As a gentle reminder that not all people or patrons really understand how railroads work:

This sign was photographed at the Grand Canyon (South Rim) log construction passenger station in February, 2019, by yours truly. Said station is modestly staffed by railroad personnel during their layovers at the Canyon.

Indeed! When I was selling tickets I would often joke to co-workers that “Yes of course the train ride will take you through the mountains and over the River with a layover for lunch in downtown all in 1 hour!”

Over the years I did my best to inform the guests what to expect and also to build their excitement for the trip. For example, when we were running steam I would highlight that and let people know it was a “real” steam locomotive built in _____ . When we weren’t running steam I would highlight the history of the route.

A commuter railroad? I don't think so....

Over the years, we had many people who were disappointed that the the Mt Rainier Scenic Railroad did not, in fact, go all the way to the top of Mt Rainier.

Before you laugh too hard, consider this. Pikes Peak is 14,115 feet high. Roughly 300 feet lower than Rainier. So I can see how people would think it was possible.

I suppose if you went really, really fast into that final turn, you might get a parabolicly arcing but inexorably vertical tour. Albeit a short one....

(ducks under the table to avoid sticks and rocks)

Another problem that the average rider who does not really understand how railroads work outside of an amusement park setting is the meaning of a “round trip”. More often than not, the question comes up something like this:

“Does the ride go around in a circle?”

I’ve found the easiest explanation to this question is to say that the railroad was originally built to take passengers from Point A to Point B over the straightest route possible. In addition, I’ve also mentioned that the only tracks usually built in a circle were trolley tracks for navigating around a big city.

Of course North Jersey Coast trains usuallyl loop at both Bay Head and Sunnyside.

Phil Mulligan

Yes, it is amazing how many people don't know that freight railroads exist. Our passengers today got to watch as we met two very long freight trains, and we used the meets to explain how trains operate.

"We are a real railroad - not Dollywood and not Disney World. Our freight trains make the money so we can operate these excursion trains."

The real fun phone calls ask about tickets to places like Dallas, Kansas City, New York, etc. We just give them the Amtrak number.

The really funny ones ask if our train comes by their house to pick them up.

:)

Dollywood isn’t a real railroad? Not sure if knocking other operations is very classy when talking to guests.

Two questions I remember hearing from a ranger at the Grand Canyon:

Is the mule train air conditioned?
Is there a dining car on the mule train?

The sobering thought is that I am just as ignorant on some subjects.

Probably should say "we are not an amusement park railroad", rather than "real railroad", since they both are "real" railroads, just with very different operating methodology.

I worked at what is now the National Museum of Transportation near St Louis for 10 years and often heard such things. One person looking at our UP Centennial diesel locomotive asked me if the back end compartments were where the passenger's luggage was carried. As visitors walked up into the rail yard the first thing they saw was a caboose and they often were heard telling their kids that the brake wheel was for steering the train. Another somewhat more informed person often said it controlled the couplers as the brake chain ran next to the coupler.

As my friend MR Ramsey has said "I don't think so." Declaring yourself a commuter train could open you up to a couple of sections of 49 CFR 200 - 300 which you may not necessarily realize you are signing up for... Just saying...

G.F.Payne
B'more

Not to get off topic but could Grand Canyon not run “local” trains from the Canyon. Just to the siding at Apex and back? Seems like they would make a killing! Of course the operation is already doing pretty good when it comes to bringing in $$$! Ha.

Could the person who asked about luggage on the Centennial have seen an Amtrak "Cabbage" car before, and was trying to make sense of how huge it is that way? Also, thinking the brake wheel on either a locomotive or caboose is a steering wheel is somewhat of a common non-railroad person error I've heard before. I also have seen movies or video of cabooses in helper districts that could uncouple a helper locomotive set on the rear while moving with that kind of setup (the old UTU film Moving On comes to mind).