If people can participate for free, the number of people willing to pay goes way down, so the cost per payee goes way up. If a two day charter costs $70,000, and you didn't have to pay, how many people would pony up cover it? Many recent C&TS charters have only drawn 30 people, so that is $2,340. Pretty expensive to also have every Tom Dick & Harry getting in the shot that you paid over 2 large for.
I think the only successful models are outside sponsorship or crowd sourcing. If the railroad solicited $500 per person, an amount most fans ought to be able to afford, when they take in the $70,000, they run the event. If they fail to raise the money, the support just wasn't there and you give up. That's only 140 people folks. Over a thousand go to every Narrow Gauge Convention. And if I were John Bush, I wouldn't announce when I hit $70,000. I'd keep collecting money until sales dropped off and use the extra to cover the restoration costs.
Personally, for $500 I'll deal with people in my way, just to see it run! I'd even pay more, but I'm not going to say how much more.
Michael Allen
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/02/2015 09:40PM by trainrider47.