Re: [VIC] SRV Sale tour going ahead?

[James Brook <ajmbrook@ozemail.com.au>]

Mark Cauchi wrote:
> 
> As the destinations for BG tours begin to dissappear, together with the
> lack of suitable train paths and elimination of crossing loops, mixed
> motive power and interesting rollingstock combinations will be just a
> few of the possibilities that will attract sufficient patronage to mount
> future tours at the level of pricing that must be charged.
> 
 
One of the things that Steamrail and other groups must do is to make the
tours attractive to motorcaders. Ie: try to get them out of their cars
and onto their trains. I used to travel on most tours instead of
motorcading them. Now with the way tours are becoming very tourist
orientated, I am tending to motorcade them instead of travelling on
them.
 
I think operators should use the wooden cars when possible, and at least
use SRV's AK and BKL on the other tours. I think photostops should also
be included where possible. I can't see any reason why the CRT tours
didn't have at least one photostop. Steamrail should also remove their
headboard at all photostops. This gives an extra incentive for the
motorcaders to book on the train. 
 
I also think the operators should ban people from getting out at
photostops if they aren't going to take a photo. These people only slow
the photostop down and the often get in the way. Small kids should also
be banned. Anyone remember the photostop at the horse shoe curve on the
SRV/WCR "Two R's to Ballarat" tour last December? A kid walked right in
front of the photo line and another group of people wandered away.
  
  
Here are a list of tours I considered this year, and why I didn't travel
on them:

- CRT St Arnaud:

No photo stops.

- CRT Shepparton:

No photo stops.

- SRV Maryborough & St Arnaud:

This tour was run with K cars and the passengers who weren't interested
in the Avoca races had to wait at St Arnaud for about 4 hours!

- SRV Robinvale:

This was far too expensive (even for a weekender) and it was four days
when it only needed to be three nights and two days. While some people
may be interested in the wineries at Robinvale and sightseeing at
Bendigo, I'm not. It was also on a weekend when I had my exams :-( 

- ARHS Wakool:

BK's were the only non-aircon option. If it had the AK or BKL, I would
have been on it.

- SRV Maryborough tour:

Almost identical to last year's tour. Again Steamrail was trying to fit
tourists in at Castlemaine. This means the railfans missed out on
something more interesting.


-- 
- James Brook -

----------------------------------------------------------------
e-mail:     
mailto:ajmbrook@ozemail.com.au
Victorian Railfan Web Site:    
http://www.railpage.org.au/vr/
----------------------------------------------------------------