I recently saw a photo of a newly shopped FL-9 on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 705&nseq=0

I took a quick look at their motive power page and found it's not yet listed. However when I checked out their equipment page I found that much of their equipment is sponsored. It seem as these folks have done an amazing job at gaining broad support for the railroad. Have a look at the equipment page:

http://www.cvsr.com/roster.aspx

That one has been hanging around on the "for sale or lease" market for the last two years. It was ex-Amtrak and was shipped to the FEC shops in Florida for overhaul by its private owner at the time. I recall seeing prices for it in the upper $200K range.

Howard P.
Five-Axle, CT

I believe that the FL-9 is ex- Morristown & Erie as the paint scheme is the same as the Maine Eastern Fl-9's owned by the other M&E. IIRC, I have seen photos of it at the M&E New Jersey shops

The main point I was trying to make seems to be lost. These guys seemingly have managed to gather a huge amount of sponsorship for their equipment. more than half of the equipment is listed as having a sponsor. What I am thinking to myself is how did they do it and who can learn from it.

Individual sponsorship is a great idea in a slow economy, it makes equipment support a competitive event, allowing people to vote with their wallets for their favorite motive power or rolling stock. It also provides the railroad with a useful indicator as to which equipment is the most popular with their customers.

PC

Their ADA-lift-equipped Budd combine is named for the nursing home company that sponsored the rebuild - Invacare. It's a great car and one of the best corporate sponsorship ideas and executions I've ever seen. Having that as the sponsor for the ADA car? Brilliant. And, that's a portable concept here that helps everybody if you are paying attention.

...true....except, CVSR has been doing this for years. They are one (or twelve) up on most other railroads.

Of course, most museums won't entertain this idea as it is "not historically accurate" to run around with a Goodyear logo or similar on their loco or car, but hey, if said company helps or completely pays for the restoration, I say put it in their a-tire....get it?...oh nevermind.

W&W did it in a round about, dignified, way with their PRR Gas Car 4662, named the Paul Revere, in recognition for the Revere Copper and Brass, that donated the $100K+ to do the 1990 restoration. Railfans bitched about the Paul Revere Lettering on the sides, but again, put your money where your mouth is and then you can talk.

It's great idea.

Ok, I'm going to tell you what I know about this unit. It may or may not be totally accurate, but I have a high degree of confidence in what I am saying.

FLNX #484, ex-NH, ex-AMTK, ex-whatever else, was rebuilt by the FEC in 2008, and is currently owned by the owner of Flynn's Tire in Orrville, OH and was on loan to the Orrville Railroad Heritage Society. It was used on their "Medina Loop" excursion on the Wheeling in early Oct. After that it was sent to the CVSR for storage and use. I understand that Mr. Flynn operated at least two private charters with the unit and CVSR coaches all the way to Canton and back in Oct. Currently, it is the South-facing unit on the Independence-Peninsula "Polar Express" trains. The CVSR is allowed to use it occasionally for trips, but the railroad is not in danger of losing it's ALCO dominance.

The Invacare was done back in 2002 when Doug Cooper was CEO. They have had a succession of leadership that has worked this sponsorship issue very successfully.

If you want to see the impact of the relationships between sponsorships, community involvement, etc., just check this out. How to raise major corporate $$$$ in a black tie event in the maintenance shop:

http://blog.cleveland.com/suncourier/20 ... roa_1.html

CVSR has transformed itself from being on death's door in the early 1990's to one of the top ridership railroads in the US, this is just one of the fundamental approach changes. It's run as a business, and both the board and the management are strongly aligned to community leaders, not necessarily railfans. Nothing wrong with that, but that evolution is at the very heart of what you see. No, it doesn't hurt to have NPS as a landlord, but that's been a constant and not the essential difference on the way the railroad has expanded virtually in every way imaginable.

I first saw the change when they got the St. Lucie Sound (round-end ex-FEC Budd Observation) and found out it was the most effective, and exclusive, fund-raising vehicle they ever saw. THAT car was sufficiently exclusive and attractive that they literally could bid out corporate events in it. I think (just my own opinion) that that was the turning point on the railroad. Few 501c3's would have the guts to buy a PV that was well over six figures and use it exclusively for private events and fundraising. The St. Lucie literally became the hottest and most exclusive ticket in Cleveland, and corporations that hosted events in it became supporters of the railroad themselves.

Randy,

Thanks for the insight. What an amazing organization. Their ability to attract sponsorship and gain community support serves as a fantastic model. Also, a well run non-profit running trains with the NPS as a landlord. That might serve as some food for through for at least one other NPS location. It would be really great if someone involved with this organization would take the time to write a feature article for RYPN. I am sure it could spawn dozens of ideas throughout the country.