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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 2:50 pm 

Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm
Posts: 1477
tweetsie12 wrote:
Crescent-Zephyr wrote:
Tweetsie Railroad is still owned by the family of the founder of Rebel / Tweetsie. I think that's why it has remained the same for so many years. As much as I like Tweetsie... I think they could morph into more of a historical attraction and drop some of the wild west show. But hey, it seems to still draw crowds and pay the bills so maybe I'm wrong!

Personally, I really enjoy the Wild West theme, and plenty of other parks still do train robberies, (Silver Dollar City, Knott's Berry Farm, etc...) Either way, I'm just glad no one is protesting that their portrayal of Native Americans is racist, as it's all in good fun.


There's a charm about the place not changing over the years, that's for sure. If they still sell toy guns it's obvious they are not going to worry about being politically correct. Ha.

As I said, I can see the place evolving and being a little less kid focused, keep the rides for the kids... just make the train ride a little more historically accurate to the Tweetsie line and add more historical crafts and such in the village to attract some older visitors.

Alot of times when I tell fellow railfans about Tweetsie, they get turned off by the idea of the cowboys and cheese. I beg them "no they have coal burning engines, yes they stop for the cowboy show but that stop means they have to restart on a grade! One of the engines is even historic to the area!"

Again... they are paying the bills (and seem to be growing!) with their current operation so maybe that's what's best. I just think a few changes and they could attract all the old people going up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway too.


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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 5:35 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:19 am
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Location: southeastern USA
Original poster: I'm presuming you have already contacted the park management and found out their take on this question about their operation - what did they tell you?

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“God, the beautiful racket of it all: the sighing and hissing, the rattle and clack of the cars over the rails. These were the sounds that made America the greatest country on earth." Jonathan Evison


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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 6:36 pm 

Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:09 am
Posts: 170
Crescent-Zephyr wrote:
There's a charm about the place not changing over the years, that's for sure. If they still sell toy guns it's obvious they are not going to worry about being politically correct. Ha.

As I said, I can see the place evolving and being a little less kid focused, keep the rides for the kids... just make the train ride a little more historically accurate to the Tweetsie line and add more historical crafts and such in the village to attract some older visitors.

Alot of times when I tell fellow railfans about Tweetsie, they get turned off by the idea of the cowboys and cheese. I beg them "no they have coal burning engines, yes they stop for the cowboy show but that stop means they have to restart on a grade! One of the engines is even historic to the area!"

Again... they are paying the bills (and seem to be growing!) with their current operation so maybe that's what's best. I just think a few changes and they could attract all the old people going up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway too.

Tweetsie Railroad's NEVER turned me off. It's my happy place! By the way, did you know that the Mouse Mine Train was built from Fairmont Speeder Parts?

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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 6:38 pm 

Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:09 am
Posts: 170
Dave wrote:
Original poster: I'm presuming you have already contacted the park management and found out their take on this question about their operation - what did they tell you?

Regarding Stone Mountain? I did send them an email, but they've yet to reply.

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Howdy Folks, and Welcome Aboard the Tweetsie Railroad!

"What Responsible Driver would stop, as if he was at a roadside layby? It's Rule 55, you can't do it!"- the Rev. W. Awdry


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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 7:01 pm 

Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm
Posts: 1477
Back to the Stone Mountain topic... this may be a bit out there but I wonder if there would be a way that the Museum in Duluth could partner / sponsor the railroad at Stone Mountain? Part of the agreement could be the operation of steam at Stone Mountain on select weekends. The museum could bring in one of the Grammling Tank Engines (like they did last year for their museum), and one day perhaps there own tank engine could make the trek over to Stone Mountain for some runs.

Such a partnership could one day grow into a unique operation with more steam. And correctly done, the partnership would push more visitors to the lovely (and growing) museum in Duluth.


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 Post subject: Add Hershey Park to the steam list also
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 7:22 pm 

Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2004 10:51 pm
Posts: 212
Location: Eastern Pennsylvania
To add to the list, Hershey Park (in Hershey Pennsylvania) has some nice 24" gauge, propane powered live steam. I was pleasantly surprised a few years ago when I took my kids to Hershey and got to ride this.

http://www.hersheypark.com/explore-the- ... -railroad/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUvUO2tNa2g


softwerkslex wrote:
And Tweetsie
And Omaha zoo
And SF Zoo (Cagney)
And Milwaukee zoo
And Billy Jones Wildcat
And Denver Lakeside

Crescent-Zephyr wrote:
The above post couldn’t be further from the truth...

