Steam & Excursion > WMSR 1309 Scheduled for July

The WMSR has posted on Facebook that tickets are now on sale for the Allegheny Mountain Express, pulled by 1309, for trips in July!

https://public.whistletix.com/WMSR/Events/293388

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/11/17 11:18 by CalZephyr.

That's funny that tickets are available for purchase through a 3rd party company... but there is no info listed about this at all on WSMRs actual website.

jdrtrainwatcher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That's funny that tickets are available for
> purchase through a 3rd party company... but there
> is no info listed about this at all on WSMRs
> actual website.

All of WMSR's online ticket sales are handled through the same company (whistletix).  Whistletix handles online ticket sales for multiple tourist railroads.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/17 03:42 by CalZephyr.

CalZephyr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jdrtrainwatcher Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > That's funny that tickets are available for
> > purchase through a 3rd party company... but
> there
> > is no info listed about this at all on WSMRs
> > actual website.
>
> All of WMSR's online ticket sales are handled
> through the same company (whisltetix).
>  Whistletix handles online ticket sales for
> multiple tourist railroads.
>
>  
I'm in the same boat as he is.
Does seem a bit sketchy.

Posted from Android

jdrtrainwatcher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That's funny that tickets are available for
> purchase through a 3rd party company... but there
> is no info listed about this at all on WSMRs
> actual website.


Go on Facebook and like WMSR's page. That'll provide you with a lot of info.

Joe Tarantine

In no way is outsourcing ticket sales "sketchy." What do you think Ticketmaster or Ticketfly are?

Be nice now..remember some of these people still use film cameras.
RB

Two things that I am surprised about looking at the current information.  (1.)  I realized that the ticket price to ride behind the 1309 would be much higher than before as this will be an expensive steam operation.  (2.)  I am really surprised that in going up to Frostburg that the trip will be taking much longer then before and that there will only be a 45 minute layover.
​This is not enough time for many of the riders who will be going up to Frostburg.  For the rail enthusiasts (railfans) they don't care about the layover; however for the tourists of which this railroad has many who come strictly for the ride and the scenery (folks called "Daisy Pickers" or "Tree Huggers") they will want additional time to walk up into the town to eat at some of the other venues besides the station restaurant in Frostburg.  Trust me, this rail operation needs both kinds of passengers as I have learned through the years that a tourist operation can NOT survive on railfans only.  For the most part the railfans will ride one time, then come to take photographs in the future.  As a general rule, railfans do not give enough monetary support to these operations.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Pete are you listening? When's the first photo charter?  

jdrtrainwatcher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That's funny that tickets are available for
> purchase through a 3rd party company... but there
> is no info listed about this at all on WSMRs
> actual website.

Whistletix does our ticketing also, and in fact earlier this year our website went down because of a host issue and Whistletix spun up a site just like that one so we could continue selling. They're a good company to work with. 

Just wondering: How likely is it that the 1309 folks will
actually be done with the 1309's Form 4 and  will have
done several test runs and fixed everythnig that they
found -- if anythng -- during those test runs, all by July?

And I agree that 45 minutes in Frostburg is far from enough.
They need 2 hours.  And, yes, 90% of excursion and tourist
railroad passengers are ordinary people, not railfans.

Is the slower speed in the July schedule with the 1309 because
the 1309 cannot go as fast as the 734?   TIA!

Nonetheless, I wish the WM folks success with the 1309.  She
will make wonderfuls tack talk climbing the grade!

I admit I have not been following the issue closesly, but I thought it was going to take a long time for the line to be reopened to Frostburg.  Has that work been completed or is it that close to completion?

Be nice to hear on the "slip out", believe I've heard some talk that it was fixed and needs to be refixed
or a more comprehensive fix applied.

Out

callum_out Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Be nice to hear on the "slip out", believe I've
> heard some talk that it was fixed and needs to be
> refixed
> or a more comprehensive fix applied.
>
> Out

I recall reading someplace, that there were two "slip out" or slides related to long ago underground coal mining. One has already been "repaired", last fall, while the second one will be worked on/repaired very soon. Thus the railroad SHOULD be open all the way to Frostburg by July 2017.

Be nice to see the 1309 run, it won't have the bark of the consol but should be neat to see in action.

Out

frostburg does nothing to help get people to get to  top of hill , i think a quick turn around could prove beneficial maybe at peek times they could do 2 trips 

A shorter turn around would allow for a morning and an afternoon trip which would bring in extra revenue during the fall foliage season. I doubt there would be a need for two trips any other time of the year.