future 611 trips ??
NW Mailing List
nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Thu Jun 1 16:35:30 EDT 2017
A few thoughts. This year there were no trips out of Manassas. In the 1980s and 1990s we had a local Joint Trip Committee, which consisted of the Washington D.C. and Potomac NRHS Chapters plus the Chesapeake Division of The Railroad Enthusiasts, that coordinated with Southern Railway and later Norfolk Southern to operate trips to Front Royal and Charlottesville and, as I recall, at least once to Lynchburg. The railroad used to schedule us for two weekends a year for a Saturday and Sunday excursion. In the 1990s NS scheduled us for one weekend of trips, which I believe later dropped to a single Saturday or Sunday as the steam program ended in the 90s. Over time we saw a decrease in the number of passengers and we attributed the decline to the fact people were losing interest in the same destinations.
I have heard that NS dropped the trip insurance it was providing last June. If this is correct, the museums now must also factor in the cost of trip insurance in the ticket prices, which have increased to the point taking the whole family may now be a significant financial commitment. Some friends and I chased several of this year's excursions in North Carolina and Virginia and we noted that some of the cars appeared to have a larger number of empty seats and one car I saw looked like it only had a car host.
While I hope the 611 does continue to operate in excursion service, I am also very concerned for its future in doing so.
Just my thoughts....Clay Moritz
>
> On June 1, 2017 at 9:42 AM NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>
> Folks:
> Don't forget that the Manassas to Front Royal runs were complete sell
> outs.
> There is gold (money) in them thar hills of Prince William County and
> Northern Va....
> Eric
>
> On 2017-06-01 07:29, NW Mailing List wrote:
>
> > >
> > http://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Norfolk-Southern-is-open-to-Roanoke-area-611-Excursions-in-2018-425564914.html
> > [4]
> >
> > Sounds like NS is willing to do more Roanoke area trips. But as said
> > earlier 611 needs to change up on where she goes to help bring ticket
> > sales back.
> >
> > My vote is a long days round trip Roanoke-Riverton and return. Or
> > perhaps some sort of an Overnight loop? Roanoke to Manassas via
> > Riverton day 1. Then Manassas to Roanoke via the Southern on day 2?
> > Perhaps the VMT should approach NS about going out on the pokey some?
> > Perhaps Bluefield to Iaeger? Or Williamson to Devon?
> >
> > 73,
> > Nate
> >
> > On Jun 1, 2017 05:45, "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > > >
> > > I dont post much as I am more of a pupil here but I believe we have
> > > a limited window of opportunity to get big steam back in action. I
> > > live in Cleveland and at at the Midwest Railway Preservation Society
> > > they have two steam locomotives under restoration at the old B&O
> > > roundhouse.
> > >
> > > My point is...the number of people that remember working steam is
> > > dwindling; the number of skilled mechanics who can do that type of
> > > work is dwindling; therefore it is my fear that as each year goes
> > > bye, the people willing to donate money or estate gifts goes BYE.
> > > Now is the time to pull out all the stops and establish self
> > > sustainable preservation trusts that ensure their operation for the
> > > next 100 years. The 1218 only has a small window of opportunity to
> > > be back under steam, otherwise she will be relegated to Madame
> > > Tussauds wax museum status for ever.
> > > Operation stirs interest...interest stirs participation and
> > > donations, thus longevity.
> > >
> > > Case in point....how many kids want a lionel train for Christmas any
> > > more? Just my $0.02 worth...
> > >
> > > Chris Bunsey
> > > Cleveland Ohio
> > >
> > > Sent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy S® 6.
> > >
> > > -------- Original message --------
> > > From: NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> > >
> > > Date: 5/31/17 1:39 PM (GMT-05:00)
> > > To: 'NW Mailing List' <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> > > Cc: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> > > Subject: RE: future 611 trips ??
> > >
> > > Good evening,
> > >
> > > Perhaps a funding mechanism equal to the donation of the equivalent
> > > of a
> > > pint of beer per week by a large number of people would work. That
> > > is how
> > > the Tornado project was funded.
> > >
> > > For 1218 it has to be worth it.
> > >
> > > Regards
> > >
> > > Phil Mortimer
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: NW-Mailing-List [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On
> > > Behalf Of
> > > NW Mailing List
> > > Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2017 6:01 PM
> > > To: NW Mailing List
> > > Subject: RE: future 611 trips ??
