Does anybody know how the marketing for steam trips on Mt. Washington is working out?

They operate steam on least desirable departure of the day, and they charge $5 extra per ticket. Seems like they are doing all they can to discourage it.

Perhaps they are experimenting to quantify the value of steam to the general public. With Mt Washington out the window, do they really care what is hauling them up? I think it's a valid thing for them to know, whether I like the results or not. I think it's too bad they quit working on the development of more sustainable and cost effective steam with Nigel Day who had already made some very significant improvements to their existing fleet so there would be a more valid basis for comparison.

If I were there I'll take the steam ticket. Do you want the ride, do you want the steam, do you want the steam ride?

A lot of vacationers save money or plan their budget and that cost easily runs into the thousands of dollars, why disneyland etc works. 5 dollars won't mean much. Not when most dinner meals run 12-15 bucks or more per person today.

Go ride the steam and tellum dump the diesel...or ride down the mountain on a gear rack slide....(rimshot)

for a time in the early days they had these slides that would run on the gear cog track, but they quit that because of an accident.

Friends of mine took the family for the ride this past July. I encouraged them to get up early and do the steam train. They loved it. Feedback was a) they thought steam added much more to the experience and wouldn't want to do it any other way and b) the train was packed.

This is just one family, on one day, but they are not "train people."

Now, if Messers Delli Proscolli and Harper can buy the cog railway and rebuild the connection from Fabyans to Base Station, they'd have the ultimate railroad trip in North America: North Conway to the summit of Mount Washington!

Rob

From my experience and speaking with employees, the steam train is almost always sold out. Many times they have to put people who did not buy steam tickets ahead of time on diesel trains. Sometimes with much grumbling.

The reason for doing the steam on the first run in the morning is that steam is slower and messes with the schedule if they do it any other time, ie the steam riders get very little time at the top of the mountain. They are installing a new switch at the top, which should allow more flexibility.

While I am not happy with the diesels, I do give the owners a lot of credit for keeping at least a couple steam locomotives in service. Yet another new diesel is taking shape in the shop now.

Roger

When I rode in June of 1991 or 1992, the 1st trip of a day was the discount trip.

With nothing special out the window, I can tell you that our steam powered trips outsell the diesel powered trips by a handsome margin. I'm told it's an indifferent situation at Grand Canyon, where the scenery is important and the power is secondary. I suppose it has much to do with what you're selling - scenery or history or technology.

Marketing 101 if steam is a huge draw then put it in a time slot that is suffering to bring up numbers.