George Andrews Wrote:
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> Yankee wrote: "...Conway Scenic... is around 150
> miles from Boston, MA., the only population center
> in New England. " Really ???

Actually, yes, and I am being kind. If you assume 100 miles as a travel distance you have only Manchester and Concord, NH, and, once you are outside the are of these 2 cities there is nothing close to a population center.

> Question for Yankee : What is the total population
> that lives within a 150 mile / 3 hour drive (
> both sides of the border ) of Conway Scenic ???
> I'll bet a Big Mac

I'll make it easy for you, I'll settle for a $1.00 Macdouble and a large coffee.

it's more than the total
> population of Oregon.

I am not familiar with and am not going to search for the populations, but allowing for 100 miles, which seems like a better travel distance, there is only Manchester, Concord NH and maybe Portland ME. We are not talking about major population centers here.

Conway Scenic has many
> advantages for the tourist, such as the fall New
> England colors,

yes, for two weeks a year the leaf peepers are floating around, not stopping, just driving around.

Colonial & Revolutionary War
> historic sites,

these are in suburban Boston, 150 miles from the Conway Scenic .

? and that 38 year operating history
> that you mentioned.

That was the whole point, if the Conway Scenic can thrive for 38 years in a low population area like northern NH, then maybe there is hope for the WURR.

Wallula Union RR & the new
> steam tourist train have none of these advantages.

Sorry, other than possibly Boston, for which you have Portland, I don't see any advantages.

> Not really a fair comparison.

Is to me.

One other thing, back around 1972, a group of people got together and bought first a diesel and later a steam locomotive. They formed a corporation, Locomotive 15 Corp, and sold shares in it at $100/per share. A share included access to Conway Scenic, a cab ride and a yearly dividend of 7-10%. I cashed those checks yearly for at least 35 years.