does anyone know what's up with the 1225? nothing new on their site since 2010, and nothing at all about the rebuild.

I can tell you they've been working steadily on the unit. Here's a photo I snapped about a year ago. A month after that, the photo angle was not possible.

Here's our facebook page link:

https://www.facebook.com/steamrailroadinginstitute

Membership has it's privileges:
(mostly, we all get to see the engine run sooner)
http://michigansteamtrain.com/membership/

And you must have missed this announcement some time back:
Pere Marquette 1225 “Return to Rails” Excursion March 15th 2014
http://railyardproductions.com/

Also, mentioned on Trains Newswire.

/Mitch

There's been new information - you just have to look around a bit.

As somebody already posted they have excursions already announced.

Also check out the RailOfMichigan guy on YouTube. He gives monthly updates on their progress.

Proves once again that for a source of current information you need to go to Facebook (FB). Web pages are slowly becoming a thing of the past, surpassed by social media.

Whoever handles their FB page does a great job. Great pictures of the 1225 and the work that is ongoing. Hank the Tank looks like a neat concept.

Today, as a source of active rail preservation news, I probably get more from the various FB feeds than I receive from any number of web sites, including RyPN.

J.R. May
(and yes, I am over 50 and use FB – mainly to keep up with my kids/grand kids)

I think a large part of this is because it's easy to post things on Facebook so people update it more frequently. There are ways of having an easy to update webpage (by using some sort of content management system like Wordpress) but even that can take some work to get the formatting correct. On Facebook it's simply "What do you want to say? What pictures do you want to show? Got it, Facebook will do the rest".

I wasn't going to chime in, but now I have to from a quasi-professional marketing perspective. Relying on Facebook alone is an incredible mistake for any organization, despite how easy it is to update and maintain. There are several reasons:

Your website is the digital counterpart to your organization. It is the mothership.

Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and other social media outlets are supposed to do three things: cultivate your brand, engage your audience, and point back to the mothership. Why? Because your website should be current and updated with some sort of regularity. Why? Because a stagnant webpage says one thing: we don't care or don't have the time, and this is especially critical for first time or occasional visitors.

Sure, you can post a link to your recent events or excursions (NEVER ask viewers to "go to your website" when you could just copy and paste a direct link) but it will eventually get pushed down by other content. How many Facebook users navigate beyond the first five or six posts? Why would you leave it up to your visitors to go digging when a freshly updated website has it all up front?

Your website is critical inasmuch as it is the one-stop shop, allowing visitors to navigate to your gift store, donation button, membership links, events and schedule, tickets, blog, news etc at their will. Everything you have should point back to your site, and you should be able to capture audiences (e-newsletter? donations?) and gauge what content or pages are popular (based on analytics, which can show you where people are coming from and how they find your site.)

Websites built on the right content management system are as easy to maintain and update as Facebook. If you can open Microsoft Word, you can update a website.

Intellectually, Kelly, I get your point. From the real life perspective, I'm the guy hunting for a Phillips Head screwdriver to open the electrical locker........

But imagine trying to rebuild 611 with just a screwdriver and not the entire tool chest ;)

KL

Kelly,

I work putting together product roll-outs/product re-branding/marketing programs for several of the top CPG companies in the US. I agree with you, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, social media...they have become the key component to a successful broad-based strategy for getting the word out. I believe that as railroad preservation organizations continue to present themselves as a "product/service" they will see customer growth. You do have to "sell-the-show".

I also agree with the next statement concerning websites. I look at websites being the "store" of many products. I have noticed that several railroad preservation organizations are really good at utilizing their websites to drive reservations/tickets...and others go for months without adding any additional content. Shame on them! A couple of the big organizations approach restorations with such secrecy...it is a bit ridiculous...I mean really ridiculous.

The New Mexico Steam Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society is top-notch in the website department in my book. You can almost set a calendar based on their picture posts. Illinois Railroad Museum also does an amazing job of posting almost weekly updates via departmental blogs on their website. Side note: I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE 2926 MOVE!...I may have to book a flight out west to see her.

Kelly...I have seen your YouTube videos for 765...AWESOME. You have talent my friend.

I wish that a few other key organizations could keep their websites and Facebook pages more engaged, but I won't gripe too much...since in theory they are working like crazy to get things done in their shops.

Went to SRI recently and got lots of videos their equipment:

Steam Railroading Institute (Rolling Stock Tour), 06-26-2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZtgoSv3PFY

Steam Railroading Institute (Rolling Stock Tour), 06-26-2013 #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzKcko-_UO4

Pere Marquette 1225 (Restoration Tour), 06-26-2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXo4tVvzTqU

PM 1225 & FCC 75 (Steam Locomotives), 06-26-2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Azi3QvaqzU

Steam Railroading Institute (Mighty Mouse), 06-26-2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a72GCa6tzoY

Steam Railroading Institute (Rolling Stock Tour), 06-26-2013 #3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_GWbCV6yOQ

Great Lakes Central (Diesel Locomotives), 06-26-2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqqPxAVERG4

Steam Railroading Institute (Rolling Stock Tour), 06-26-2013 #4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYiX5YVR-WI

Steam Railroading Institute (Rolling Stock Tour), 06-26-2013 #5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdY9D7wc760

Mississippian 76 (Museum Tour), 06-26-2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb9DJX17_yk

Steam Railroading Institute (Rolling Stock Tour), 06-26-2013 #6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkgz5hsi1tQ

Here's RailsofMichigan's recent videos:

Pere Marquette 1225 July Overhaul Update 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruHIfnADVwI

Gettysburg/Mississippian 2-8-0 76 Update
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlOnNmOu2io

Pere Marquette 1225 July Overhaul Update 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebKk19MfE7A

Pere Marquette 1225 July Overhaul Update 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuvWWCtNv-E

Again RailsofMichigan's has begin cover the PM 1225/FRA15/Rebuild since 2009. He's a volunteer and would be knowledgeable about the locomotives current status. SRI is aiming for steam testing this fall. They want to be done in time for Halloween and before Christmas. Long distance trips are being planned out for next year in 2014.

Enjoy! ^_^