Interesting idea - apart from the yardgoat, how about all mainline steam? We have a few restored bigger engines all dressed up with relatively few opportunities to get out and run. Might it not be a better use of the resources already invested in them to put them to use on lease at Steamtown than to invest more resources into Steamtown's own collection of hulks? Steamtown staff can then focus on operations and visitor experience / pseudomarketing (such as they are allowed to do) rather than on a restoration program. The owners of the leased power will benefit by earned income from the lease payments, and by having their baby out there doing its job rather than waiting for a chance.

Perhaps this could be the sort of public / private sector cooperation that could combine the best advantages of both cultures to universal benefit.

dave

No plans for that at this point.

Thanks

Until Superheaters last post I thought this thread was an interesting and informative attempt to discuss several meaningful(1361&S'town) topics. I'm guessing from his last post that there's some anger&jealousy at work there and I'd recommend he seek counseling,for those character flaws as left unchecked can cause serious long term issues.
My comment regarding shutting S'town down was an attempt to cut to the quick. As in anything involving the Feds there is a laborious process that would be followed etc., but the bottom line is that IF the Interior Dep't. is ordered by Congress to shutter its most expensive/visitor parks as a cost cutting measure, then S'town would certainly be one of those selected based on the raw numbers. I'm guessing that after several years of hearings(the local pols would have to show their opposition,etc.) the deed would get done and the "decommissioning" would occur. Then its either shutter up the place and lock the door or pass title to another public sector entity that would be willing to "adopt" the property and the responsibility of its future operation/maintenance. The only logical candidate is Lackawanna County(the City of Scranton is beyond dead broke) as one of the Countys main missions in life is to encourage/promote tourism. The ski resort I visited last Sunday at Montague(just outside Scranton) is County owned and developed and leased out to a private operator. On Sunday it was very busy with lots to do for all age groups, very clean and inviting, good concessions and service and LOADS of people everywhere. Under a similiar arrangement,and with the right operator, I believe S'town could build its visitorship into the 150,000/year range (from a current 60,000 plus or minus), and at least quadruple the paltry current excursion patronage. To do this will take creative marketing and of course producing a product that can compete successfully for the discretionary tourist dollar. The biggest challenge will be to be able to arrive at a contract with the County that gives the private sector entity a fighting chance of turning a profit. It will be an interesting opportunity and for the sake of the places potential I hope it someday happens.
I am proud to be a licensed loco. engineer on the NH&I and can attest to the fact that as the result of years of hard work and dedication to their product they've been able to build their ridership to where they're now solidly in the black. But, it took all the things(clean equipment, running on time,courteous, outgoing and knowledgeable train crews, LOTS of special events-Thomas,Polar,Santa, Halloween trains) aggresive creative marketing etc., etc. working together and PATIENCE to get there. Many of these ingredients don't(can't) exist within a Federally run operation, and when you couple that truth with the absence of having to pay the bills with self-generated funds-the resultant product is what you see.
Maybe someday we'll get a chance to see what the private sector can do-until then at least a little of the millions/year gets to where it counts! Better than nothing!
In 1998 we offerred to house the 614 at S'town and in return for their providing an under roof home for her we'd provide her cost free to the NPS for several excursions/year to the Delaware Water Gap and we'd organize/market the excursions for them. After waiting about 9 months for an answer we were told "sorry there's no room in the Roundhouse". On this past Sunday I saw plenty of empty tracks-but guess they might have been the wrong gauge???
Oh well, hope springs eternal!!
Ross Rowland

While they have fewer interpretive exhibits (those things that cost virtually nothing after the initial build/install cost)

That statement demonstrates an incredible lack of understanding:

Try maintenance, heating, air condition, insurance, security.....

OK, folks, that's it, topic is locked.

It is to be regretted that we cannot discuss this set of institutions and issues without the discussion degenerating into sarcasm, unconstructive criticism and ad-hominem attacks. Unfortunately, however, that seems to be where we are.

Policy remains the same--conversation is allowed to continue until it repeatedly and egregiously violates the Guidelines. Then it gets locked.

We hit and sped past that point with this thread, so its locked.

Erik Ledbetter
RyPN Board