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| Big Steam Announcement https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2931 |
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| Author: | Wash-out plug [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 9:24 am ] |
| Post subject: | Big Steam Announcement |
For Immediate release Greg Scholl has announced a special steam photo special to be operated in late June 2002. Scholl insists this time of year will maximize hours of the day for sunlight providing ample photo opportunities for all who purchase a tickets. Motive power for this trip will feature Norfolk and Western 611, which is being prepared for operation once again, at the Roanoke Virginia steam shops, where 611 was originally fabricated. A Virginia Transportation Museum spokesman stated that this is a boon for the Museum and for steam enthusiasts everywhere. Without this special photo train, there would be no way we could afford to restore 611 for its third stint as an excursion locomotive. A Norfolk Southern Spokesperson declined to heap praise on Mr. Scholls effort, but instead mentioned that higher-ups in the company had planned all along for such a trip, and had these folks not chosen this time, NS would have done it anyway. NS plans on similar trips for positive PR and intends on allowing better shippers to actually take a turn at the throttle of the old gal on some of the remote regions of the former Norfolk and Western Railway. Details are not entirely made public due to the secrecy that usually accompanies all steam trips. One area railfan was noting the fact that, "We can put men on the moon, but nobody will tell you when a steam trip is running!" Scholl did say that the consist of the train would be the 6 coach all daytime Powhatton Arrow complete with round-end obs car. Ticket holders will take part in an extraordinarily "Different" approach to steam railfanning. Instead of doing runbys, where the train must be backed up, ticket holders will be riding sky high in special chase helicopters. Prices include a box lunch for those who want to attempt this while banking in for that low level pan shot. This will be a two day event with the first day operating from Roanoke to Yaeger, WV and the second day a return with a different routing. Prices for the event are based on double occupancy in the copters and motels. One day event including meals, lodging, and copters, and all transfers for $3751. A special two day package including a souvenir photo showing the entire squadron of helicopters swooping down for another shot of the 611 is $6325.00. Scholl said there will be limited stops made, for 611 to take on water, and for patrons to make potty breaks. Copters are not equipped with plumbing for such necessities. Most photo charters are operated at all times except the high sun of summer, but with the copters, the high sun and long daylight will be perfect for photo angles. Patrons will keep cool in air-conditioned state of the art copters. No need to bring extra deodorant like on regular summer excursions where folks are herded like so much cattle. In fact on this train there will be few riders. Expect plenty of great scenes as the copters stay in tight formation behind the lead copter, piloted by Mr Scholl's expert chase pilot. Using the copters has a lot of great advantages such as avoiding underbrush and low wires that mar many good photo locations on the ground, and eliminating the time it takes to load and reload the train for each runby which is currently a slow practice on most excursion steam trips. This new innovative copter method speeds up the whole day, and Mr. Scholl plans to patent his gyro-video which is called the CHASECAM. One of the highlights will be 611 exiting the famous tunnel and trestle at Cooper, WV, and the spectacle of copters stacked 3 and 4 deep in a semi-circle around the west end of the trestle will be more than awesome. Scholl first scouted this location in 1980 prior to 611's 1982 excursion operations, and for many years thought it was an exclusive spot, until viewing it in an O. Winston Link book some years later. However Link never had the CHASECAM. Another perk will be night shots. Instead of the usual static shots where time exposures and big number 2 bulbs are flashed for still photographers, we will be doing our shots on the move. Yes, our choppers feature onboard illumination fixtures and with several copters "training" their beams on the train, the entire scene will be as good as if the great master himself had spent all day stringing bulbs through ponds and front porches. Nobody cares how you get the images, just as long as you get them. Thats the motto of this trip, and all parties are 100% behind the entire event. Every conceivable aspect has been thought out from picking up box lunches on the fly (each copter will swoop through Wendy's where a special hook device will be used to snare individual orders. We anticipate that lunch will be ready by the time we get to Bluefield. Since this trip has been so quickly organized, there was a shortage of qualified crew to operate the 611. Therefore a special "out of town" crew from out west will be brought in just for these trips. While 611 will be a bit more difficult to handle due to that extra power, the crew relishes the challenge to operate the J ! This crew was chosen over all others since they have hundreds of crew hours with helicopters flitting about their trains, so this will be a "Cake Walk" for this experienced steam crew. Several trainee crewmembers will be aboard both the train, and the cab to gain valuable experience so that future trips can be operated in this unique manor. This trip is limited to 200 participants, since there are only 100 helicopters in the C4U class available. This special class, which means "Chase for you", is unique in having all the latest railfan equipment on board. There are movable mounted tripod holders, and unique suction grip camera pods, and extra cable for dangling participants outside the copter to assure the "Perfect shot". Each copter has a bomb-bay door for dumping special Vitals to all the farm animals so they will not be alarmed by all the noise of the copters. Rations include carrots for horses, hay for cows, and seed for chickens. It is suspected that this style of trip will be the standard railfan excursion of the future. Forget long lines of folks trying to board the train. These are not cruise trains anymore, they are CHASE COPTER SPECIALS. Scholl's creative "thinking out of the box" style on these trips are expected to be copied by nearly every other operator and sponsor in North America. Scholl has stated that he doesn't care, just as long as means more steam that can operate. Local police have been most cooperative, although railfans attempting to chase in the more traditional automobile and 4-wheel drive were most upset. Scholl has stated that whenever the copters are doing a strafing run for a photo, and they see lineside photographers they will immediately switch to "whisper mode", so as not ruin the "Experience" for others down below. After all, these guys may want to join us the next time around! One additional feature of doing all these trips will be the added jobs in the helicopter factories around the country, as copter makers everywhere try to outbuild each other for the ultimate steam chasing copter. GE is supposedly working on a dual jet engine, and ALCO has re-opened its Schenectady Works and retooled engine shops to created gurgling new copters for rail excursion use. Once this style of chase becomes the norm, it is estimated no trips will operate with out a copter chase force. Scholl attributes this magnificent creation to years of watching "Airwolf" on TV, and hearing the occasional TV news copter on the old style railfan excursions periodically. A new era has been bestowed upon us all!!! Embrace it! Tickets are selling at warp speed. Don't be left out. Order yours today and be a part of history. Let the blades begin!!!! Note "Whisper Mode" is a copyright of ALCO Copters Press release April 1, 2002 sales@gregschollvideo.com |
