> They identified with the caboose and not the
> diesels; no matter how unique they were.

And that is the biggest tourist-failure of the Diesel-Electric. A Diesel is a Diesel, is a Diesel. They all look the same to an untrained eye. It would take attracting serious railfans to a museum to see a broad assortment of unusual Diesels, meticulously restored in an original paint scheme.

I think Diesel-Days would work, provided that the rotation of units is apparent and the events are well publicized almost a year in advance, and the event is combined with some other important gathering. You won't attract the average tourist with a GP-9 or an ALCO PA. THe tourists come to hear, photograph, and smell steam locomotives; awesome creatures of a bygone age that can still be brought to life.
BTW, nobody ever suggested that Steamtown or any other museum pay for the privilege of having a guest locomotive. IF a person is wealthy enough to collect locomotives, he/she is wealthy enough to arrange their movement and operational costs.


glueck@saturn.caps.maine.edu