Marketing the Recreational Railroad

Marketing requires knowing why customers buy your product. In the case of recreational trains, it is easy to rule out transportation as the reason for ticket sales. Obviously the market for D&S and C&TS is people who seek the experience of the ride and scenery plus the authentic, historic experience of steam railroading. In terms of that market, I doubt it makes any difference whether the motive power is coal or oil fired.

But the difference between historic steam locomotives and modern diesel electric locomotives is vast. Diesels completely eliminate the marketing appeal of authentic, historic steam railroading. So with a total conversion to diesels, all you have left of the original product is the experience of the physical characteristics of the ride plus the scenery. So the question is whether the market for the two recreational railroads will accept modern diesel trains to the same extent they accept authentic, historic steam trains.

In reading a recent interview of people at D&S, they imply that diesels are primarily intended to reduce the risks of trains starting line-side fires. However, they say their brand is steam. But then they also imply that the use of steam cannot go on indefinitely, but must end as maintaining steam power becomes more difficult.