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| Author: | James D. Hefner [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 11:20 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Big Steam Announcement |
Hey "Wash Out", With so many helicopters, have you thought about actually picking up 611; and allowing for photographs from below? Think of it! Rather than endangering yourself and your equipment trying to take the classical underneath-and-between-the-rails shot, you can just fly 611 overhead while everyone clicks away from below. "Run-bys" will be replaced by "fly-bys"; and everyone can just line up in a row and get the same shot! BTW, there was no announcement of WHEN it was taking place!?!? Humm.... -James Hefner Hebrews 10:20a Surviving World Steam Locomotives james1@pernet.net |
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| Author: | Wash-out plug [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 11:46 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Big Steam Announcement |
> Hey "Wash Out", > With so many helicopters, have you thought > about actually picking up 611; and allowing > for photographs from below? > Think of it! Rather than endangering > yourself and your equipment trying to take > the classical > underneath-and-between-the-rails shot, you > can just fly 611 overhead while everyone > clicks away from below. "Run-bys" > will be replaced by "fly-bys"; and > everyone can just line up in a row and get > the same shot! > BTW, there was no announcement of WHEN it > was taking place!?!? Humm.... > -James Hefner > Hebrews 10:20a Another good idea James. The date was mentioned as late June in the beginning! Remember the sun would be highest in the sky at that time. With all those copter lights we could do your type shots at nigh! Wash-out sales@gregschollvideo.com |
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| Author: | ge13031 [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 11:56 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Big Steam Announcement |
I'm glad I signed up for two tickets ... should be fun ! lamontdc@adelphia.net |
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| Author: | ge13031 [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 12:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: hadda add, To the sponsors |
Would it be possible to obtain one or more of the Goodyear Blimps to tag along for some really great photos ??? PS: This for some of us older folks who don't do the high speed stuff. lamontdc@adelphia.net |
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| Author: | Thomas Manz [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 1:10 pm ] |
| Post subject: | De blimp, de blimp! |
Blimps would be a nice camera platform for those tripod and long-telephoto shots tmanz@afo.net |
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| Author: | Crayuft [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 2:17 pm ] |
| Post subject: | While We're At It . . . |
Google has finally admitted what makes their search engine so good. (Link below.) JAC Google Technology Secrets |
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| Author: | G. Mark Ray - TVRM [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 5:54 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: While We're At It . . . |
There is some truth to one of JAC's first of April predictions.... TVRM Shop Updates by Steve Freer aw90h@cs.com |
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| Author: | M. R. Cooltrains [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 6:30 pm ] |
| Post subject: | April Fool // GERF // Foamer |
What in the world is wrong with John Craft? He wastes all of his time "playing" trains and ignores the steamcentral web site. Then he invests six months of thought and planning into that silly April Fools thing. To make it that much worse, the 4449 folks make his last years "false statements" come true this year! Dang them. And why does he always pick on TVRM? Just because they won't let him even near their property? Gosh. He, Jim Wrinn, Ken Riddle, and Mark Gray are a bunch of Southern rednecks. Get a life! |
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| Author: | M. R. Supercooltrains [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 6:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Googly? |
He works at Google too? A. O. K. Okie Dokie |
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| Author: | G. Mark Ray - TVRM [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 7:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: April Fool // GERF // Foamer |
> He, Jim > Wrinn, Ken Riddle, and Mark Gray are a bunch > of Southern rednecks. Get a life! If you are going to flame me, then at least spell my name right. I don't know you so I am going to withhold any additional comments. TVRM Shop Updates aw90h@cs.com |
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| Author: | Crayuft [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 7:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: While We're At It . . . |
> There is some truth to one of JAC's first of > April predictions.... I've decided that for future April Fools, I'm just gonna write what I want to see come true. It worked last year . . . JAC Google Technology Secrets |
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| Author: | Ken Riddle [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 7:32 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Where ya been, Superheater?!? |
He, Jim > Wrinn, Ken Riddle, and Mark Gray are a bunch > of Southern rednecks. Get a life! Got a pretty ding-dang good life here, Superheater! When you gonna come around and tell all of us what we're doing wrong again? By the way, probably should be MISTER Southern Redneck to you, little boy- Ken Riddle ken290@hiwaay.net |
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| Author: | Ken Riddle [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 7:37 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: While We're At It . . . |
You're not supposed to talk about the 207 coming back to Johnson City. I took the tender measurements to Mark Gray yesterday. ken290@hiwaay.net |
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| Author: | Kevin Gillespie [ Mon Apr 01, 2002 8:49 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Is Superheater Still Around? |
I assume that this is the same Superheater who used to haunt Washington area railfan excursions and clubs in the 70's. Are we speaking of the same individual? kevingillespie@usa.net |
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