I got the below from the Ohio Central Mailing list. It sounds like they haven't given up yet.
John
--------------

We would like to take a minute to update everyone on the happenings
at the OC and plug our online giftshop. We would like everyone that
reads this message to go to our newly-updated and expanded Fully-
Secure Online Giftshop at http://www.ocsteam.com/giftshop.html and
take a look around. There are many more items as well as better
navigation. Our Store in Sugarcreek is closed, so this is the only
place to get Ohio Central merchandise.

There are many questions and rumors going around on the early closing
of passenger operations at the Ohio Central Railroad in 2003. We hope
to answer those questions and end some rumors.

We have been in the process of upgrading our machine shop over the
past few months. Machinery has been removed from our machine
shop to make way for newer, larger machines. This has created several
rumors that we are selling off all of our machinery and getting rid
of our steam locomotives. This is false. We will be sending the extra
machine equipment to Fort Wayne, Indiana for use on the NKP 765. All
of these machines have been great for us, now we have some newer and
larger machines, so Jerry Joe Jacobson felt that these machines would
be better off going to another steam group/museum rather a scrapper.

However, we will probably sell off some coaches. This does not mean
that the Ohio Central Railroad is totally getting out of the
excursion business, rather just correcting the fleet size and
redirecting focus. No steam locomotives are being liquidated.

Over the past few weeks we have been in contact with our insurance
agent to figure out a plan to run steam excursions on a limited
basis. The insurance plan for the Ohio Central is not like that of
other tourist railroads and museums. The insurance is purchased in a
package that covers many different aspects of the railroad including
freight, real estate and much more. It is very complicated, but we
feel that a deal can be worked out to keep some excursions operating.
It is highly unlikely that we will start operating daily trains again
anytime soon. Insurance prices are based on number of riders, not
revenues.

We are in the process of rethinking the way excursions operate and
trying to come up with a new focus and vision. Over the next few
weeks we will be brainstorming ideas. There is still hope to salvage
a couple trips this Fall. We are taking an optimistic, yet realistic
approach for operating future excursions. We will release more
information in the near future about any Fall excursions. The Ohio
Central Steam Department would like to thank everyone for their
support over the past 15 years and we believe something can be done
to continue operating for many more years to come.

The Ohio Central Steam Department


ocsteam
jrhyson@adelphia.com

That's good news to hear. I'm happy to hear that they are trying to get some excursions going again. I've never been to OC, but intended on going there this summer as soon as I got my license. Hopefully they'll have some excursions in the fall.

J.T.

> I got the below from the Ohio Central
> Mailing list. It sounds like they haven't
> given up yet.
> John
> --------------

> We would like to take a minute to update
> everyone on the happenings
> at the OC and plug our online giftshop. We
> would like everyone that
> reads this message to go to our
> newly-updated and expanded Fully-
> Secure Online Giftshop at
> http://www.ocsteam.com/giftshop.html and
> take a look around. There are many more
> items as well as better
> navigation. Our Store in Sugarcreek is
> closed, so this is the only
> place to get Ohio Central merchandise.

> There are many questions and rumors going
> around on the early closing
> of passenger operations at the Ohio Central
> Railroad in 2003. We hope
> to answer those questions and end some
> rumors.

> We have been in the process of upgrading our
> machine shop over the
> past few months. Machinery has been removed
> from our machine
> shop to make way for newer, larger machines.
> This has created several
> rumors that we are selling off all of our
> machinery and getting rid
> of our steam locomotives. This is false. We
> will be sending the extra
> machine equipment to Fort Wayne, Indiana for
> use on the NKP 765. All
> of these machines have been great for us,
> now we have some newer and
> larger machines, so Jerry Joe Jacobson felt
> that these machines would
> be better off going to another steam
> group/museum rather a scrapper.

> However, we will probably sell off some
> coaches. This does not mean
> that the Ohio Central Railroad is totally
> getting out of the
> excursion business, rather just correcting
> the fleet size and
> redirecting focus. No steam locomotives are
> being liquidated.

> Over the past few weeks we have been in
> contact with our insurance
> agent to figure out a plan to run steam
> excursions on a limited
> basis. The insurance plan for the Ohio
> Central is not like that of
> other tourist railroads and museums. The
> insurance is purchased in a
> package that covers many different aspects
> of the railroad including
> freight, real estate and much more. It is
> very complicated, but we
> feel that a deal can be worked out to keep
> some excursions operating.
> It is highly unlikely that we will start
> operating daily trains again
> anytime soon. Insurance prices are based on
> number of riders, not
> revenues.

> We are in the process of rethinking the way
> excursions operate and
> trying to come up with a new focus and
> vision. Over the next few
> weeks we will be brainstorming ideas. There
> is still hope to salvage
> a couple trips this Fall. We are taking an
> optimistic, yet realistic
> approach for operating future excursions. We
> will release more
> information in the near future about any
> Fall excursions. The Ohio
> Central Steam Department would like to thank
> everyone for their
> support over the past 15 years and we
> believe something can be done
> to continue operating for many more years to
> come.

> The Ohio Central Steam Department


jtjjtb@aol.com