Excursion trains

[FrankCampagna]

Okay, it's a slow weekend on your railroad. The locals are tied up, maybe even what passenger trains you run. What to do? Round up some idle power, or an old steamer, slap together some idle, leased, or private passenger cars, and run an excursion train. Fantrips started in the thirties, so their is no excuse not to. Not limited to one railroad either. Power can be old steam, or even diesels in the late steam era. The Reading Iron Horse Rambles and NKP Berkshires were a good excuse to still be using steam on a dieseled line.

In the thirties groups would rent a train that ran over multiple lines. One in 1939 went O&W Weehawken to Sidney (behind a camelback), D&H Sidney to Oneonta, NYC Catskill Mountain branch to Kingston  (double headed ten wheelers, with pushers) , NYC West Shore line back to Weehawken. A train behind RS-3's from Kingston to Stamford on the Catskill Mountain branch in 1952 ran 15 cars long. The D&H PA's ran numerous excursions after being displaced by Amtrak. Railfans could sometimes rent a whole shortline for a day, packing the engine, caboose(s), and whatever passenger accommodations were available. No excuse not to have an excursion. And few limits on what you can run.

An excursion train ought have some accomodation for food, either dining/snack car, baggage car for boxed lunches, or a meal stop, perhaps even a picnic lunch along the way. If you ever wanted to run dome cars on you freight-only line, here's your excuse.

Frank   

[Blazeman]

Do a train of cabooses. Rail fans would gladly pay extra fare to sit on one while being hauled around. In real world, might not happen since riders would all want to be in the cupola or on the platforms.

Or a real railfan trip with a couple diner-lounges and a beer reefer on the head end and an empty gon on the tail (for the empties).

[FrankCampagna]

Actually rode a caboose on an Ohio tourist line. The kids were up in the cupola having the time of their life.

Frank

[jmlaboda]

The Great Smoky Mountain RR., as well as a number of others, use cabooses as charter cars where parties or groups can be accommodated.  Extra fair and modified to that there is gates protecting passengers from going down on the steps when the train is moving, they are an option that many would consider renting.  Have some detailed shots of the modified platform railing if anyone is interested.

What is of interest to me is that the trains are made up of mostly streamlined or modernized equipment these days, where as when young (the railroad, not the route) heavyweight non-ACed coaches were the norm.  And cabs have been included on most of their runs, even if there actually wasn't anyone on them to simplify the handling of the consist.

[FrankCampagna]

Excursion trains come close to meeting the "There's a prototype for everything" criteria.

Frank

[Ed Kapuscinski]

There is NOT a prototype for everything.

That said, if you're bending reality, excursion trains can be fun. One of the more interesting aspects is the way in which locomotives used in excursion service differ from ones used during their original service periods.

For example, Ross Rowland's C&O locomotive has had cab signals and LSL installed.

[FrankCampagna]

There is NOT a prototype for everything.

I never said there was.

Frank

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm just sayin...

I hate that saying.

[Nato]

  If you want to run an Excursion Train with a high "Cuteness Factor" That gets them every time at shows,run one of the wonderfully paimted Atlas (Micro Ace) Porter Mogul 2-6-0 locomotives pulling two or three of the Bachmann 1890's open sided excursion cars.                                                              Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.

[Ian MacMillan]

Actually rode a caboose on an Ohio tourist line. The kids were up in the cupola having the time of their life.

Frank

Someone say caboose train!?

[Blazeman]

The other year, went on a shipper special operated by the North Shore and the WNY&P. Ran from Lock Haven to Olean on the Buffalo line. That is  125 miles each way. Train boogied stopping only at Emporia for a crew change and for a luncheon at the Olean yard.

Bringing up the rear was a restored PRR caboose. (Sorry for the PRR/PC/CR people that I don't have the #nor the class. I can't keep that N5 or N6 thing sorted out)

Anyway, it was a blast sitting in the cupola for a few miles. And there were a pile of people perched on the back porch all imagining themselves as part of the crew. Some of them were friends of mine that I brought along. Don't know if I enjoyed the ride more or watching my friends live in the moment.

The cars for the most part were the ubiquitous Lackawanna commuter coaches that were repainted in PRR livery.

So that could be an option/excuse to run that passenger equipment that ordinarily isn't present on your layout.