Steam & Excursion > Age of Steam Roundhouse to Begin Group Tours

As per the Winter 2014-2015 report here:

http://www.ageofsteamroundhouse.com/Report%202015-02.html

With regards to the last item on the page, the AOS "Depot and Office Building":

"The building will also house a ticket office, waiting room, gift shop and ADA-compliant restrooms for the convenience of groups taking scheduled, guided tours through the Age of Steam Roundhouse starting this coming summer. Details regarding these upcoming scheduled tours and advance-sale ticketing will be announced on our website as soon as they become available.

Please DO NOT contact us for group tour information at this time."

Exciting news from Ohio and JJJ!

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

I wonder what cost more from start to finish - The Age of Steam
Roundhouse and complex and PURCHASE of locomotives or Steamtown
with it's glass roundhouse, acquisition of former DL&W shops and
it's donated collection of engines?

I am assuming Jerry got a better deal in his private venture?

Great news, Jim - thanks for the heads up.

/Mitch

There's no comparison between JJJ and Steamtown. To me, Age of Steam is the real deal!

Hopefully I'm not asking an often asked question, but do they plan on running trips out of there once it is done or will it be sort of an active/static display?

Frisco1522 Wrote:
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> There's no comparison between JJJ and Steamtown.
> To me, Age of Steam is the real deal!

Exactly.

/Mitch

Defective_Detector Wrote:
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> Hopefully I'm not asking an often asked question,
> but do they plan on running trips out of there
> once it is done or will it be sort of an
> active/static display?

I believe the plan is to run locomotives on freights, but right now they seem mostly focused on finishing setting things up. I've been amazed at all the equipment they have been acquiring and refurbishing, like the Niles quartering machine, etc.

I can't wait to see what they are capable of once they are done acquiring the gear and building buildings and turn their full attention to restorations and maintenance.

-K

I find it "very" interesting that JJJ has built, for all intents and purposes, a depot on site - complete with tracks running right in front. Even though it's an office inside, and it's going to be used for "taking tours" - it's got a ticket office, gift shop, restrooms, a platform, all things that a functional depot for a current "excursion" (couldn't think of a better word) railroad could need.

If it looks like a depot - and quacks like a depot...with a fleet of operable (or in restoration) steam and diesel locomotives, and serviceable passenger cars (all of which JJJ has) - it looks reasonable that one could connect the dots in the future.

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

Frisco1522 Wrote:
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> There's no comparison between JJJ and Steamtown.
> To me, Age of Steam is the real deal!

Steam town is a tourist trap that has to meet all governmental standards for access. Age of Steam is a working roundhouse, or will be, that not open to the public. Apples to oranges, so comparison of the two is invalid.

bigjim4life Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find it "very" interesting that JJJ has built,
> for all intents and purposes, a depot on site -
> complete with tracks running right in front. Even
> though it's an office inside, and it's going to be
> used for "taking tours" - it's got a ticket
> office, gift shop, restrooms, a platform, all
> things that a functional depot for a current
> "excursion" (couldn't think of a better word)
> railroad could need.
>
> If it looks like a depot - and quacks like a
> depot...with a fleet of operable (or in
> restoration) steam and diesel locomotives, and
> serviceable passenger cars (all of which JJJ has)

If you read the very last paragraph of the article, you will see it clearly states that there will be a safety fence installed between the platform and the tracks. Many queries can be answered by simply reading the article and attempting to comprehend what it says.

MWP in STL
> - it looks reasonable that one could connect the
> dots in the future.

EMD2024 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bigjim4life Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I find it "very" interesting that JJJ has
> built,
> > for all intents and purposes, a depot on site -
> > complete with tracks running right in front.
> Even
> > though it's an office inside, and it's going to
> be
> > used for "taking tours" - it's got a ticket
> > office, gift shop, restrooms, a platform, all
> > things that a functional depot for a current
> > "excursion" (couldn't think of a better word)
> > railroad could need.
> >
> > If it looks like a depot - and quacks like a
> > depot...with a fleet of operable (or in
> > restoration) steam and diesel locomotives, and
> > serviceable passenger cars (all of which JJJ
> has)
>
> If you read the very last paragraph of the
> article, you will see it clearly states that there
> will be a safety fence installed between the
> platform and the tracks. Many queries can be
> answered by simply reading the article and
> attempting to comprehend what it says.
>
> MWP in STL
> > - it looks reasonable that one could connect
> the
> > dots in the future.

I did read that. Let's think about it though. Jerry's facility is already private property and has a full perimeter fence around his property. Would he need a huge, massive fence to separate the depot from the tracks? I highly doubt it - besides, would that really fit the theme of the AOS complex? No. We don't know what type of fence, whether there will be gates in said fence, or anything like that. I'm just basing conjecture off of the information provided in the article and in past reports. Yes, I know there are no public trips planned. For now, that is...

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions

For trips it probably all depends on what the railroad will let him do. Remember that he may own Age of Steam but he doesn't own the railroad it connects to.

I am very thankful that the AOS is being built to preserve the contents, but what will happen when JJJ passes on to the great locomotive in the sky? Is there a plan to maintain the site?

Posted from iPhone

Right on the homepage for Age of Steam it says: "Additionally, an endowment has been established so that the monumental construction work of this roundhouse and the treasures it contains may be guaranteed continued existence into the future."

Yes. As the previous poster said, AOSR has its endowment fund. JJJ learned a lot from the F. Nelson Blount tragedy. It helps that his and the Mrs' kids are also knowledgeable and understand what the equipment is.

Rebecca Morgan
Jacobsburg, OH

JJJ sold the railroad to the present owners, so maybe he made some kind of deal with them for future steam trains in the sales agreement.

With the AoSRH's commitment to detail in every part of the facility, I foresee many movie opportunities there. Instead of models, like those of the late Jack Sessums, it will be possible to shoot a scene with the real thing.

Chris Donhost
Vacaville, CA

Emmo213 Wrote:
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> For trips it probably all depends on what the
> railroad will let him do. Remember that he may own
> Age of Steam but he doesn't own the railroad it
> connects to.

It's said that part of the sale agreement included rights to operate (but not haul passengers) on OHCR. Even if that's true I won't believe that GWRR isn't going to find some way to weasel out of that until the first track warrant is issued to one of JJJ's locomotives.

G&W has already permitted operations. They're just not publicized.

nathansixchime Wrote:
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> G&W has already permitted operations. They're just
> not publicized.

I've seen two or three photos from one of these said trips - but that's it, haven't seen anything else (photo or video) from other trips. Does Jerry not like photos and videos from the trips to be posted online? Or does that only apply to the roundhouse (and as a result, I'm just not looking hard enough to find trip pictures/videos)?

Jim Lipnitz
Morrisville, PA
Big Jim Video Productions