See where the Oklahoma Railway Museum in Oklahoma City decided against an event in October. Cited not enough volunteers and high up front cost of insurance. WOnder if the Thomas phenom has begun to run its course?

jimhollis@ev1.net

> Wonder if the Thomas phenom has begun to run its course?

It's getting there! Look at how many events are running annually now. Look at how little promotion is done by the parent company to keep the Thomas image in front of the public (no TV, no movies). Look at how much Thomas merchandise is available through the internet or at one of many national retailers (means low gift shop sales at your event). Look at the expenses, demands, requirements, etc.

Help me.....I'm melting!

What's happening to Thomas can happen to any item that is sold into a conglomerate that cares little for the product, only for the profit. When Thomas is milked of his last profitability, they will claim there is "no more interest" and shelve him. -- They just don't have the vision or passion to spend a little more now keep it going indefinitely.

Only an idiot would invest millions in developing a brand identity for Thomas and then let it rot when a new market for the products grows into the age bracket every year.

I agree that it would be great to see TV shows and other mass media Thomas activities, but I wouldn't absolutely believe it is due to its copywright holders. They have more to lose if Thomas dies than anybody else.

Dave

irondave@bellsouth.net

The Southwest Railroad Historic Society d/b/a Age of Steam together with the Grapevine Steam Railroad will host Thomas in October at Grapevine. This is a new location from last years event at Dallas Fair Park. I'll let you know in November how the event turned out. Event sponsors are being required by contract to provide more types of entertainment for children so there shold be more for people to do. DOWT events at railroad museums will probably stop at some point but Thomas as been around for over 50 years and in my opinion stood the test of time.

There is no question that the event requires lots of staff work as well as many volunteers to have a sucessful event. As to the insurance issue, operating museums already have insurance so that issue is addressed, but if a museum was trying to do the event with their own equipment and no track record of operations, I could see a big problem.

http://thomas.loc.gov/
tcox@parknet.pmh.org

Tom,

Could you please send me more info on the event at Grapevine this October. We live down near Houston; but would like to attend.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

> The Southwest Railroad Historic Society
> d/b/a Age of Steam together with the
> Grapevine Steam Railroad will host Thomas in
> October at Grapevine. This is a new location
> from last years event at Dallas Fair Park.
> I'll let you know in November how the event
> turned out. Event sponsors are being
> required by contract to provide more types
> of entertainment for children so there shold
> be more for people to do. DOWT events at
> railroad museums will probably stop at some
> point but Thomas as been around for over 50
> years and in my opinion stood the test of
> time.

> There is no question that the event requires
> lots of staff work as well as many
> volunteers to have a sucessful event. As to
> the insurance issue, operating museums
> already have insurance so that issue is
> addressed, but if a museum was trying to do
> the event with their own equipment and no
> track record of operations, I could see a
> big problem.


Surviving World Steam Locomotives
james1@pernet.net

> What's happening to Thomas can happen to any
> item that is sold into a conglomerate that
> cares little for the product, only for the
> profit. When Thomas is milked of his last
> profitability, they will claim there is
> "no more interest" and shelve him.
> -- They just don't have the vision or
> passion to spend a little more now keep it
> going indefinitely.
FYI--
Reed, an English company, owns, not only Thomas but Winnie the Pooh, too. They license Disney, not the other way around.
Reed, who also owns a multitude of advertising-driven magazines knows only $$$$$. Nothing else matters.
I know, I used to work on the editorial staff of one of their big money-making magazines.


hankmorris@earthlink.net

> FYI--
> Reed, an English company, owns, not only
> Thomas but Winnie the Pooh, too. They
> license Disney, not the other way around.
> Reed, who also owns a multitude of
> advertising-driven magazines knows only
> $$$$$. Nothing else matters.
> I know, I used to work on the editorial
> staff of one of their big money-making
> magazines.

The firm that licenses the "Day Out with Thomas" events is HIT Entertainment. A year ago, HIT acquired the properties of Gullane, the firm that had been licensing the events.

HIT Entertainment also licenses: Barney, Bob the Builder, Angelina Ballerina, Rubbadubbers, The Wiggles, Kipper, Pingu, Oswald, Art Attack, Sooty, Captain Pugwash, Mumfie, and Fireman Sam.

From the HIT website:
"HIT Entertainment PLC is now the world's leading independent children's producer and rights owner. With operations in the UK, US, Canada, Japan and Germany, we generate programme sales to 150 countries and territories. Our family of characters include such popular global properties as Bob the Builder, Barney, Thomas & Friends, Kipper and Angelina Ballerina."

