Rail Days at the North Carolina Transportation Museum

cabby · May 23, 2012, 12:17am

Besides the big event in July with the Heritage units, the Spencer shops have Raildays coming up June 2 & 3.
http://www.nctrans.org/Events/Great-Southeastern-Rail-Days-Festival.aspx

And more “big news”. In nearby Salisbury on June 9 & 10, Norfolk Southern will be running employee excursions from Salisbury to Barber Junction with Southern 630.
So, it looks like I’ll be making 3 trips that way in a little more than a month…
Ralph

Wendell_Hanks · May 23, 2012, 4:14pm

Ralph and others likely to attend the Memorial Day (above) event:
Please offer an estimate on attendance at the Southeastern Rail Days Festival. I am active with a group producing the Fullerton, Ca., Railroad Plaza Days. The Fullerton station on the BNSF main line, is the location for the yearly event. We have a nearby spur line 8 miles long that has been in disuse for over a year. We are looking for evidence from other events affirming a sizeable number of the public will pay to ride a train benefiting either the RR event or a charity.
Thanks,
Wendell

VicSmith · May 23, 2012, 4:18pm

Wendell Hanks said:
Ralph and others likely to attend the Memorial Day (above) event: Please offer an estimate on attendance at the Southeastern Rail Days Festival. I am active with a group producing the Fullerton, Ca., Railroad Plaza Days. The Fullerton station on the BNSF main line, is the location for the yearly event. We have a nearby spur line 8 miles long that has been in disuse for over a year. We are looking for evidence from other events affirming a sizeable number of the public will pay to ride a train benefiting either the RR event or a charity. Thanks, Wendell

Speeder rides Wendell! Speeder rides!

Wendell_Hanks · May 23, 2012, 8:20pm

Victor and other readers:
Yes! I have (my wife was a concerned listener at the time) considered purchasing one – two friends have them and have taken northern California and Alaska trips. However, as to Fullerton: The main consideration for the Fullerton group is getting permission from BNSF for re-activation of the line. It has been out of use for one year. The speeder use, compared to a GP30 and four gondolas with folding chairs, is what quantity of public activity can we get for the amount of “permission” granted. The Fullerton St. Jude Hospital complex has on-going fund raising for their children’s ward. Our hopes are tie in St. Jude’s need to fund raise a children’s ward with cooperation by the railroad. My guess has been with 30,000 attending the two day railroads days event – and nothing moved! – we could fill up four gondolas with chairs and families wanting a ride through Fullerton neighborhoods pulled by a GP 30 loco at $10 a person. Can we argue statistically that there is enough public interest in riding on an 8 mile (16 round-trip) train ride to warrant any insurance costs and use of the loco and cars? The PR value can also be considered as a write-off for the railroad considering the benefactor being the huge non-profit St. Jude Hospital complex. The railroad line, as of last year, was only used to make three trips a week with tankers loaded with Del Monte tomato products. A GP 30 pulled the six tanker load.

Those are the thoughts. Any comparable railroad situations are welcomed to help us with our persuasion.
Thanks,
Wendell

CLBee · May 30, 2012, 12:59am

I will be on the caboose train both days. Saturday afternoon as a caboose host and sunday as a brakeman.

cabby · May 30, 2012, 1:46am

I’ll probably be there Sunday. I’ll try to say hello if you’re not too busy
Ralph

NICHOLAS_SAVATGY · May 30, 2012, 1:47am

Ralph Berg said:
I'll probably be there Sunday. I'll try to say hello if you're not too busy ;) Ralph

Forget the Hello, make sure you take alot of pictures. :)

cabby · June 4, 2012, 9:30am

Here is a video of the Flagg Coal Co. backing out to start the day’s train rides. I’ve got better videos, but this one features NCTM volunteer and LSC member CL Beeson.
He’s on the back of the caboose, on the right, waving Turn the sound down a little, it overwhelms the Mic on my point/shoot.
More to come when I have some time.
Ralph

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAf9isukiS4&feature[/youtube]

Ken_Brunt · June 4, 2012, 10:42am

That place looks familiar…

JRad · June 4, 2012, 11:05am

I think it’s really great that John and Barney Gramling make this engine available to places that otherwise would never see steam. Hank the Tank will be in my area again June 9-17 at the Naugatuck Valley RR. I hope to be able to visit but a family event takes out the weekend of the 9th.

It’s also nice to see that the CVSRy is not the only tourist railroad that only has cabeese as passenger equipment

daniel_peck · June 4, 2012, 12:58pm

Only 10 mins from the house… goto thier web site for more on whats going on… July2 and3 rd closed for Media day!!! so you know the engines will be rooling in the saturady or sunday… From what I heard they will be place on the round house tracks for some pictures!!!

cabby · June 4, 2012, 9:58pm

Jon Radder said:
It's also nice to see that the CVSRy is not the only tourist railroad that only has cabeese as passenger equipment :)

No such luck, Jon ;) Ralph

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjFN37W5upg[/youtube]

cabby · June 5, 2012, 2:37am

Here’s another of the 6133 FP7 from “overhead”. You get to hear the horns as it crosses the museum driveway.
Ralph
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUWBji8HzuE[/youtube]

cabby · June 5, 2012, 10:36pm

Here’s a little better video of the Flagg Coal Co. #75 pulling the caboose train.
Sound is much better and the whistle blows at the driveway crossing.
Ralph

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL42DBcwrnE[/youtube]

Ken_Brunt · June 5, 2012, 11:04pm

Cool echo!!

Doug_Arnold · June 6, 2012, 12:18am

I enjoyed that! Thanks!

PhillipsMK · June 6, 2012, 1:06am

Thanks, I enjoyed the videos. If th Air Force lets me escape I hope to make it up to Spencer the weekend of the 16th.

cabby · June 7, 2012, 1:09am

Mike, I hope Uncle Sam gives you the time off. I plan on being in Spencer too, that weekend. Not quite sure if I’ll be there Saturday or Sunday. But I’ll be there Here’s a few pictures from Rail Days. Ralph The “Operation Lifesaver” GP-38-3

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/RAILDAYS01.jpg)

N&W 522, visiting for Raildays.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/RAILDAYS02.JPG)

The not ready for prime time tracks.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/RAILDAYS03.jpg)

The Roundhouse.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/RAILDAYS04.jpg)

The Speeder I took a ride on. It was a blast. One of these days

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/RAILDAYS05.JPG)

The Pine Tree State.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/RAILDAYS06.jpg)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cabby/_forumfiles/RAILDAYS07.JPG)