UK's Railway 200: A Model For North American Celebration?

Dave · **Posted:** Sun Feb 02, 2025 9:20 am

[quote="Alexander D. Mitchell IV"
If only an American event could be THIS popular.[/quote]

If only an American event could BE this popular........

Channeling Chandler. But we'd find better support staging them.

Crescent-Zephyr · **Joined:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm **Posts:** 1799

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

If only an American event could be THIS popular.

When was the last time there was an American event of this caliber?

Maybe Cumbres & Toltec anniversary? They sold out all those trips and photo specials pretty quick, not break the internet quick, but quick never the less! haha.

70000 · **Posted:** Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:06 pm

The tickets have gone on sale again today with a new provider and it took me all of 4 minutes to buy one.....inlike last weeks farce!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8r54jzmvj3o

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Thu Feb 06, 2025 12:53 am

Crescent-Zephyr wrote:

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

If only an American event could be THIS popular.

When was the last time there was an American event of this caliber?

I'm inclined to suggest the Chicago Railroad Fair of 1948...........

Okay, wait, Sacramento Railfair, 1981 and 1991.............. Steamtown's Grand Opening in 1995 was nowhere NEAR that caliber.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Thu Feb 06, 2025 12:34 pm

John Hankey has a history column in the March issue of Trains Magazine making a case that the true "bicentennial" year for American railroading should be 2025......

We'd better get crackin', then............

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Jun 30, 2025 12:37 pm

Now rolling out in Britain: A touring exhibit train, coming to sixty or more heritage railways or major termini "near you" (in the UK, mind you):

https://railway200.co.uk/inspiration/

Quote:

Sporting an eye-catching livery, visitors young and old will go on a journey of discovery exploring the railway’s 200-year story of innovation, brought to life by interactive exhibitions and hands-on activities.

What’s inside Inspiration?
Curated in partnership with the National Railway Museum, Inspiration’s exhibition carriages are:

Railway Firsts: Showcasing groundbreaking innovations in railway history
Wonderlab on Wheels: Offering engaging hands-on activities to explore the science and engineering behind railways
Your Railway Future: Uncovering some of the more hidden roles in rail and encouraging people to consider a career in rail to shape the next 200 years

Nearly-15-minutes-long video on the creation of the train:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iid4_m1csQ

Sigh.................. if only in North America.................