Tom,

Those are some excellent ideas. They seem to be trying some new stuff, maybe that would be another option to mix it up a bit. I think there is also a problem in that the NPS can't buy ads to promote Steamtown. Maybe there could be a creative way around that as well.

Tom,

This was tried in the late 1980's when the Pocono Summit station was rehabbed and trains ran from there to Moscow (diesel) and from Scranton to Moscow (steam). I thought it was a great idea, and one of my favorite S'town rides was behind 2317 on a bitter cold fall day, with flurries at Moscow and a "meet" with the westbound train. What a cool experience.

Anyway, I am with you that a reverse trip with steam from a Pocono town to Scranton, with a runby, a turning of the engine on the turntable, and all would be a great sales pitch and is at least worthy of consideration.

For all the moaning about steam trips, we should not lose sight of the rather cool series of community-oriented diesel trips being run to the St. Ublado Fest and other big local events which are really "commuter trains" and do a great public service, especially for the beer-oriented partying these towns are known for. I think S'town deserves a great deal of credit for having the insight to become a useful player in these events.

In fact, I would say that the lack of steam "as we think it should be run" is really a smokescreen that prevents many people from looking deeper into what the park is doing. The Christmas event looks like it has legs to become a tradition, and it too is more community based. And the short trips up to da'U and back under steam included with the gate admission are the best steam bargain around!

Do I hope there will be a Park management team that will allow the biggest steam show possible? Heck yeah. The infrastructure is there for the best show in the US, and once #3713 is running I do hope they let her show off unassisted all over the place (and let her roam to New England once or twice).

But, will I despise the current park for lacking that one feature while they go and try all these other things?

No way!

Rob

Forgive my ignorance, but does this mean that Steamtown cannot budget for advertising or contract promotional work or is there a restriction on federal funds being used to purchase advertising? Could someone donate their services for advertising? (i.e. a film crew shoots a commericial for Steamtown)

Kelly Lynch

We have been watching this thread…. Let’s not let it deteriorate into a diatribe about Steamtown, it’s policies, or its critics.

Discussion of the locomotive and its off season work or various excursion possibilities is probably welcome.

I am close to locking the topic.

Randy Hees
Moderator, RYPN

I think Steamtown is prohibited from advertising due to its park status. Think about, have you ever seen advertising for ANY National Park?

I still would like to see a quality article about Steamtown's finances. Clearly it is the most popular, re-occurring topic here.

I think we all agree that we would like to see more steam operations at Steamtown, but I think this thread has said about everything that is to be said about it. Before flames erupt, I am locking the topic.