Have we come to this!

http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/story125276.h
lamontdc@adelphia.net

> Have we come to this!

Not only that, it seems even the museum personnel have already forgotten about 611's long career in Norfolk Southern excursion service. (See the first sentences in the article.)

lner4472@bcpl.net

It may be sad, GE, that the 611 is not slated to run again but the $10,000 per day fee that was mentioned for her use will help the museum a great deal. $10,000 may be a drop in the bucket for many restoration projects but when so many museums and tourist railroads are scraping to get by, it can mean a lot. And this is supposing that she was used for only one day. Maybe the ad will create a draw for the N&W museum because people who didn't even know that such a pretty engine existed will want to come and see the real thing. If the N&W museum is smart they will capitalize on this opportunity. We can all bemoan the loss of what once was but when life gives you lemons, look on the bright side and make lemonade. Maybe the ad will go over big and there will be more opportunities from ad agencies for struggling preservation projects to add much needed cash to their accounts.

Just Train Crazy,

-Angie

Ladypardus@cs.com

Sad? Not in my book. I will gladly fire up GOAT and run her all week for $10,000.00. The Roanoke folks can sure use the funds - best wishes to them.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

You'd think for $10,000.00. per day they would fire it up! Big Fake!



lamontdc@adelphia.net

I don't really find it sad. Possibly disheartening in a way. I think they should have used footage from one of the many 611 films available. That way it isn't as 'fake'. But, that's just my opinion. I love 611 dearly, and if VMT is getting the money they said in the article, then by all means, do it! That money will be very helpful to them.

Cavalier-ing on, (pun intended)
Jeff Lisowski
West Chester, Pa

unfunkyufo76@hotmail.com

The locomotive that I work on was approached to do the shot. We had to turn them down because we're prepping the locomotive for paint, and they wanted to do the shot by a certain date. I'm very glad to hear the 611 was chosen for this shot, as she needs all the money and exsposure she can get. There isn't a more deserving locomotive out there for this style add.

Can't wait to see the add!

Smokebox

. I think they should
> have used footage from one of the many 611
> films available. That way it isn't as
> 'fake'.

> Cavalier-ing on, (pun intended)
> Jeff Lisowski
> West Chester, Pa

I'm glad the photographers went this route. The use of older footage that wasn't any financial help to the locomotive then, wouldn't financialy help the locomotive now.

Smokebox

Believe me, I have no ojection to the museum getting the money! The integrity of the advertisement is what I question. If MB can't afford the real thing what is their philosophy of manufacturing like under all that glitz.


lamontdc@adelphia.net

Perhaps the attention that the old girl gets from the advertising will strike a bell in NS managements head someday? Perhaps it takes this kind of thing to make dolts realize that they were holding onto a treasure. We may see her run again. Now, I hope the locomotives in the collection get a building to be tucked into so they can be derusted, painted, restored and pulled out on command. The is at least one more NKP Berk in that collection that could be running in th future. Then there is the A, #1218. Steam sells itself, and classy steam sells really well.

glueck@saturn.caps.maine.edu

> You'd think for $10,000.00. per day they
> would fire it up! Big Fake!

Unfortunately, it would take probably much more than 10 times that amount to fire up the 611 - legally. She was due to have Class 5 repairs when her fire was dropped for the last time. The boiler is long since out of date. Faking it is the only option at this point.

hcastle@rcn.com

> Perhaps the attention that the old girl gets
> from the advertising will strike a bell in
> NS managements head someday? Perhaps it
> takes this kind of thing to make dolts
> realize that they were holding onto a
> treasure.

I agree. NS has probably never looked at the idea that they could use 611 and 1218 as commercial advertisements for someone besides themselves. In my idea, it's great. I am glad that they are doing this, I just wish they would've thought of it about 7 or 8 years earlier so they could have seen her in the "prime" so to speak. There is no doubt that 611 is a beautiful piece of mechanical architecture, and the fact that she is like this now is sad. Maybe someday....

611 in the news.....
cookiemonster@rrmail.com

This was a PRINT ad. If they were doing it as a Super Bowl tv spot, they might have spent millions
and restored the 611 to operation.

But sometimes an image like the one they're creating becomes so unforgettable, that the photo
becomes a "storyboard" for a tv spot.

We can only hope.



GMill@earthlink.net

We should all look on this as an oportunity. This could be seen as a way to promote railroading in general by making trains seem cool. (We on this board all know they are but what about the general public.) There's always a revival of some past genre going on and it seems to sell. Imagine what AMTRAK might have done with the right promotion. Advertising and merchandising are powerful tools. Thomas The Tank Engine is proof of that. Trains have glamour when correctly marketed. Of course, it would take money, but it takes money to make money. I'm not sure exactly which venue this concept would benefit the most but I'm throwing the idea out there to anyone who thinks they can use it. I'm not meaning to be a vulture, but people aren't trusting the airlines all that much and proper promotion of the rails might be the revival of passenger train traffic. With the possible demise of AMTRAK and the impending privatization (sp) of passenger railroads again, somebody's going to have to come up with advertising and marketing tools to make that idea work. Think about it, guys I may be rambling it's just an idea, for what it's worth.

Just Train Crazy,

-Angie

Ladypardus@cs.com

The 3751 was approached as well but of course she is apart all over the ground right now. I wonder how many other big steamers were looked at before the 611 was picked.

robert@trainorders.com