Also: "Most notably in 2002, HIT also acquired Gullane Entertainment plc, which adds to the company's remarkable portfolio of properties the hugely successful global pre-school brand Thomas the Tank Engine, Guinness World Records,Yoko! Jakamoto! Toto!, and the successful children's arts show, Art Attack."

For more information you go to the HIT Entertainment website.

Brian Norden


HIT Entertainment
bnorden49@earthlink.net

I was just at the Orange Empire Railway Museum, that held an event last year and is planning one again later this year.I was impressed with the good things that they did with their money.

New brick platforms, concrete floors in Car Barns, Blacktop in their streets. Added funds in the
Car Barn building fund etc.

Good long term improvement for the museum.

Ted Miles

ted_miles@nps.gov

> The firm that licenses the "Day Out
> with Thomas" events is HIT
> Entertainment. A year ago, HIT acquired the
> properties of Gullane, the firm that had
> been licensing the events.

> HIT Entertainment also licenses: Barney, Bob
> the Builder, Angelina Ballerina,
> Rubbadubbers, The Wiggles, Kipper, Pingu,
> Oswald, Art Attack, Sooty, Captain Pugwash,
> Mumfie, and Fireman Sam.

> From the HIT website:
> "HIT Entertainment PLC is now the
> world's leading independent children's
> producer and rights owner. With operations
> in the UK, US, Canada, Japan and Germany, we
> generate programme sales to 150 countries
> and territories. Our family of characters
> include such popular global properties as
> Bob the Builder, Barney, Thomas &
> Friends, Kipper and Angelina
> Ballerina."

> Also: "Most notably in 2002, HIT also
> acquired Gullane Entertainment plc, which
> adds to the company's remarkable portfolio
> of properties the hugely successful global
> pre-school brand Thomas the Tank Engine,
> Guinness World Records,Yoko! Jakamoto!
> Toto!, and the successful children's arts
> show, Art Attack."

> For more information you go to the HIT
> Entertainment website.

> Brian Norden
The basic property is owned by Reed. They license people like HIT and Disney and sit back collecting royalties on everything these companies do with their property. The don't have to organize or market anything. That's the responsibility of the licensee.


hankmorris@earthlink.net

I’ve had the pleasure of hearing several presentations by members of the OERM over the past couple of years at the ARM Western Regional Conferences. I continue to be impressed with both their knowledge and professionalism. They are a group that “has their act together,” in the most positive sense of the phrase.

Cheers,
Keith Albrandt

> I was just at the Orange Empire Railway
> Museum, that held an event last year and is
> planning one again later this year.I was
> impressed with the good things that they did
> with their money.

> New brick platforms, concrete floors in Car
> Barns, Blacktop in their streets. Added
> funds in the
> Car Barn building fund etc.

> Good long term improvement for the museum.

> Ted Miles


RyPN Flimsies
kalbrandt@rypn.org

"Event sponsors are being required by contract to provide more types of entertainment for children so there shold be more for people to do."

This is still where most events miss the boat! The more time you can keep people happy and busy, the more money you will make. We just completed our June DOWT and had record sales and attendance. We had about 6 X the required activities for example and had many people spending a full 7 to 8 hours at the event.

The skills every museum needs to have a successful event are some of the same ones that many museums are not very good at doing. Advertising: Spending real money, tracking results, and understanding audience demographics for each media release. Public Relations: Getting the most out of "free" press and having knowledgeable people available for interviews. Customer Service: Learning how to say "YES" "I apologize" and "Thank you" and do what will make someone calm down (no confrontation). Provide good service facilities (restrooms, food without lines, etc. Merchandising: Again people knowledgeable in the products being sold will sell more products, also display and proper merchandising techniques will pay off as well.

HIT has made it clear that the goal now is to hold off on adding new events while improving the quality of existing events. Sounds to me as if they are still very much interested in keeping the DOWT program alive, but only if these events improve the image of Thomas. Remember it is a 2 way street. They don't have to make Thomas available to us at all if they don't think it benefits the Thomas image enough.

David Farlow
Whitewater Valley RR

The Thomas event in Oklahoma City by our museum was called off due to problems with the May 8th and May 9th Tornado's that destroyed our President's home and another of our venue cordinators home as well as damage to the GM plant that effected a number of our volunteers. After discussion, taking care of family came first. We have asked for the same dates next season and we will host the event. As for the insurance, we had that issue taken care of the needed insurance and had funds to cover the additional cost and we had a good group of volunteers coming forward. But we couldn't overcome mother nature. Drake Rice, Secretary, Oklahoma Railway Musuem.

> See where the Oklahoma Railway Museum in
> Oklahoma City decided against an event in
> October. Cited not enough volunteers and
> high up front cost of insurance. WOnder if
> the Thomas phenom has begun to run its
> course?


drakerr@telepath.com