The Friends of CTSRR at the Amherst Show
| April 02, 2003 05:52AM |
Some of the best marketing happens when Friends Members and others 'take the show on the road'. There is a dedicated cadre of peope who make sure that the message gets out. My thanks to them for doing it!
Way back at Christmas time, Cal Smith asked me if I could provide some photos for a display at the Amherst Railway Society Show. I sent a whole raft of pictures to Jim O'Keefe, and he put together a fine display. We also sent a video of Chama Steam I.
Just catching up on my mail. Here is the account that Cal sent me. It was scanned and OCR'd. Any typos are from the OCR-ing.
AMHERST RAILWAY SOCIETY SHOW - 2003
It's 9=00 AM on Saturday, Fob 1, the contents of the Friends Show Kit forwarded by Dick Kilday (thanks Dick!) and our TV and other items stored by member John Bock and brought with his HO modules to the show (thanks John and Dana!) have been assembled into our booth, Me're ready, the rotary plow tape is running, and the doors open to the first of 20,000 visitors and vendors attending "the mother of all RR shows!w, the Big 2003 Amherst Railway Society 2 day show at the Eastern States Exposition grounds in West Springfield MA.
The booth is ready, and Jim waits for the crowds to arrive
For Jim O'Keefe and Cal Smith, the litany begins= "Have you visited our railroad?"; "Time for a western vacation"; "Think that would take care of your driveway?" (referring to OY chewing through the drifts); "Join the Friends and we^ll give you a box car to paint"; "Best train ride in the country!" Me work the aisles, buttonholing the group which is always drawn to the drama of the OY work train in action., and it's an intense day, with hours passing like minutes 9 failing voices, lots of cough drops and very tired feet.
Me each took short breaks to check out the wonders of this show, probably the largest in the US covering over 5 acres, with 30+ operating modular layouts and over 300 vendors/exhibitors« People come from all over the east, and paid attendance runs 18,000 -20,000, (if no blizzard), plus 1,000 exhibitor personnel and module operators and 1,000 children (free) attendees.
Me handed out 500 of last year's RR brochures (thanks, Kim!) with stuffers informing of possible changes for 2003, talked up the RR and the Friends, and answered questions about the rotary tape and the current situation. As always, we saw many people who have ridden the train,, and they were all very pleased with the experience, We were able to clue in people who had ridden the D&SNG and never heard of us as well as people who have never seen the beauty of CO/NM» A few asked about package tours (Kim note^ train"-hotel/meals-train overnite round trips? that might be good seller esp. if we have to run alternate days),
The good news was that we got the best location in the Young Building, a corner right inside the main entrance., where we were the first thing people saw. The bad news was that we were right inside the doors where a constant cold wind accompanied the crowds coming and going- Cai had to go buy long-Johns to keep warm-
Our booth consists of photos of the C&TS and Friends at work, the TV with plow tape (thanks Gregg Scholl!) or "Chama Steam I" (thanks Bob Zorn!) running, other displays, and, for this year, a wonderful display constructed by Jim O'Keefe with January shop photos provided by Jay Wimer (thanks. Jay!) which occupied the side corner (see pic.. above )
Doing shows like this is an important outreach for the C&TSRR, and is a support function that Friends members can contribute. Can't make it to a Work Session? Do a local show! (you're probably going to the show anyway» make your visit pay off for your favorite railroad!) The Friends has a show kit with most of the stuff you need. (you probably have a TV/VCR for showing tapes;, and you'11 need an extension cord and a banner frame made up of 1/2" EMT and a couple of C clamps (see first pic,) Call or e-mail Cal Smith for info at 904-448-8276 or cnls@bellsouth.net
Way back at Christmas time, Cal Smith asked me if I could provide some photos for a display at the Amherst Railway Society Show. I sent a whole raft of pictures to Jim O'Keefe, and he put together a fine display. We also sent a video of Chama Steam I.
Just catching up on my mail. Here is the account that Cal sent me. It was scanned and OCR'd. Any typos are from the OCR-ing.
AMHERST RAILWAY SOCIETY SHOW - 2003
It's 9=00 AM on Saturday, Fob 1, the contents of the Friends Show Kit forwarded by Dick Kilday (thanks Dick!) and our TV and other items stored by member John Bock and brought with his HO modules to the show (thanks John and Dana!) have been assembled into our booth, Me're ready, the rotary plow tape is running, and the doors open to the first of 20,000 visitors and vendors attending "the mother of all RR shows!w, the Big 2003 Amherst Railway Society 2 day show at the Eastern States Exposition grounds in West Springfield MA.
The booth is ready, and Jim waits for the crowds to arrive
For Jim O'Keefe and Cal Smith, the litany begins= "Have you visited our railroad?"; "Time for a western vacation"; "Think that would take care of your driveway?" (referring to OY chewing through the drifts); "Join the Friends and we^ll give you a box car to paint"; "Best train ride in the country!" Me work the aisles, buttonholing the group which is always drawn to the drama of the OY work train in action., and it's an intense day, with hours passing like minutes 9 failing voices, lots of cough drops and very tired feet.
Me each took short breaks to check out the wonders of this show, probably the largest in the US covering over 5 acres, with 30+ operating modular layouts and over 300 vendors/exhibitors« People come from all over the east, and paid attendance runs 18,000 -20,000, (if no blizzard), plus 1,000 exhibitor personnel and module operators and 1,000 children (free) attendees.
Me handed out 500 of last year's RR brochures (thanks, Kim!) with stuffers informing of possible changes for 2003, talked up the RR and the Friends, and answered questions about the rotary tape and the current situation. As always, we saw many people who have ridden the train,, and they were all very pleased with the experience, We were able to clue in people who had ridden the D&SNG and never heard of us as well as people who have never seen the beauty of CO/NM» A few asked about package tours (Kim note^ train"-hotel/meals-train overnite round trips? that might be good seller esp. if we have to run alternate days),
The good news was that we got the best location in the Young Building, a corner right inside the main entrance., where we were the first thing people saw. The bad news was that we were right inside the doors where a constant cold wind accompanied the crowds coming and going- Cai had to go buy long-Johns to keep warm-
Our booth consists of photos of the C&TS and Friends at work, the TV with plow tape (thanks Gregg Scholl!) or "Chama Steam I" (thanks Bob Zorn!) running, other displays, and, for this year, a wonderful display constructed by Jim O'Keefe with January shop photos provided by Jay Wimer (thanks. Jay!) which occupied the side corner (see pic.. above )
Doing shows like this is an important outreach for the C&TSRR, and is a support function that Friends members can contribute. Can't make it to a Work Session? Do a local show! (you're probably going to the show anyway» make your visit pay off for your favorite railroad!) The Friends has a show kit with most of the stuff you need. (you probably have a TV/VCR for showing tapes;, and you'11 need an extension cord and a banner frame made up of 1/2" EMT and a couple of C clamps (see first pic,) Call or e-mail Cal Smith for info at 904-448-8276 or cnls@bellsouth.net
| Subject | Author | Posted |
|---|---|---|
|
Jay Wimer | April 02, 2003 05:52AM |
|
Mike Trent | April 02, 2003 04:31PM |
|
Jay Wimer | April 02, 2003 08:29PM |
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.