Maryland Delaware Railroad - Strasburg - New Tourist Train?

PaulWWoodring · **Posted:** Fri May 23, 2014 11:35 am

Even if the hump crew realized what they weren't supposed to do and didn't want to hump a coach, it's really hard to defy a yard master who's being a jerk and orders them to hump it or kick it. Insubordination rules usually outweigh car stencil instructions or non-employee riders. I'm not saying it's right, it's obviously not.

LVRR2095 · **Posted:** Fri May 23, 2014 3:32 pm

When I was running at the Lehigh Valley's Oak Island yard, we would get do not hump cars which we would carefully shove into the clear on one tracks of the west bound class yard, cut off and put a skate at the east end of the yard. That done.....invariably the retarder operator would drop ten or more loaded gons of scrap right down on top of the car.
Keith (retired LVRR engineer)

Mark Jordan · **Joined:** Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:21 am **Posts:** 490

I didn't mean to derail this thread (pun intended) by posting car damage pics and the ensuing hump / damage discussion, but have to ask why the RR's now seem to be incompetent about special moves / requests generally? Really?? It's not rocket science.

I really don't know what to think about any proposed tourist RR in the Delmarva Peninsula due to my background there. I wish the best, but would advise to tread cautiously.

Dave · **Posted:** Fri May 23, 2014 9:10 pm

It's an agreement to do a study to see what is possible........you don't ask for results until the study is done and digested.

Go hump some cars while we wait.

dave

wesp · **Posted:** Fri Jul 18, 2014 9:39 pm

On July 17 Bayside Gazette reported Worcester County and Maryland Delaware Railroad signed an agreement to share costs for phase one of a feasibility for the proposal to bring Strasburg Rail Road to the lower eastern shore. Strasburg will contribute to the cost of phase two of the study.

Wesley

bigjim4life · **Posted:** Fri Jul 18, 2014 10:16 pm

From the article:

"Strasburg Railroad and Maryland Delaware Railroad are interested in partnering to provide a local Strasburg Railroad franchise in the county."

Yes, because Strasburg is exactly like a McDonalds or Dunkin Donuts...

"Mayor Gee Williams was enthusiastic about the possible of a Strasburg Railroad in the county."

So what, we'd have Strasburg 1 and Strasburg 2? LOL...

Bobharbison · **Joined:** Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:42 pm **Posts:** 3013

I guess it depends on how you describe "franchise". If you interpret that like a $tarbucks franchise, they'll have to import some Amish folks.

If you interpret it to simply mean an operation owned and controlled by the Strasburg, then there are far more opportunities. You may recall that Strasburg already has some experience with generating income from equipment that's not parked in the Strasburg roundhouse every night. Little blue guy, 6 wheels, smiling face? While they don't release financials (or if they do I've never seen them) I think it's fair to say that they've done OK with the little guys.

Joking aside, it's hard to think of a better operation to start up a tourist railway. Presumably they wouldn't try if they didn't think it can be a success, and they certainly have the knowledge to make it work if it can be done.

bigjim4life wrote:

From the article:

"Strasburg Railroad and Maryland Delaware Railroad are interested in partnering to provide a local Strasburg Railroad franchise in the county."

Yes, because Strasburg is exactly like a McDonalds or Dunkin Donuts...

"Mayor Gee Williams was enthusiastic about the possible of a Strasburg Railroad in the county."

So what, we'd have Strasburg 1 and Strasburg 2? LOL...

wesp · **Posted:** Sat Jul 19, 2014 8:14 am

I live close by the proposed location. I think this could work. There are enough weekend festivals in Berlin and other on line towns to create supporting traffic into the area from the beaches. The surrounding area is also heavily populated by grandparents with visiting grandchildren.

The Strasburg "brand" will need to be promoted early and often to build and maintain a sustainable operation. They might start small with CN 7312 and a few coaches and build from there.

Wesley

bbunge · **Posted:** Sat Jul 19, 2014 8:28 am

The Strasburg "brand" could be very important. And super storm Sandy could be a factor as well. We vacation in Dewey Beach (near the area) and since Sandy, the number of PA licenses plates at the hotels has increased by a factor of four.

