Jim Winn,

I was looking again at your postings about the Spencer experience with Thomas the Tank Engine.

You say that you operated 11 trains at 450 people each for 6 days. By my math is works out to 4950 per day times 6 equals 29,700 passengers for the 6 days. At the same time you say that Spencer had 47,429 visitors during the event. That means that only about 63% had rides on the Thomas trains.

How did this work out? Where the extra people wanting to ride behind Thomas or were they extra simply extra family members?

Brian Norden

bnorden@gateway.net

> Jim Winn,

> I was looking again at your postings about
> the Spencer experience with Thomas the Tank
> Engine.

> You say that you operated 11 trains at 450
> people each for 6 days. By my math is works
> out to 4950 per day times 6 equals 29,700
> passengers for the 6 days. At the same time
> you say that Spencer had 47,429 visitors
> during the event. That means that only about
> 63% had rides on the Thomas trains.

> How did this work out? Where the extra
> people wanting to ride behind Thomas or were
> they extra simply extra family members?

> Brian Norden

Brian,

The way it works out is that many of the visitors are children 3 and under who aren't required to buy a ticket and ride the lap of a parent. Jim



http://nctrans.org
Wrinnbo@aol.com

> Brian,

> The way it works out is that many of the
> visitors are children 3 and under who aren't
> required to buy a ticket and ride the lap of
> a parent. Jim

Jim,

Do you know out of the paid admissions (tickets) what was the ratio between adults and paid children?

At OERM we're looking at hosting a Day Out with Thomas in November 2002. Just wondering what your ratio of kids to adults was during your days with Thomas..

Brian Norden

bnorden@gateway.net

> Jim,

> Do you know out of the paid admissions
> (tickets) what was the ratio between adults
> and paid children?

> At OERM we're looking at hosting a Day Out
> with Thomas in November 2002. Just wondering
> what your ratio of kids to adults was during
> your days with Thomas..

> Brian Norden

At IRM, we didn't keep track (kids 2+ were the same fare as adults). My eyeball measurement was that it was roughly equal, usually mom, dad, and two kids. There were single parents and couples with more than two kids, but probably an equal number of parent + 1 kid groups too. We had one family (mom, dad, 2 kids) fly in from Hawaii, just for Thomas!


Kevinmccabe@avenew.com

Kevin,

Thank you for your observations.

Down at Spencer there was a three-tie pricing (the information is still up on its web site): adults $15, children (3-10) $10 and under 3 free.

Several of our people visited IRM during your "Day out with Thomas" this year and came back with good information and observations. A big thank you to your people who took the time to talk with them. One of these people had the opportunity to be on the East Coast and go to a later Strasburg "Day out with Thomas."

Brian Norden

bnorden@gateway.net

> Kevin,

> Thank you for your observations.

> Down at Spencer there was a three-tie
> pricing (the information is still up on its
> web site): adults $15, children (3-10) $10
> and under 3 free.

> Several of our people visited IRM during
> your "Day out with Thomas" this
> year and came back with good information and
> observations. A big thank you to your people
> who took the time to talk with them. One of
> these people had the opportunity to be on
> the East Coast and go to a later Strasburg
> "Day out with Thomas."

> Brian Norden
Brian,

Sorry to be so late in getting back to you: I think we figured 2/3 of a child under 3 for every paying adult or youngster.

I understand there may be some alterations to the way Gullane, the company that controls Thomas, sets ticket pricing for 2002, so you may not have to worry too much about it. I definitely suggest that if you or anyone else plans to hold such an event in 2002 to be sure to catch the seminar on the same topic, which is 3:30 p.m. on Saturday of the convention. Jim


http://nctrans.org
Wrinnbo@aol.com