[quote="o anderson"]Before this thread gets too redundant, I wanted to point out some things that come up with a simple group search:
http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=43623&
23 posts on themed trains for holidays etc...

http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=43334
22 posts on strange theme trains

http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41229
15 posts just on Halloween trains

Thanks,

I had seen these. I was hoping for more detailed information from individuals that are directly involved with current events, such as passenger counts, advertising, labor costs, number of miles, decorations, etc....

If anyone wants to contact me offline, my email is hadder@thetrain.com

Eric

I just saw a promo for a local TV news story concerning the miniature (amusement park gauge) train at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale, Arizona (Phoenix Metro area) operating a Halloween-themed train ride this month.

The model, from the video clips I saw, is take the normal miniature train rise through a park and turn it into a "ride-through" "haunted house" experience, with tombstones, ghosts, giant spiders and webs, etc. (They have a "tunnel" too, the classic conversion of the train storage shed into an attraction itself, lined with lights for Christmas, etc.--it has a "monster mouth" "swallowing" the train......)
I know this park does a similar "ride-through experience" for Christmas. The park enjoys the luxury of lots of extra open room in the "back 40" which has picnic pavilions, etc. for guests--and holiday props for the holiday trains. (A reminder that this is Phoenix--everything that has a choice closes for the hot summer and opens for the winter.)

Important point: This is yet another classic case of taking the "been there, done that" amusement/entertainment experience and making it a destination for parents and kids alike.