Steam & Excursion > Grand Canyon Steam Saturday

I am putting together our shooting plans for the Grand Canyon Railway steam trip next weekend and I wanted to share with everyone our shooting plans. As with Train Festival we will be producing an online program that will air on the site in December. I will post some raw footage Saturday night of the event as time allows.

On Saturday morning I will be shooting from a helicopter between Williams and Valle. There will be a ceremony at Williams prior to the train departing and we will be staying away from there not to disturb the event. On the return I will be shooting in the cab with Mason getting a runby or two on the way to Williams.

I checked this morning and there was still space available in coach, and first class. Dome is sold out on the trip out, but available on the return. Parlor is sold out both directions.

There is still time to book travel for this rare event.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

Hello Must you use a helicopter. They mess it up for all others. Matt Ritchie

On Sept. 29-Oct 2, 1997, we shot the GCRR with two cameras to cover the last regular steam run of the year with 4960, the first diesel run and GCRR's annual railfan weekend with the 4960 and 2-8-0 18 doubleheaded. We didn't have a helicopter but we did ride in the cabs of all locomotives, on top of the tenders, lineside locations, over 30 runbys, shop scenes and an interview with master mechanic Robert Franzen plus views of their hotel, depot and museum. It was one of the best steam events I've ever attended.

-Jim Herron

Considering how difficult it will be for anyone to chase this train by any
other means other then a helicopter, I do not think the whirlybird will be
much of an issue overhead.

Great news Todd - looking forward to the video.

I'm glad you are there stirring the pot - if we want to see steam continue
at the Grand Canyon, we need to show our support! Wish it wasn't 2,343 miles
from me, though it's the lack of vacation days that is preventing my appearance.

I heard from a friend there were seemingly few photographers (railfans?) at
her last appearance?

/Mitch

shay2977 Wrote:
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> Hello Must you use a helicopter. They mess it up
> for all others. Matt Ritchie


How will it mess up the ride?

Hello I worked to rebuild SSW819 in the mid 1980s and I was lineside on almost trips and most places that I shot from with VIDEO the blade noise would have messed my shots up. my opinions thanks Matt

shay2977 Wrote:
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> Hello I worked to rebuild SSW819 in the mid 1980s
> and I was lineside on almost trips and most places
> that I shot from with VIDEO the blade noise would
> have messed my shots up. my opinions thanks Matt

We can then surmise that:
You do not own any video (on any subject) with footage shot from a helicoptor.
You have not watched and enjoyed scenes (on any subject) shot from a helicoptor.
Helping to rebuild SS2819 entitiles you to being able to shoot video as you want it without any distractions or interferance from anyone else.

The rest of us will keep trying to work together in a freindely way so that all will have a chance to enjoy steam trips.

I look at it this way. When these videos are posted they will be viewed by thousands of fans. It will bring attention to various events and locations and hopefully bring people to patronize the businesses and groups that operate these locomotives. I do not sell these, and do not profit off of them except in adding value to our membership that is already a bargain.

The cost of producing these programs is quite expensive and this coverage is an experiment to see if we can build our membership. We have been stagnet at 4500 members for almost a year now. Only those who work in the production business really have an idea of what these events cost to cover. I can share that those who have seen the finished Train Festival programs have been impressed. They are jaw dropping programs. You saw only a sprinkling of the raw footage on the web site. The final programs amount to over an hour of reality railroad tv that will have people talking for a long time.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com

If you buy a ticket and ride the train, you will not even know that the helicopter is over head. The only ones that it will affect is the "Foamers" that are chasing the train, the ones that sould be supporting the idea of bring back steam on the Grand Canyon Railroad by buying a ticket, instead of taking pictures.

I believe every foamer should buy a ticket. To not do that is merely freeloading.
-Jim Herron

webmaster Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I look at it this way. When these videos are
> posted they will be viewed by thousands of fans.
> It will bring attention to various events and
> locations and hopefully bring people to patronize
> the businesses and groups that operate these
> locomotives. I do not sell these, and do not
> profit off of them except in adding value to our
> membership that is already a bargain.
>
> The cost of producing these programs is quite
> expensive and this coverage is an experiment to
> see if we can build our membership. We have been
> stagnet at 4500 members for almost a year now.
> Only those who work in the production business
> really have an idea of what these events cost to
> cover. I can share that those who have seen the
> finished Train Festival programs have been
> impressed. They are jaw dropping programs. You saw
> only a sprinkling of the raw footage on the web
> site. The final programs amount to over an hour of
> reality railroad tv that will have people talking
> for a long time.

Todd - why don't you offer the Train Fest video(s) for sale ? I was there, yet I'd certainly buy a DVD. I couldn't cover all the places I would have liked to be :)

Mike

mikel Wrote:

>
> Todd - why don't you offer the Train Fest video(s)
> for sale ? I was there, yet I'd certainly buy a
> DVD. I couldn't cover all the places I would have
> liked to be :)
>

I could never cover the duplication, and distribution costs associated with DVD sales. I use to be in the video business and it is a money losing experience. The idea is to get people onto the web site, not sell videos. The costs of producing our programs is $200-$300 per minute of finished program. That is a lot of DVD's and there are not enough willing fans to buy them.

Todd Clark
Canyon Country, CA
Trainorders.com