I've just been informed that Steamtown NHS issued a short press release dated April 13 announcing a temporary but indefinate suspension of rail operations. Below is the complete text.

"All active "Live Steam" rail operations at Steamtown National Historic Site have been
postponed, pending final disposition of a formal operating agreement between Steamtown, the
Lackawanna County Rail Authority (LCRA) and the Delaware Lackawanna Railroad Company
(DL). With contract negotiations slated to resume on April 19, Steamtown and the National
Park Service are optimistic that rail service will resume in time for the 2004 rail excursion
season."

eledbetter@rypn.org

Gentle People,

So, can you say, "turning out the lights on the Washington Monument"?

An overused, threadbare, but _effective_ National Park Service negotiating tactic.

Ah, some thing never change. Comforting in a way.

Phil Padgett

> I've just been informed that Steamtown NHS
> issued a short press release dated April 13
> announcing a temporary but indefinate
> suspension of rail operations. Below is the
> complete text.

> "All active "Live Steam" rail
> operations at Steamtown National Historic
> Site have been
> postponed, pending final disposition of a
> formal operating agreement between
> Steamtown, the
> Lackawanna County Rail Authority (LCRA) and
> the Delaware Lackawanna Railroad Company
> (DL). With contract negotiations slated to
> resume on April 19, Steamtown and the
> National
> Park Service are optimistic that rail
> service will resume in time for the 2004
> rail excursion
> season."


ebt4evr@aol.com

With all that is going on at Steamtown and the D-L, does this impact the trolley operation in any way? I believe they were supposed to start for the 2004 season on April 1.

Joel

> Gentle People,

> So, can you say, "turning out the
> lights on the Washington Monument"?

> An overused, threadbare, but _effective_
> National Park Service negotiating tactic.

> Ah, some thing never change. Comforting in a
> way.

> Phil Padgett



jdstrolley@enter.net

> With all that is going on at Steamtown and
> the D-L, does this impact the trolley
> operation in any way? I believe they were
> supposed to start for the 2004 season on
> April 1.

> Joel

I don't know, but I would assume that Electric City has a completely separate operating agreement with LCRA and D-L. For all I know it may not even be up for renegotiation right now. Perhaps Phil Mulligan can tell us.


eledbetter@rypn.org

Hello All

I cannot speak to any contract specifics between the LCRA/DL/NPS and the Electric City Trolley, BUT I can say that Trolley operations began as scheduled in early April with DL Employees and ECTMA volunteers as in previous years.

We're hoping that the extension to the Montage Visitor Center will be complete for the summer. Poles are all in place and wire is up for the most part. Our freight business along the line continues to thrive as well.

I believe money is in place to eventually extend the line another half mile or so to the ball park in the not to distant future as well. When this summer's extension opens its going to make for probably the most thrilling trolley ride around.

Dave Crosby

bing@epix.net

Well I guess if us folkes here in the east want to ride behind mainline steam this summer it's going to be Ohio Central it's only five hours more for Louis and I.
Al

azubal@nycap.rr.com

> Gentle People,

> So, can you say, "turning out the
> lights on the Washington Monument"?

> An overused, threadbare, but _effective_
> National Park Service negotiating tactic.

> Ah, some thing never change. Comforting in a
> way.

How nice that this tax supported organization-that can find millions of dollars to travel overseas (and then lies to the inspectors) holds its visitors, volunteers, staff and the community it lives hostage.

If this was a private company that failed to get the paperwork done two years in a row-then the front office would have new butts in the big poofy chairs pronto.

Of course excepting for the poor individuals who get ferlowed every year the pay is the same for the "management".


voxverum@yahoo.com

There was no sign of this happening when I was there on this past saterday the 10th they were doing last minute work on the steamers, but anyway who knows?



bedt15@aol.com

> Hello All

> I cannot speak to any contract specifics
> between the LCRA/DL/NPS and the Electric
> City Trolley, BUT I can say that Trolley
> operations began as scheduled in early April
> with DL Employees and ECTMA volunteers as in
> previous years.

> We're hoping that the extension to the
> Montage Visitor Center will be complete for
> the summer. Poles are all in place and wire
> is up for the most part. Our freight
> business along the line continues to thrive
> as well.

> I believe money is in place to eventually
> extend the line another half mile or so to
> the ball park in the not to distant future
> as well. When this summer's extension opens
> its going to make for probably the most
> thrilling trolley ride around.

> Dave Crosby
A very nice operation. Any chance of a second car in service this year?

bas1210@comcast.net

We are running; see the link below for the dates and times.

The extension to Montage Mountain Road is coming along: the wire is mostly if not completely up; there will be a grand opening later this year. Hopefully we'll again make the front page of the paper and the 6 PM TV News.

The extension is from Stafford Ave (S. end of the Tunnel) on the old L&WV thru a valley to "Virginia," then up an E-L installed connection to the former Erie Wyoming Div. and from there to Montage Mountain Road, near the Visitors' Centre.

We are still working on getting Red Arrow 80 car running. However there are sometimes other priorities that divert attention.

Electric City Trolley Museum Association

> We are running; see the link below for the
> dates and times.

> The extension to Montage Mountain Road is
> coming along: the wire is mostly if not
> completely up; there will be a grand opening
> later this year. Hopefully we'll again make
> the front page of the paper and the 6 PM TV
> News.

> The extension is from Stafford Ave (S. end
> of the Tunnel) on the old L&WV thru a
> valley to "Virginia," then up an
> E-L installed connection to the former Erie
> Wyoming Div. and from there to Montage
> Mountain Road, near the Visitors' Centre.

> We are still working on getting Red Arrow 80
> car running. However there are sometimes
> other priorities that divert attention.
Thanks for the info Phil. My wife & I come up to Scranton each year. We'll be there when the extension opens. Looking forward to riding #80 again. Rode it many times on the Red Arrow. Any Railfan or Member's weekends this year?

bas1210@comcast.net

I finally got to check out the Montage area last month. Its a shame there wasn't an overpass put in over the former L&WV R-O-W, to allow for a future extension. Then again, what's the point? Maybe if I could hit the lottery and fund a rebuild of the Avoca viaduct, yeah right!

When the line pushes towards the baseball stadium, on what ROW will that be on? Erie? Brand new? Thanks!

Joshua

joshua@joshuakblay.com

Joshua

From the preliminary drawings I've seen: The ballpark extension will go from the visitors center stub track (off the Erie) on to new construction for the 3/4 of a mile or so. It will cross montage road twice, once at the Visitor's center, then it will paralell Montage road on the south side, then cross over again to the stadium. The two crossings are needed because I believe there isn't enough room to swing the track on the north side of the road, but that might have changed by now.

It will be neat to see track not only being built new (as opposed to re-built) but to see something actually go in where no track EVER was.

Dave Crosby

bing@epix.net

Dave-

Thanks! That's "along the lines" of what I was thinking. I walked the former Erie track for a bit, where does it go? What was the reason for being there, just to connect with L&WV? This is what the L&S used to service the plastics plant before DL took over right?

Hope all is well with you!

Joshua

Engine Info

That was the Erie Wyoming Division Main Line up from Avoca, the trolley uses the old interchange track to get between the Laurel Line and the Erie Main, then traverses the main for 1/4 mile or so to the visitor's center.

DBC

bing@epix.net