Donate Before You Shoot article

One thing I would ride is an official bus which would go to a secure photo shoot locations.  It might be hard to completely secure, but it might be something to look at.

And if not a bus, go to the site, purchase a photo shoot pass, print up and take with you to the secured photo line.

But the idea in TRAINS is interesting.

However, along UP lines the steamers are part of the UP company, and UP is paying for this.  The model fails in this case.  And it makes it less likely people will donate here in the west.

Dominic Mazoch posted:

 

But the idea in TRAINS is interesting.

However, along UP lines the steamers are part of the UP company, and UP is paying for this.  The model fails in this case.  And it makes it less likely people will donate here in the west.

So, you don't think that donating money to all the various volunteer operations, west of the Mississippi River, is worth while? How about the Santa Fe 4-8-4 in New Mexico, or the Santa Fe 4-8-4 in the LA area, or the SP 4449, SP&S 700, and the OWR&N 4-6-2 #197 all in Portland, OR, not to mention the narrow gauge Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR? There are dozens more, "in the west" that would be more than happy to receive cash donations!

There are many railroad organizations which can use donations across the country.  The San Francisco Bay Area has the Niles Canyon Railway that runs steam and diesel,  the Golden Gate Steamers (?) that runs SP 2472, the California State Railroad Museum that runs and restores steam engines at Jamestown, and a couple of other groups including trolley groups.  (I can never recall the exact name of the group that runs the SP 2472.)

Here is a photo taken by Scale Rails or Matt Boin:

Interesting question for those involved with group like Ft. Wayne and so forth, do excursion trains help with fundraising or are they revenue neutral or even cost more to run then the tickets involved? Even with volunteers, the cost of maintaining the engines to keep them road ready, fuel and so forth has to be pretty expensive.  Hopefully the excursion trains get people to donate above the ticket price, but most groups like this get most of their money from donations if they work like any other similar group I have been around, along with things like merchandise sales/tshirts, etc. 

The last non UP mainline steam train in the HOUSTON TX area was the SP 4449 World's Fair Daylight in 1984.  Before that was the Amtrak Transcontinental Steam Special in 1977 with AFT 4449, and the AFT itself with AFT 610 in 76.

So in this part of the world, one equates big steam with UP!

Dominic Mazoch posted:

The last non UP mainline steam train in the HOUSTON TX area was the SP 4449 World's Fair Daylight in 1984.  Before that was the Amtrak Transcontinental Steam Special in 1977 with AFT 4449, and the AFT itself with AFT 610 in 76.

So in this part of the world, one equates big steam with UP!

I'm therefore assuming that you did not receive an invitation to ride the "41 at 84" George Bush special train? 

Hot Water posted:

Dominic Mazoch posted:

The last non UP mainline steam train in the HOUSTON TX area was the SP 4449 World's Fair Daylight in 1984.  Before that was the Amtrak Transcontinental Steam Special in 1977 with AFT 4449, and the AFT itself with AFT 610 in 76.

So in this part of the world, one equates big steam with UP!

I'm therefore assuming that you did not receive an invitation to ride the "41 at 84" George Bush special train? 

 

No.

I read the article mostly agree to it.  I do it in a different way though. 

I have participated in several "official" photo shoots and money goes towards the organization.  

I also ride several excursions a year and chase several a year. 

Last year me and my son rode behind one of the 1225's all day excursions, and I chased the 1225.  When I have paid for excursions for that year, I generally do not donate for my chases.  

When I chased the 734 a few years ago with Ed Mullen I did not ride.  I did make a small donation that year to the WMSR though.

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