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Re: Wallowa-Union
Author: 2083
Date: 03-29-2012 - 08:57
There are those who think that all you need for a tourist railroad is a steam locomotive. Some are so blinded by steam and smoke that the belief is that hordes of people will want to pay to allow for the privilege for it to be operated.
Realistically, the tourist railroad market has changed drastically from being historical steam oeprations to being an entertainement venue that must compete with the few disposable dollars that most of us barely have these days.
Comparing the Yreka-Western to the Wallowa-Union:
1. YW had steam, but neither railroad had enough ridership to justify the added expense.
2. For scenary, YW was not bad, but I give WURR the edge between Looking Glass and Minam due to the canyon and roadless area alongside the river.
3. For existing tourist traffic to draw from - YW wins hands down. I-5 has far more tourist traffic than I-84 which is 20 miles from the nearest WURR station.
4. Tourist amenities and local attractions - I would say about even.
5. Length of ride and destination - YW had just long enough ride that the kids weren't too bored, and had an actual destination of Montague, though I am not sure that strandng/focing everyone to stay there for lunch was the best idea. Too bad they couldn't have run two trains allowing either an immediate round trip or layover between trains.
My opinion - Assuming that they intend to stay with the previously proposed schedule, the steam trips on the WURR will be too long, too high of a ticket price and too expensive to operate, and will not attract near enough revenue to come close to covering operating costs much less capital improvements or a 1472 day rebuild of #19. Both railroads had potential, if they were done differently.
I won't be surprised if the proposed WURR schedule is drastically altered not long after the first train, though there is a possibility that the newness and curiosity will keep it going the first year or two. The upper end of the line will again end up with storage cars, or the train will come begging for the locals to subsidize it in the name of economic development, or it will jsut fail and fade into oblivion leaving the locals wondering what happened.
Realistically, the tourist railroad market has changed drastically from being historical steam oeprations to being an entertainement venue that must compete with the few disposable dollars that most of us barely have these days.
Comparing the Yreka-Western to the Wallowa-Union:
1. YW had steam, but neither railroad had enough ridership to justify the added expense.
2. For scenary, YW was not bad, but I give WURR the edge between Looking Glass and Minam due to the canyon and roadless area alongside the river.
3. For existing tourist traffic to draw from - YW wins hands down. I-5 has far more tourist traffic than I-84 which is 20 miles from the nearest WURR station.
4. Tourist amenities and local attractions - I would say about even.
5. Length of ride and destination - YW had just long enough ride that the kids weren't too bored, and had an actual destination of Montague, though I am not sure that strandng/focing everyone to stay there for lunch was the best idea. Too bad they couldn't have run two trains allowing either an immediate round trip or layover between trains.
My opinion - Assuming that they intend to stay with the previously proposed schedule, the steam trips on the WURR will be too long, too high of a ticket price and too expensive to operate, and will not attract near enough revenue to come close to covering operating costs much less capital improvements or a 1472 day rebuild of #19. Both railroads had potential, if they were done differently.
I won't be surprised if the proposed WURR schedule is drastically altered not long after the first train, though there is a possibility that the newness and curiosity will keep it going the first year or two. The upper end of the line will again end up with storage cars, or the train will come begging for the locals to subsidize it in the name of economic development, or it will jsut fail and fade into oblivion leaving the locals wondering what happened.
