Planning a visit to a heritage rail operation? You can avoid disappointment by researching your journey using readily available tools.
While this may seem obvious, the specifics can elude even seasoned travelers. The internet and smartphones have changed travel. A wealth of up-to-the-minute information is available at your fingertips. This makes it much easier to plan but can penalize travelers who fail to use these tools effectively.
The ability to rapidly disseminate information may result in more people traveling to popular locations as well as the smaller venues — destinations that can sell out quickly. Small tourist railways that were once obscure destinations can now be widely known and easily accessible. This is good news for heritage railways looking to boost their ridership, but can be frustrating to travelers who prefer to explore spontaneously. Events offer visitors exciting opportunities but they also present challenges.
Many heritage railroads rely heavily on the patronage of the general public to sustain operations with only a small portion of riders consisting of serious railway enthusiasts. Hosting themed events is a good way for these operations to make train rides more appealing. If you are interested in visiting a specific railroad, pay close attention to the railroad’s website and social media to learn about their operations and upcoming events. If an event catches your interest, book your tickets as early as possible. This is especially true if there’s a specific time of day, time of year, or type of equipment that you are hoping to experience. I recall a conversation overheard during my years of marketing and schedule planning for New Hampshire’s Conway Scenic Railroad. During the fall foliage season one October, I listened as a disappointed guest pleaded with a ticket agent for a seat in the Budd Vista dome at a time when every seat on the train was sold and had been for months. He had traveled many miles but hadn’t realized trains might sell out during the railroad’s busy season!
It’s not just the casual rider that gets caught unaware. In October 2023, the Bellefonte Historical Railroad Society planned a series of excursions from its Pennsylvania namesake city using its former New Haven RDC1. I checked its website for schedule information but my wife Kris and I were surprised to be caught in a traffic jam when we arrived. As it happened, the RDC trips coincided with Bellefonte’s annual fall festival.
While I managed a few photos of the historic RDC, had my research been a little more thorough, I would have known to arrive much earlier in the day!
