NJ Transit is quite delayed this am, and my train has yet to break the 25mph mark... So plenty of time to think...

I like lists and Did You Know's... I am thinking of how steamy an how "local" the NRHS convention was from a preservation standpoint.

Of the 5 operating steam locomotives that were part of the event, 3 were built in PA (425, 75 and the Henry Clay). Two were built 30 minutes from Scranton and worked regional coal operations (75 and the Henry Clay).

5 of the featured diesels on excursions, 2 are native to two different area roads (the D&H/LV GP-38-2's) and 3 are native to one Scranton hometown road (the D&H RS-3's).

Passengers rode in a mix of cars operated by anthracite region railroads including CNJ and DL&W coaches, a LV business car and the NKP City of Lima which was a regular through Scranton. Could you ride in the DL&W Scranton-built "Keyser Valley" caboose? If so, add that to the list.

That's not to mention all of the other displays with regional ties. Pretty neat!

Rob

Neat idea rob. Here's some fun numbers to look at:

The Planning Group itself:

6 - Number of professional, freight railroad employees in the core planning group.
9 - Number above when added in those involved with tourist/museum operators.
7 - Number of us under 50 years of age.
21 - Age of our youngest committee member.
19 - Age of our videographer.
20 - Age of our webmaster.
2 - Number of members we lost in the 3 year run-up to last week.
19 - Number of hours of sleep I got over a 7 day period.

Excursion Information:

12 - Combined number of runbys conducted on the mainline trips.
450 - Approximate number of total round trip rail miles enjoyed.
10 - Minutes before we had a working contingency plan on "derailment day".
15 - Minutes for a similar plan on the day a bridge ahead of us was hit by a truck.
450 - Passengers on both the Sunbury and Pocono trips.
450 - Number of passengers that thought the Sunbury Excursion would be annulled.
45 - Minutes it took DL crews to re-rail the errant D&H unit on the Sunbury trip.
500 - Passengers on the R&N trip.
500 - Passengers who were waiting for something to go wrong.
371 - Highest passenger count during the 2009 Duluth convention.
0 - Number of other places to see 3 RS-3's run in tandem.
4 - Number of steam engines used in NRHS conventions the three previous years.
5 - Number of steam engines involved in this convention.
4 - Number of F units on display or operated during the week of the convention.
14 - Number of units (steam & diesel) involved in operations, runbys or photo shoots.
1 - Number of days it took for out first Ballgame Trolley to sell out.
1 - Number of trips or events that ran at less than sold out capacity.
14 - Total number of operating carriers, owners & agencies involved over 6 days.

Fun Facts:

0 - Available room-nights at the two hotel convention hotels last week.
3000 - Approximate number of bottles of water consumed on the three "big" trips.
4 - Number of times I thought an angry mob would come for my head.
750 - Approximate number of those who registered for the Scranton Convention.
20 - Years since an editor of "Trains" spoke at an NRHS dinner.
0 - Regrets on my part.

"I can't think of a more depressing place to hold a national convention of steam lovers... they'll be incredibly lucky if there's ANY steam at all...triple lucky if it gets out of the yard limits... no runbys, etc." ~ Ross Rowland

Dave Crosby

1,000,000-- the amount of thank yous that you deserve, Dave, along with your colleagues, for a successful event!

A good event like this is good for all of us. And maybe gets noticed by "The Industry", lol.

Howard P.

All the thanks I need are looking at a few nice pictures from the week...

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 79&nseq=53

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 0&nseq=282

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 2&nseq=260

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 9&nseq=453

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 6&nseq=486

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 3&nseq=499

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 3&nseq=889

And a few quick shots from Saturday's run that I took...

And a favorite of Mine, from our Sunday "pre-event", from an organization that has been accused of doing nothing to attract new/younger members....

Where's the damn "LIKE" button for Dave Crosby's quotation at the bottom.

I thought Dave's signature marred an otherwise great post. Live and let live.

Mike Stillwell
Buena Vista, VA.

Oh please, it was meant tongue in check... Have we all lost our sense of humor? Quite frankly I hope Ross does well with his Greenbrier venture and puts up some of the quotes I've read here.

The signature was great.

Everybody that makes "vapid and hollow" comments, should have them re-served after they mellow and age a bit, and the more bitter flavors become apparent.

Dave -

One time was fine. Repeated over and over smacks of sour grapes. Enough already!

Les

Folks;

It is in his signature for Pete's sake; which means it appears in every posting he does; just like "Iron" Dave has quotes in his (which he changes only ever few months), as do others.

Les, Point taken. Forgot that a signature would follow each post. I've changed that, as I don't want it to be taken as anything more than a light hearted jest.

Dave