Jeff -

Thanks for the explanation of the "Haunted" trains at IRM. And for the map that gives a good indication of how the operation was set up. I know that other museums have special trains at this time of the year. For instance, Monticello Railway Museum has a "Halloween" type of operation, but I think it differs quite a bit from what IRM does. Another type train being run right now are pumpkin trains (such as run by the Heart of Dixie Museum). These differ quite a bit from what Jeff has described. I wonder if we couldn't get some explanations from other museums as to their operations here in October. Do you run Haunted trains or Pumpkin trains (or both for that matter)? Are they worth the effort? Is ridership growing, stagnant or going down? Being a member of a museum that does neither, but has talked about it, I'd like to get an idea of which way to go, if any. Thanks.

Les

Connecticut Trolley Museum just revived ( after a ten year break) their "Rails to the Darkside" with an expanded format from the old one. We have an original storyline that to make the original trolley line as straight as possible a cemetary had to be moved. The story was expanded now to having to move the cemetary once again to finish construction of our visitor center. The public boards a trolley at our station. The car departs, disappearing into a fog bank. When the car gets down to our second passing sidiing it comes to a stop so the motorman and conductor can investigate the apparently abandoned trolley on the other track. This just happens to be the location of the original cemetary. The ghouls descend onto the unsuspecting passengers and all out mayhem ensues for about 3 to 5 minutes. This is when we have passengers trying to hide under seats or climb up the walls as high as they can. It is an intense show that has left grownups crying.

Luckily the motorman and conductor escape and take off with the trolley, saving the passengers and leaving the ghouls behind, or so the passengers think. Part way back, there is a loud bang and the trolley comes to a stop. The passengers are discharge in a hurry to protect them from danger. They are directed to walk a path up to the side door of the visitor center, passing through the partially moved cemetery. They enter the side door to encounter the second portion of their experience, the haunted car barn. Again very intense. We have had groups turn back within just a few feet of entering the building. The cars in the barn are set up to form a path through the cars that works the public towards the opposite corner of the display hall. We have characters and displays in and around the cars. Their is nothing funnier that a a small 70 year old woman scaring the muscle bound man in front of his girl friend.

The neat part is that the fog bank covers up what is going on down the line. Each car returns empty with just the motorman and conductor. They get off the car and rush into the station loudly stating that they were not going out again. that they were not going to be responsible for loosing another car load of passengers. They have to be berated to get back on their car and take another run down the line.

This whole program is rated pg-13. We ran it for 5 nights. We had planned to do it for 6 nights, but it poured on the last night. The trolleys ran for about 2.5 hours each night, a total of 12.5 hours. We carried a little over 2300 single ride passengers. Thats a rate of close to 200 passengers per hour. The total experience takes about 45 minutes.

We also run a pumpkin patch operation during the day for younger kids. We do not have a total yet, but I am sure between the 2 events we made over $30k. We had between 60 and 80 volunteers involved with most not regular museum volunteers.

I think that every museum should consider running a haunted attraction as part of the special events in October. You will have to be prepared to put in a bit of planning and work. I don't recommend taming down the scares. Make is as scary as you can. People are paying to be scared. The Pumpkin patch is the tame event for the younger visitors. Remember that word of mouth will be your best advertising. Many of the nights our parking lot was full to capacity. People who could not park came back other nights and or told others how full it was and how popular it appeared. We gave people their monies worth. We expect to keep adding to the event each year. This will keep it changing and different each year. We are already discussing what worked and how to improve things for next year. We probably will be looking for remote parking and buses to transport people. we will also look at how to get more people through while not detracting from the show.