The North Carolina Transportation History Museum in Spencer has announced their October 2010 excursion trains. The train will operate from the museum in Spencer (near Salisbury, NC) to Roanoke, VA on Sat, October 30th and from the museum to Asheville, NC on Sun, October 31st.
Tickets..... at least those in the dome car.... will sell out quickly. Tickets go on advance sale to members of the museum at 9:00am eastern Mon, July 26. Tickets will be available to the general public beginning at 9:00am Wed, July 28.
I am considering joining the museum just to get a crack at the dome car to Asheville!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Very tempting, David. Do you know what the car is that is used for their 'Premium First Class' service?
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Usually private cars, like the JP Henderson or Hollywood Beach. I might be able to get you a list.
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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It sounds lovely. I do wish I could come, but they always do it at a bad time for me!
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Under the best circumstances, the leaves in central North Carolina will be just past peak in late October (and a shade beyond that in the mountains)......
In the world of turning a profit.....and there is nothing wrong with that..... the idea of a leisurely train ride into the mountains to look at pretty leaves is going to sell alot of tickets.
Of course as a North Carolina rail enthusiast who has not ridden a passenger train over the Old Fort loops since 1987 and not knowing for certain whether there will be another one any time soon after this..........
Looks like the regular coach will be Amfleet and the premium coach Heritage fleet type cars with larger windows. Not sure what will constitute a 'premium'. Isn't the Hollywood Beach the remaining former Seaboard 'Sun Lounge' car? THAT would be as phenomenal as the dome.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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I have become a member of the NC Transportation Museum. My documentation arrived in the mail today.
If anyone else is considering it - the membership includes free on-site train rides at the Spencer museum and has recipricol agreements with over 200 other history and technology museums nationwide (free or discounted admission) till the end of July 2011.
Of course I'll be online Monday morning trying for a coveted seat in the dome for the Asheville excursion. (I'll settle for a 'premium seat' if the dome seats get away.....)
I've not ridden a train over the Old Fort loops since 1987 and am eager to relive the experience. Admittedly we were spoiled by the old Norfolk Southern Steam Excursion program which offered up at least a half dozen trips every year and just assumed that there would always be another chance.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Dialed and got busy signals for nearly 10 minutes, spent about 10 more minutes on hold but at about 9:18am I was able to order one seat in the dome car for the Oct 31 Asheville excursion.
It was on this route.... Southern's Old Fort Mountain..... that I first discovered dome cars aboard Southern's #4, a tri-weekly remnant of the old Asheville Special, in 1975. That train itself wore the 'audios' drumhead just a few weeks later.
OK.... so there was no 'audios' drumhead BUT the final run of trains 3 and 4 in August 1975 featured a pair of Southern's green E8's from the 'Southern Crescent' pool and a consist swollen to 6 cars instead of the normal lone black FP-7, a combine, and the dome coach.
Signing off now to go ride the Cumbres & Toltec narrow guage train from Antonito, CO to Cumbres Pass. My hobby seems to have expanded to value added train rides (unique experiences such as a dome on Old Fort Mountain again 35 years later) rather than just riding the same Amtrak trains over and over.....
not that there's anything wrong with that.... but how many times can the CSX route between Rocky Mount and Petersburg inspire new excitement?
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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The Hollywood Beach is the only operational Sun Lounge left. There is also the Miami Beach left. Miami Beach was at ITA (Illinois Transit Assembly), and as of my knowledge is unrestored. But the Hollywood Beach is based out of Lancaster SC. The third car Palm Beach was scrapped in New Jersey.
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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Was at the Lancaster & Chester Railway last week. They laid on a special train for our TRB committee, consisting of J.P. Henderson and Golden Tower. A hot lunch was served.
Also saw a number of cars restored and undergoing restoration, including Hollywood Beach, owned by a doctor in Nashville but stored at L&C.
Don't know if Hollywood Beach will be on the Asheville train, but they will have two Vista Domes. They will also be serving continental breakfast and dinner to premium passengers in the Wautauga Valley Chapter NRHS diner (which, IIRC, is a restored Southern car).
Route Saturday will be Southern to Altavista, thence former VGN to Roanoke. Return will be via Bedford and Lynchburg on former N&W.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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Nice route. I didn't know the L&C ran excursions every once and awhile. One of the guys there owes me. The Hollywood Beach runs usually between the Henderson and the Tower. So it will be interesting. I'm buying my tickets tomorrow.
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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Who is L&C's Vice President - Unveiling nowadays? Last time I checked it was a Miss Lee.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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I cannot remember the Nashville doctor's name but I met him about 15 years ago when the NARP Region 5 annual meeting was in Fayetteville, NC.
Seems like he also owned the now defunct Broadway Dinner Train in Nashville.
That region 5 meeting is the only NARP meeting I have attended and I did so because I was living in Fayetteville at the time. What I most remember is that during the evening session, held in the 8th floor ballroom of Fayetteville's Prince Charles Hotel, a diesel air horn sounded for the grade crossing outside the hotel about 9:40pm. Someone said "That would be the southbound Auto-Train." The meeting paused as everyone stood up and went to the windows to watch the Auto-Train pass. Once the final auto carrier was out of sight, everyone sat down and the meeting resumed.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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The VP of the L&C is Ron Seegars. They now have two he is the executive VP.Assistant Vice President: Business Development, Traffic, Hazardous Materials is Matthew Gedney
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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I guess it has, it isn't on their website.http://www.landcrailroad.com/customer.html There is the link to my information. Also I bought my tickets a few minutes ago for the Asheville excursion. See you there. They don't have a unveiling to my knowledge.
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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I know they did, as I just read that. But not any more. They used to have a VP for every mile. I'm scared to ask how much money the paid them. But they don't seam to unveil anything much anymore. I guess they could still have one for the private cars, but those I would think would be unveiled at their home terminal.
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
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