Local government is smart to support this as it could help keep these PA folk coming to the DE/MD beaches for the long term.

Bob

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sat Jul 19, 2014 12:01 pm

Bobharbison wrote:

I guess it depends on how you describe "franchise". If you interpret that like a $tarbucks franchise, they'll have to import some Amish folks.

Actually, no they won't. A lot of Amish have migrated to the Eastern Shore/Delmarva over the past 40 years, because the farmland is cheaper and more "available" there than increasingly-overdeveloped Lancaster County.

wesp · **Posted:** Sun Aug 03, 2014 1:40 pm

Both local papers report that Stone Consulting has been hired for phase one of the feasibility study. A report is expected by September.

Wesley

Quote:

OCEAN PINES INDEPENDENT July 24, 2104. The roughly $21,000 feasibility study is being funded by $5,000 contributions from Berlin, Snow Hill, and the Maryland Delaware Railroad as well as with nearly $6,000 from the county's economic development office.

Badger said the study would take between 45 and 60 days. He's hoping to bring the county the results in September, as he too has heard from a lot of residents interested in seeing plans for the train move forward.

INDEPENDENT Story: http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/maryland/2014/07/24/worcester-train-update/13104221/

BAYSIDE GAZETTE Story:
http://baysideoc.com/eastern-shore-news/Train-study-gives-railroad-nod-to-choo-choo-ahead

wesp · **Posted:** Thu Sep 11, 2014 2:51 pm

The latest from the Ocean Pines Independent newspaper. Underline added for emphasis.

Quote:

Company officials [Stone Consulting] conducted a variety of meetings and even rode the rail line during a visit to the area in August. Through touring the area with them, Badger [local economic development official] learned that while Worcester County’s scenery was beautiful, it would not be enough to draw tourists by itself. The train would also need to align itself with special events and holidays, such as Mother’s Day.

“The money is made in how you manage special events,” Badger said, adding about 50,000 seats would need to be sold annually to justify the train’s expense.

Link to the full story: http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2014/09/05/excursion-railroad-moving-forward/15161643/

Wesley

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:56 am

Another update:

http://mdcoastdispatch.com/2014/11/20/e ... rovements/

Quote:

Gustafson said that for the feasibility study, his company looked at both the physical aspects of the local railroad as well as the area’s population and demographics. With the summer population of Ocean City and the number of second homes in the area, Gustafson said the county had the people the railroad would need to be economically viable. He estimated a tourist train through the county would attract close to 77,000 riders a year.

“You’ve got scads of visitors,” he said, “but you’re probably going to get one percent.”

Because the county’s main attraction in the summer months is the beach, Gustafson said the best thing for an excursion railroad to do would be to focus on attracting customers in the fall and winter. He said there was no reason for the railroad to compete with the beach.

“You can own the fourth quarter,” he said.

Excursion railroads in other parts of the country have been very successful at attracting riders with trains geared toward special events — such as visits with Santa — or trains with particular themes — such as the Polar Express, Gustafson said.

“Non-traditional events are cleaning up nationwide,” he said.

Along with being geared toward the shoulder season, Gustafson said another key component of success for an excursion train in Worcester County would be its visibility to visitors.

Although the track passes and even crosses the road in some areas, such as on Route 50 in Berlin, Gustafson said the county would need to look at promoting the railroad with billboards and other signage, particularly because the existing depot in Snow Hill was out of the way.

An editorial by the same paper on the topic:

http://mdcoastdispatch.com/2014/11/20/p ... ssibility/

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

Another update:

http://mdcoastdispatch.com/2014/11/20/e ... rovements/

Quote:

“Non-traditional events are cleaning up nationwide,” he said.

That is the most bullish (read that correctly, bullish not bull*#!%) statement on the business of tourist railroading that I have ever read. Will Warren Buffet be adding a hertitage line or two to BNSF? ;-)

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Fri Nov 21, 2014 11:08 am

robertjohndavis wrote:

read that correctly, bullish not bull*#!%)

Thanks for the clarification. With you, sometimes it's hard to tell.