scranton provided billboards and even radio and television spots. This partnership was dissolved for the most part when the management at Steamtown realized they did not have total control over the arrangement (were in fact partners as the name "partnership" implies). Also, the Steamtown Volunteer Association, an independent non-profit corporation was also promoted the site through monies taken at the SVA's bookstore. This partnership was abolished when some members questioned where some monies raised by the book store sales were going (note volunteerism continues at Steamtown, but without a governing organization). FURTHERMORE, the site's brochure was not released until EARLY MAY!!! So if there is no advertising done for steamtown, they created the problem THEMSELVES!!!

bing@epix.net

>David, I'm not about to defend missed opportunities, however there's a little more to the story of the SVA.

The SVA didn't end. It was reorganized to separate what used to be called NPS-7 "participation" activities from the NPS-32 fundraising. The SVA was dissolved and its assets were transferred to the SMA. The SMA has operated smoothly since its inception.

The fact is this action was in significant part due to the efforts of a single individual-a certain computer science professor-whom you know (yes, sandals and socks) and don't see much anymore for a reason.

This person orchestrated a coup-de-etat against the then President of the SVA-an individual who took the reigns reluctantly when the predecessor unexpectedly resigned. The petty disagreements were largely based upon things like member discounts for a proposed special item or others refusal to acknowledge his status as a near-attorney. (meaning of course, not a single legal credential-afterall, we know corporate law is just like COBOL)

Not content with setting off an internecine war among the volunteers, this individual set about a letter writing campaign criticizing about every aspect of the park.

If the content of his letters to Washington was as lengthy and libelous as those against other SVA officers and directors, The NPS's hand was forced in this matter. I know he did this because I was among the accused.

He created a situation sensible folks wanted to avoid and it was impossible to even find enough candidates for office. It was impossible for the SVA to continue as it was.

Since he was employed by one of the other partners, I think its reasonable to assume that could've impacted that relationship as well.

I don't like to hang out dirty laundry but RYPN readers would be left with an incomplete picture if I did not respond.