Leviathan

softwerkslex · **Posted:** Fri Jun 29, 2018 4:30 am

So there is a new junior Greenfield Village? Positive outcome I say, hopefully with a sound business plan and future.

Crescent-Zephyr · **Joined:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm **Posts:** 1796

Doesn't sound like this going to be anything like greenfield village to me, it's an upscale wedding and event venue. Using the old train as a selling point / photo op is a brilliant idea.

By the way, theres quite a few historic villages (mini greenfield villages as you say) out there, I've been to the ones in Tifton GA (with a steam train) and Greely Colorado this year.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Fri Jun 29, 2018 11:42 pm

Holy cr*p.

Thank goodness the Star Barn was preserved.

Now, more from Trains Newswire--and I must say this is starting to sound like the "too good/overly-ambitious to be true" category:

Quote:

Project Coordinator Steve Torrico tells Trains Newswire that the venue also purchased Kloke’s replica of the Lincoln Funeral Car, and that Kloke also will build a combine and two coaches to go on a new three-mile railroad that will be laid partially on a half a mile of right of way that belonged to the now abandoned Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mountjoy & Lancaster Railroad, which hosted the Lincoln funeral train in 1865. “We will be laying track back down on this right of way and building 2.5 miles of new track through the property,” Torrico says. “We plan to build a copy of the turntable at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, a wooden water tank, and we will have a wooden, covered railroad bridge, harp switch stands” and more.

The operation called the Harrisburg, Lincoln & Lancaster Railroad, will not be open as a tourist railroad but will operate for special events, weddings, and corporate events.

Emphasis added by yours truly.

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 30, 2018 5:49 am

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

Now, more from Trains Newswire--and I must say this is starting to sound like the "too good/overly-ambitious to be true" category:

Quote:

Project Coordinator Steve Torrico tells Trains Newswire that the venue also purchased Kloke’s replica of the Lincoln Funeral Car, and that Kloke also will build a combine and two coaches to go on a new three-mile railroad that will be laid partially on a half a mile of right of way that belonged to the now abandoned Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mountjoy & Lancaster Railroad, which hosted the Lincoln funeral train in 1865. “We will be laying track back down on this right of way and building 2.5 miles of new track through the property,” Torrico says. “We plan to build a copy of the turntable at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, a wooden water tank, and we will have a wooden, covered railroad bridge, harp switch stands” and more.

The operation called the Harrisburg, Lincoln & Lancaster Railroad, will not be open as a tourist railroad but will operate for special events, weddings, and corporate events.

Emphasis added by yours truly.

Given that we already seem to have a very dedicated and competent management and labor force (consider just the Star Barn), and that we are looking at Amish style devotion to craftsmanship and detail, it looks quite possible.

The only downside is that very, very few of us will get to see this.

But at least the engine and an equipment set will be in in good hands, along with the Star Barn and other things.

Let's hope we at least see some photos from Mr. Kloke of the new cars.

PaulWWoodring · **Posted:** Sat Jun 30, 2018 11:12 am

Well, since they are a commercial venture looking to make money, perhaps someone like Mr. Lerro can set up a photo charter there at some point.

Crescent-Zephyr · **Joined:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm **Posts:** 1796

PaulWWoodring wrote:

Well, since they are a commercial venture looking to make money, perhaps someone like Mr. Lerro can set up a photo charter there at some point.

Yessss please!

ColebrookdaleRailfan · **Joined:** Wed Jan 11, 2017 5:54 pm **Posts:** 84

The general vibe of the place seems like it would be fairly easy to pay them off. The real question is what kind of outrageous price they would want for such an event, even if you were only trying to book the train. I personally can't think with all the trouble that it seems they want to go through that they wouldn't at least have an open house every now and then, something like another private steam railroad in Pennsylvania, but I don't know the owners so I can't begin to put some sort of probability on that happening.

Dave · **Posted:** Sat Jun 30, 2018 7:58 pm

I think that if they find the place isn't booked up well in advance for weddings, etc, they would welcome any interested charter proposal. Let's see how it goes.

bigjim4life · **Posted:** Sat Jun 30, 2018 8:27 pm

The locomotive just arrived, everyone, and we’re putting the charter before the iron horse. Let’s see what they do in terms of building track before we start discussing potentially having charters there...