Partial list of Theme parks that currently run steam -

Knotts Berry Farm
Silverwood Park
Dollywood
Silver Dollar city
Disneyland
Disney World
Busch Gardens Tampa*
Busch Gardens Williamsburg*
Cedar Point
Kings Island*

And...
Six Flags St. Louis*
Six Flags Texas both still run steam.

I put an asterisk* by the crown locomotives. All of the others are running historic steam locos. Pretty sure I missed some.

Disney World is currently rebuilding the Walter to have the modifications that was just put on the Lilly Belle. The plan is very much to keep steam running at Disney and in fact steam is still runnig at Disney World, you just have take the railroad tour to see it and the ride is very short. Ha.

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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2019 9:54 pm 

Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 4:11 pm
Posts: 287
As to the SERM Duluth. The Atlanta Chapter NRHS first housed it collection at Lakewood Park along with the donated A&WP 290 (A&WP donated 290 to the City who donated it to the Chapter). The City of Atlanta which owns Lakewood wanted them out and a group assembled to find a suitable location. Some members of the group began talking to the State of GA about locating the collection at Stone Mountain Park but that obviously never happened. Stone Mountain Park at the time was not connected to live rail and because the group had just been punted from a location without live rail, the group set as a priority a live connection. Once out of Lakewood the fledgling collection was kept at Southern RR's Inman Yard in Atlanta until the early 70's when the Southern donated land located just south of Duluth, GA to the Chapter. It moved from that location to its current location in the early 90's to property once owned by J.J. Finnigan Railcar Company.

From the beginning of its operation until the late 80's the Stone Mountain RR was not connected to live rail. The New GA RR spent gobs of money constructing a connection to CSX in the town of Stone Mountain. This allowed the New GA to run its trains from downtown Atlanta to Stone Mountain, then to the park and use the Stone Mountain RR like a huge balloon track to turn around and return to downtown Atlanta. I road the inaugural train out and around the Mountain Former SRR 6901 was on the point and I believe one of the SRR FP7s was behind it. The E-8's traction Motors did not like the pull up the back side of the mountain. I Only went around the mountain one time with S&A 750 she was barking up that back side too! Nice little grade coming around the back side. 290 never went into the park. She was pulled off the front, and the train pulled by diesels (the FP7s) went into the park. The connection was taken out after the New GA quit operation, but I'm not sure when.

As to Stone Mountain entertaining steam again I never say never but the mountain has this decoration that is one heck of a political hot button right now (and this forum is not a place to discuss that). Steam would be beyond off the radar right now.


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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 7:49 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:19 am
Posts: 6399
Location: southeastern USA
tweetsie12 wrote:
Dave wrote:
Original poster: I'm presuming you have already contacted the park management and found out their take on this question about their operation - what did they tell you?

Regarding Stone Mountain? I did send them an email, but they've yet to reply.


I think that's pretty indicative of the level of their interest. Just keeping the trach collected and the gates open is probably all that they can manage right now.

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“God, the beautiful racket of it all: the sighing and hissing, the rattle and clack of the cars over the rails. These were the sounds that made America the greatest country on earth." Jonathan Evison


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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 10:59 am 

Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:09 am
Posts: 170
Crescent-Zephyr wrote:
Back to the Stone Mountain topic... this may be a bit out there but I wonder if there would be a way that the Museum in Duluth could partner / sponsor the railroad at Stone Mountain? Part of the agreement could be the operation of steam at Stone Mountain on select weekends. The museum could bring in one of the Grammling Tank Engines (like they did last year for their museum), and one day perhaps there own tank engine could make the trek over to Stone Mountain for some runs.

Such a partnership could one day grow into a unique operation with more steam. And correctly done, the partnership would push more visitors to the lovely (and growing) museum in Duluth.

Not a bad concept. In fact it's a good concept! No, IT'S A GREAT CONCEPT!!!

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Howdy Folks, and Welcome Aboard the Tweetsie Railroad!

"What Responsible Driver would stop, as if he was at a roadside layby? It's Rule 55, you can't do it!"- the Rev. W. Awdry


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 Post subject: Re: Add Hershey Park to the steam list also
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 11:07 am 

Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:09 am
Posts: 170
jrevans wrote:
To add to the list, Hershey Park (in Hershey Pennsylvania) has some nice 24" gauge, propane powered live steam. I was pleasantly surprised a few years ago when I took my kids to Hershey and got to ride this.

