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| Steam Excursions Today https://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8451 |
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| Author: | Matt S [ Tue Feb 10, 2004 2:43 am ] |
| Post subject: | Steam Excursions Today |
Ok, so this year already has some mainline steam excursions lined up and its looking to be a really great year, but it seems to me to be much less than what it was like 15 years ago. I know this is because of insurance and a few other problems, but here are a few ideas that came to me about ways to see more steam. This first one is definately an odd comparison and may seem to be stretching it a bit but... What if steam operators joined forces on excursions to cut costs. This is similar to another hobby of mine - going to concerts. I know this is a stretch but I have seen some great concerts recently with more than one headlining act, for instance Aerosmith and Kiss, now these bands are getting up there in age but they can still pack people in big time. They did a joint tour, so there travel costs are cut down among other expenditures. This would also work with excursions, more than one operator could share the costs related to moving engines. Insurance for trips isn't based on the amount of engines is it? Or is it, I really don't know. Two engines working would also cut down on some of the wear and tear on these engines. Plus, this is just my opinion again, but don't you get more attention with more than one engine. Relating that back to the concerts, I am more likely to travel a farther distance to see a concert if more than one group is playing, it makes the event seem bigger. The other thing that I think would get more people exposed to steam is something I just saw this past fall in Canada. A group took their 0-6-0 all over Ontario, now an 0-6-0 isn't really mainline steam, but what they did is ran over numerous shortlines in Ontario and stayed in each area for a few days, sometimes coinciding with a fall festival or somthing. Why can't we get more operators with smaller equipment to travel over some of our shortlines and regional railroads. This was the first time I saw something like this, usually if I see a visiting steam locomotive, it is only in an area for a day or two, pulls an excursion and then heads to somewhere else. This way the engine is in the area for a few days, and it gives people more of a chance to hear about it and more oppritunities to go see it. I actually made two trips to see this engine, because I had some spare time and wanted to see the engine running in more than one place and because it hadn't already travled to far for me to justify going to see it. It is almost like a mobile tourist railroad, they run a few runs a day at one place for a week, pack up move to another place and do it again on different track. I was really impressed at the amount of people that came out to see this, it was just a switch engine (a REALLY nice looking one though) and part of the one day it was hailing! These people weren't bothered by some really nasty weather, they just wanted to see a steam train. Now i know that there is a ton of stuff that I don't know about operating a steam excursion, but how come these things aren't attempted here? dreaming of steam, Matt mstolzenfels@hotmail.com |
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| Author: | dave [ Tue Feb 10, 2004 9:02 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Steam Excursions Today |
Matt - there have been some similar concepts posted on this list in the past - 1. Mainline steam power sponsors form a cooperative group to rotate each locomotive in and out of a national series of excursions such that each can work enough to earn its next overhaul cost back. 2. A smaller 1920 era passenger train pulled by a light pacific and a freight pulled by a 2-8-0 complete with appropriate representative cars (which can be equipped with roller bearings and modern brake systems) makes a national tour as a rolling display showing the industries / products / technologies that built the country. With light power, everything done on branch and secondary lines and shortlines. In the first case, cooperation seems to be the culprit. Nobody wants to voluntarily remove their 4-8-4 from the fleet for 20 years until their rotation comes up. In the second case, a sponsor capable of tying in a large diverse bunch of industries / railroads / public sector interests together into a complex program isn't volunteering. Thomas seems to be the only travelling steam engine out there right now apart from special events like 1925 on GSMRR and the occasional Eureka trip. There may be a market for a small travelling steamer, but the budgets of small town events on friendly shortlines isn't generally large enough to accomplish it. dave irondave@bellsouth.net |
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| Author: | Erik Ledbetter [ Tue Feb 10, 2004 9:51 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Steam Excursions Today |
There may be a > market for a small travelling steamer, but > the budgets of small town events on friendly > shortlines isn't generally large enough to > accomplish it. Dave is right on, but I can think of a few other events that have worked out economically--Nevada Northern on Heber for the Olympics, and Susie Q's 2-8-2 in New England for a mix of excursions and film work. eledbetter@rypn.org |
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| Author: | Jason Whiteley [ Tue Feb 10, 2004 1:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Steam Excursions Today |
I think this is a great idea in theory. However, I would imagine that to move around a large geographic area would cost big bucks as you would need to move your train over Class 1 track to get from A to B and judging by some of the costs associated with such moves as quoted on this board from time to time (assuming they will let you do it to begin with) I doubt you could make enough to cover your costs by operating a few days in each place, even with all the tickets sold. However, I'm sure there are others on here that know more about this than I. |
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| Author: | Don C. [ Tue Feb 10, 2004 10:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Steam Excursions Today |
> I think this is a great idea in theory. > However, I would imagine that to move around > a large geographic area would cost big bucks > as you would need to move your train over > Class 1 track to get from A to B and judging > by some of the costs associated with such > moves as quoted on this board from time to > time (assuming they will let you do it to > begin with) I doubt you could make enough to > cover your costs by operating a few days in > each place, even with all the tickets sold. > However, I'm sure there are others on here > that know more about this than I. Here is my spin on why this is not practical.... 1. Most mainline steam groups are comprised exclusively of volunteer help. They could not afford to operate if they paid all of the crew members and support personnel. So now, with this plan of running a large series of trips for say five years with old number 1, how do you crew the operation with competent personnel? I love working on #261, but I will probably have to do some groveling and horsetrading to be able to come up with enough time to work our series of trips for this summer. That will be just a little over two weeks from the time we leave Minneapolis until we return and put the locomotive and train to bed. A whole summer of trips would create a huge hardship on the volunteers, their families and thier "real" jobs. 2. It is hard to maintain interest when it doesn't run. Running your locomotive and equipment is the best way to maintain your volunteer interest, passenger base and to keep the donations flowing. 3. Use it or lose it. How do you keep your crew competent and their skills sharp during your off years? I don't think that any group out there is comprised totally of "rails". So what happens to the crew's techincal and operating skills while they sit summer after summer, waiting for their turn to come around again. Some quick math, using privately owned mainline engines that are ready (or will be ready) to roll. Let's use 4449, 700, 3751, 1225, 2719, 1003, 765 and 261. That totals eight locomotives with each one "allocated" five years of service (using an arbitrary figure for operating years). Each engine gets to operate for five years and sit for THIRTY-FIVE years! That will surely keep interest alive (even though most of the crew will be dead) by the time your chance comes around again. Our hobby is railroading...it is not bicycling, coin collecting, cat grooming or bonzai tree clipping. You cannot ignore it for years and then just jump back into it. To remain competent in railroading, you have to be immersed in it more that every two or three years. Thirty-five years between operating experiences would be suicide. I believe that the successful operations are those that have a track record of operating year after year, for the very reasons I listed above. In these unfortunate times, the strong will survive and the weak will fall by the wayside. Don't penalize the strong groups for the sake of survival of the weaker ones. Just my $0.02. Don C. http://www.261.com milw261@sbcglobal.net |
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