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sat Jun 30, 2018 11:25 pm

The last operation I saw that operated by the "charter by the hour" model, the Chesapeake RR with a pair of Whitcombs on the Delmarva Peninsula, bombed disastrously.

Mind you, a mid-1800s-profile 4-4-0 isn't a Whitcomb.......

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:41 am

bigjim4life wrote:

The locomotive just arrived, everyone, and we’re putting the charter before the iron horse. Let’s see what they do in terms of building track before we start discussing potentially having charters there...

Absolutely right!! For now, be glad we have what appears to be a very capable and committed organization as the caretaker of the Leviathan, and that this firm has good plans for her and an expanded equipment set.

The charters will come later.

Having said that. . .

Quote:

Project Coordinator Steve Torrico tells Trains Newswire that the venue also purchased Kloke’s replica of the Lincoln Funeral Car, and that Kloke also will build a combine and two coaches to go on a new three-mile railroad that will be laid partially on a half a mile of right of way that belonged to the now abandoned Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mountjoy & Lancaster Railroad, which hosted the Lincoln funeral train in 1865. “We will be laying track back down on this right of way and building 2.5 miles of new track through the property,” Torrico says. “We plan to build a copy of the turntable at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, a wooden water tank, and we will have a wooden, covered railroad bridge, harp switch stands” and more.

. . .I wonder just how good the whole thing will look. I'm thinking appropriately light rail, the aforementioned Harp switchstands, possibly stub switches, the turntable. . .and I'm intrigued by the "more." A depot, obviously, maybe even two (there are two venues on this property). The turntable suggests some sort of service or shop facility, at least something to keep the weather off the existing and future equipment. How well will the shop be equipped? I would think they would need a bit of something, even given what may be relatively limited operations. And could it be attractive enough to become a venue as well, along the lines of a "behind the scenes" tour?

And didn't the Virginia & Truckee have a grand ball in its car shop in Carson City in 1873?

Given what this organization has done with its existing facilities, including the Star Barn, I would suspect the standard will be pretty high. The line length may be a bit on the short side, but otherwise I can imagine this becoming something close to the "immersive experience" we've discussed here, with a real 19th century feel.

Could something like this come to life in Pennsylvania. . .

(Images via Pinterest)

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:59 am

. . .in a larger scale than HO?

(Image via http://www.ottgalleries.com )

(Source)

http://www.ottgalleries.com/ELHenry%20Scene.html

Jersey steam · **Posted:** Sun Jul 01, 2018 10:32 am

It would be interesting to see a map of where they plan to build the railroad. The ranch is surrounded by a relatively populated area. I google mapped the area and it is difficult to see where they plan to put three miles of track, unless it is a total of 3 miles including main line and all sidings. The satellite view shows what appears to be a roadbed that can be used but it is not very long.

Bernie

PaulWWoodring · **Posted:** Sun Jul 01, 2018 10:47 am

I have always had a lack of imagination when it comes to how to build a railroad on a given plot of land, and have been amazed at what the right eye for bridging, filling, cutting and tunneling can do with what you have to work with. What I'm talking about mostly is what can be done in the smaller scales, but they have more land to work with.

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:06 pm

Jersey steam wrote:

It would be interesting to see a map of where they plan to build the railroad. The ranch is surrounded by a relatively populated area. I google mapped the area and it is difficult to see where they plan to put three miles of track, unless it is a total of 3 miles including main line and all sidings. The satellite view shows what appears to be a roadbed that can be used but it is not very long.

Bernie

I'm looking at this on a property site, and I think I can account for 253 of the 275 acres, so it could be spacious enough. . .remember, the owners aren't looking to be running a main line passenger train with a 4-8-4!

EDIT: It's also worth recalling that then-new Disneyland park in Anaheim, Ca., with its narrow gauge railroad that was the inspiration for the park as a whole, was originally only 160 acres, a good deal smaller than this place.

And did anybody else looking notice there is an double tracked main line railroad on one side of the property, and a spur for covered hoppers on the other?

Overall, it doesn't look like this place should run into the troubles some other venues would have with neighbors about noise, smoke, and crowds.

https://www.acrevalue.com/plat-map/PA/Lancaster/