Re: East Broad Top: CLOSED for "AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR"

Not a bad price... IF it includes Mineral Rights, Right of Way and all the Railroad and Coal Company land and facilities as well.

The problem is that Orbisonia is out in the middle of nowhere and attracting tourists to it is one heckuva big problem.

A shuttle service from Mount Union or wherever the Amtrak Connection is to the trains would be a big factor, as would weekend packages featuring Hotel/Motel, a trip to the museum and a trip on the Railroad, as well as a restaurant package and some non-railroad items for the non-railfan wife and kids.

Another big draw would be having more of the line to operate over so a full day can be made of the trip for the whole family, much like the C&TS or Silverton.

You have to remember, if privately owned and operated as a railroad, this has to be approached like a business. To be successful as a tourist railroad and not as a rolling museum, not as a National Heritage site, it has to be someplace that has to generate dollars to stay in business.

But then... these are the demented ramblings from an "Out-a-stater" or "Out-a-towner" who don't know crap about what goes on "Round here".

Rick



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/2014 11:24AM by Rick Steele.