I actually rode the Dry Gulch Railroad on my first trip to HersheyPark back in July of 2017. I thoroughly enjoyed the little train ride, despite it's short length. Both of the little Crown Engines Do a solid job. Also went to Strasburg on that same trip as well.

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Howdy Folks, and Welcome Aboard the Tweetsie Railroad!

"What Responsible Driver would stop, as if he was at a roadside layby? It's Rule 55, you can't do it!"- the Rev. W. Awdry


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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 11:13 am 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:19 am
Posts: 6399
Location: southeastern USA
tweetsie12 wrote:
Crescent-Zephyr wrote:
Back to the Stone Mountain topic... this may be a bit out there but I wonder if there would be a way that the Museum in Duluth could partner / sponsor the railroad at Stone Mountain? Part of the agreement could be the operation of steam at Stone Mountain on select weekends. The museum could bring in one of the Grammling Tank Engines (like they did last year for their museum), and one day perhaps there own tank engine could make the trek over to Stone Mountain for some runs.

Such a partnership could one day grow into a unique operation with more steam. And correctly done, the partnership would push more visitors to the lovely (and growing) museum in Duluth.

Not a bad concept. In fact it's a good concept! No, IT'S A GREAT CONCEPT!!!


Well, except that the park could simply contract with the Gramlings should they wish to do so, and the museum needs to bring people to their attraction, not another.

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“God, the beautiful racket of it all: the sighing and hissing, the rattle and clack of the cars over the rails. These were the sounds that made America the greatest country on earth." Jonathan Evison


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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 11:31 am 

Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:09 am
Posts: 170
Hey, if any of you are interested, I started a thread about Tweetsie: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=42965

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"What Responsible Driver would stop, as if he was at a roadside layby? It's Rule 55, you can't do it!"- the Rev. W. Awdry


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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 12:57 pm 

Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm
Posts: 1477
Dave wrote:
tweetsie12 wrote:
Crescent-Zephyr wrote:
Back to the Stone Mountain topic... this may be a bit out there but I wonder if there would be a way that the Museum in Duluth could partner / sponsor the railroad at Stone Mountain? Part of the agreement could be the operation of steam at Stone Mountain on select weekends. The museum could bring in one of the Grammling Tank Engines (like they did last year for their museum), and one day perhaps there own tank engine could make the trek over to Stone Mountain for some runs.

Such a partnership could one day grow into a unique operation with more steam. And correctly done, the partnership would push more visitors to the lovely (and growing) museum in Duluth.

Not a bad concept. In fact it's a good concept! No, IT'S A GREAT CONCEPT!!!


Well, except that the park could simply contract with the Gramlings should they wish to do so, and the museum needs to bring people to their attraction, not another.


Of course the park could do that, the park could be running steam all the time if they wanted to! The idea was to have someone who’s non-profit mission lines up with bringing steam to the greater Atlanta area. Especially if such an event could gain interest in their museum / organization.

It takes open minds to get things done in this industry.


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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 2:36 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:19 am
Posts: 6399
Location: southeastern USA
Does their mission include bringing steam to the greater Atlanta area? If so, how would doing this at Stone Mountain rather than on their own site do a better job of achieving that goal in a long term perspective? Sharing operating steam hasn't really led to a sustainable steam program for them since the demise of the New Georgia operation, and that was only as sustainable as long as the subsidy lasted. Show how a partnership with Stone Mountain would do better than running at home and I'll jump on board. Would it be cool, yes...... but that isn't the measure of operating in this industry.

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“God, the beautiful racket of it all: the sighing and hissing, the rattle and clack of the cars over the rails. These were the sounds that made America the greatest country on earth." Jonathan Evison


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 Post subject: Re: Could Steam be returned to Stone Mountain, GA?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2019 3:14 pm 

Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm
Posts: 1477
I'm not on trial and do not need to prove anything to you or anyone else.
There are many reasons why such an idea would not work. I am aware of that.

The Duluth Museum was just an example - although I do think there could be a nice partnership with Stone Mountain and the museum with or without steam as part of the equation.

Maybe a non-profit could be formed that exists specifically for the operation of steam locomotives in the Atlanta area for historical and educational purposes. If that group raised enough funding they could bring Steam back to both Stone Mountain and Six Flags one day.
Atlanta is a huge city with alot of rail history. The sky is the limit.


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