I have been doing a tad bit of research on this and find the following organizations offering this service: Portola, Valley RR, RR Museum of New England, Henry Ford, Steam Railroading Institute, Fort Wayne RR Historical Society.

I couldn't find any data about it at TVRM's web site.. Mark, Stevve, y'all still offering or not?

Looks like the average fare for an hour or so at the controls is about $264 with a lot of variety in the amount of instruction time given.

Anybody else offering it and at what rate? Jim

http://nctrans.org
Wrinnbo@aol.com

I believe that the Golden Gate Railway Museum offered a similar attraction at one time. I don't know if the program still exists or not.

gerald_altizer@atlanticbb.net

> I believe that the Golden Gate Railway
> Museum offered a similar attraction at one
> time. I don't know if the program still
> exists or not.

Quite common in the UK, we charge 175GBP for which you get:

An introductory talk with full notes on the workings of the steam locomotive.
A tour of the workshop with the opportunity to see locomotives under repair.
A minimum of two hours on the footplate of a locomotive in steam driving and firing under instruction.
A commemorative course certificate.
A years free membership.

Other deals are available from other railways and the prices are variable.

G

gavin@hamilton.powernet.co.uk

Jim,

Maine Narrow Gauge runs a "Guest Engineer Program that has proven quite successful. They have several sessions a year and the available slots are often sold out months before the first session begins. The last I heard the price was $250 per session. You can find their contact info at the attached link. I'm sure they'd be happy to share their experience.

Best Regards,
Glenn

> Looks like the average fare for an hour or
> so at the controls is about $264 with a lot
> of variety in the amount of instruction time
> given.

> Anybody else offering it and at what rate?
> Jim


http://www.mngrr.org/
christensenge@yahoo.com

http://www.mngrr.org/
christensenge@yahoo.com

Instead of just being an engineer for an hour of a loco trundling about a yard, I thought it would be cool to learn the ropes and run with real passenger, or freight cars, like a real train would handle. A perfect place for this would be someplace like Durango, Cumbres & Toltec, Ohio Central, or any other location where you can get out and run a bit. Just running a light engine doesn't mean that much to me, but thats just my wish. With all the cab rides I have had here in the US and overseas, I have never run a steam engine. Even have a shot of me in the engineers seat of a New York Central 2-8-2 while it was moving, but I can't take credit for running it, when I was just four!!!!
Steamingly,
Greg Scholl

PS....I do not imply the train should be a regular train with paying passengers, but a special train with other engineer types on the train like the guys at the throttle.

Videos
sales@gregschollvideo.com

On the Nevada Northern Railway we offer both diesel and steam locomotive rentals. I believe the price is $550 for steam and $350 for diesel. After a simple test the renter engineer gets about 2 hours running time on the mainline (15 mph). During the operating season rentals are available at 7:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 3:30 PM (times vary somewhat depending on regular train movements. Many renters split the day between two or three guests.

nnry3@mwpower.net

A word from the shameless commerce division: the Valley Railroad's Your Hand on the Throttle program in November has a three morning and four afternoon slots open on two weekdays. The other eight days are fully booked. We are taking reservations for the spring 2005 program. The price is still $390.00 for one hour (8 mile round trip), $750.00 for two hours (26 mile round trip). For more details see our website: essexsteamtrain.com
J.David

jdconrad@snet.net

> I couldn't find any data about it at TVRM's
> web site.. Mark, Stevve, y'all still
> offering or not?

At the bottom of our rides overview page @ $225/hr.


Here's the link
webforeman@tvrail.com

> At the bottom of our rides overview page @
> $225/hr.

To continue:
That's just for a GP7 or RSD1, no steam offered, Mark or Steve will have to expand on the way of that though.

Jason

Here's the link
webforeman@tvrail.com

Can you even imagine what the liability insurance premiums would be for a tourist railroad that lets unqualified engineers operate trains with passengers on board?

Good luck!!!

gerald_altizer@atlanticbb.net

One of my British friends has gone twice to Poland, where he paid for the opportunity to fire and run steam locos in regular service. On his first visit, he worked in freight service, doing yard and road service. On his second trip, he was able to work passenger runs. On both trips, he and his pals were accompanied at all times by the regular crews. He noted somewhat ruefully that one day during his week, he had a 4 a.m. call!

K4s1361@hotmail.com

> Can you even imagine what the liability
> insurance premiums would be for a tourist
> railroad that lets unqualified engineers
> operate trains with passengers on board?

> Good luck!!!

Re-read my post....I did not suggest that, and in fact said NOT on regular trains!!!!!
Greg


Videos
sales@gregschollvideo.com

Here's the way we do it at the Florida Gulf Coast RR Museum. We're a diesel operation with your choice of a GE 44 tonner, Alco RS-3, or EMD GP7.
-Jim Herron

Rent-a-Locomotive
Have you dreamed of waving to family and friends from a throbbing 1500 horse power locomotive? Or how it feels to blow the whistle and ring the bell-clearing the track for your hard-charging locomotive? Now you can have the chance to have that dream come true! The museum will rent a locomotive to you for an hour, complete with an instructor to show you how to operate the controls. After a brief instruction period, you'll be running the locomotive yourself. After your rental is finished, you will receive a certificate of completion suitable for framing.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age with valid driverÂ’s license from their state of residence. Applicant must be physically capable of climbing aboard the locomotive. They must complete an application and submit it with a 50% deposit to reserve their rental time. A one-year museum membership is included in the rental fee. One rider may accompany the applicant at the regular cab ride rate of $20.00. No one under the age of 16 is permitted on the engine for locomotive rentals.
Request a Rent-A-Loco packet online!

The rental rates for this program are:

* FGC #100 44 ton GE Locomotive (1955) $100.00
* FGC #1633 RS-3 Alco Locomotive (1951) $150.00
* FGC #1835 GP-7 EMD Locomotive (1951) $150.00


Florida Gulf Coast RR Museum

> Re-read my post....I did not suggest that,
> and in fact said NOT on regular trains!!!!!
> Greg

> but a special train with other engineer types
> on the train like the guys at the throttle

And what would you call these "other engineer types"?

According to the FRA, other regulating agencies, and insurance companies, they are passengers.

gerald_altizer@atlanticbb.net