> > >
> > > Unfortunately, since 1218 was in the middle of a rebuild when the
> > > original
> > > NS steam program ended in 1994, many parts were not put back. The
> > > parts
> > > that are with her are probably still in good condition, but they may
> > > actually have to find or fabricate more parts to restore her today
> > > than was
> > > necessary in 1987. Given the cost involved with restoring and
> > > maintaining a
> > > steam locomotive and the missing components, 1218 is likely going to
> > > require
> > > a rather wealthy and enterprising benefactor in order to be placed
> > > back in
> > > operation.
> > >
> > > Marty Flick
> > >
> > > ---- NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > Good morning from this side of the pond,
> > > >
> > > > Getting 611 out and about more is a good idea but has problems
> > > > such as
> > > > ensuring the support team and any related rolling stock can also
> > > > be
> > > > accommodated. 611 is a great icon and should be open to a wider
> > > > public.
> > > >
> > > > The new Tornado here still brings out the crowds whenever it is
> > > > scheduled
> > > > to
> > > > operate. Ditto a lot more steam locos cleared for main line
> > > > running.
> > > >
> > > > What are the intentions for 1218?
> > > >
> > > > Phil Mortimer
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: NW-Mailing-List [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On
> > > > Behalf
> > > > Of
> > > > NW Mailing List
> > > > Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2017 9:24 PM
> > > > To: NW Mailing List
> > > > Subject: Re: future 611 trips ??
> > > >
> > > > "Amtrak primarily will run routes during the week, freeing up
> > > > possible
> > > > time
> > > > and equipment, and cars to rent for weekend excursions."
> > > >
> > > > Does anyone know where this little gem came from? I don't know
> > > > about some
> > > > of the regional service, but the national routes don't take the
> > > > weekends
> > > > off.
> > > >
> > > > I don't really read anything into this regarding NS, at least from
> > > > the
> > > > article alone, but there have been complaints on this list, and I
> > > > imagine
> > > > else where, too, about 611 running the same Roanoke based trips
> > > > over and
> > > > over. I can easily see ridership dropping, as the mileage
> > > > collectors and
> > > > railfans willing to travel to ride 611 have been there, done
> > > > that. It
> > > > doesn't matter if they go with NS, Amtrak, or NRHS chapters, but
> > > > they need
> > > > to get 611 on the road to reach more fans. They need a mindset
> > > > like 765
> > > > or
> > > > 4449, not 1225.
> > > >
> > > > Marty Flick
> > > >
> > > > ---- NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List
> > > >
> > > > <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > http://www.wsls.com/news/virginia/roanoke/changes-ahead-for-611-excursions
> > > [1]
> > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > |
> > > > > |
> > > > > |
> > > > > | | |
> > > > >
> > > > > |
> > > > >
> > > > > |
> > > > > |
> > > > > | |
> > > > > Changes ahead for 611 excursions
> > > > > By Rachel Lucas The Virginia Museum of Transportation is now
> > > > > looking to
> > > > > expand the excursions to new areas to increase interest ...
> > > > > | |
> > > > >
> > > > > |
> > > > >
> > > > > |
> > > > >
> > > > > Kind of sounds like either a) not as many people are riding or
> > > > > b) NS is
> > > > > looking to punt the trips over to Amtrak.
> > > > > Brian Dembinski
> > > > >
> > > > > On Monday, May 29, 2017 6:36 AM, NW Mailing List
> > > > >
> > > > > <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Has anyone heard of the future of any more trips either at the
> > > > > NC
> > > > > Transportation Museum or on the NS mainline for next year?
> > > > > I just got a message from "a good source" that said this year's
> > > > > trips,
> > > > > i.e., Monday, May 29th is IT and no more afterwards.
> > > > > Anyone else heard anything?
> > > > > Bob Cohen________________________________________
> > > > > NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
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> > > > >
> > > > > > > > >
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> > > > >
> > Links:
> >
> > ------
> > [1]
> > http://www.wsls.com/news/virginia/roanoke/changes-ahead-for-611-excursions
> > [2] http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
> > [3] http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/
> > [4]
> > http://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Norfolk-Southern-is-open-to-Roanoke-area-611-Excursions-in-2018-425564914.html
> >
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