Steam & Excursion > UP Steam Excursions to Pacific Northwest Questions

Answer may be obvious to some..
1) Just ciriouse if they are purely for PR, Business/Online customers or both?

2) When did they start doing this?

3) What's the reasons for choosing Boise or Portland plus other towns? (PR?/Big Business?)

4) Why does this current trip seem so "Last Minute"?, with (I'm assuming) no paying passengers(?).and such a short consist compared to previous trips up that way?

Sorry in advance if any questions seem dumb or obvious!

Jim Baker
Riverside, CA

Jim,

You need to remember that the UP does NOT operate "excursions", whether steam or diesel powered. The only "excursions" that the UP has operated since the introduction of Amtrak, have been those "excursions" that are sponsored/chartered by outside groups/organizations. Technically, it is against federal law for ANY class 1 railroad in the U.S. to sell tickets to the public on passenger trains. Thus, all those "excursions" that previously operated over the UP, were ALL sponsored by outside organizations (NRHS, Pacific Limited, etc.).

The only outside organization remaining that can afford to pay the UP, and the associated liability insurance costs, for "excursions" available to the paying public, is the Denver Post Newspaper. Any and all other "passenger train" movements on the UP, or any other class 1 railroad, are for invited guests only.

Here's a couple of answers ... may not be complete so buyer beware ...

3) the current Boise trip was to help celebrate the Boise Depot's 92nd Anniversary ... was a great turnout today. The Boise Depot is a beautiful, well maintained structure.

4) the trip was actually proposed back in February and announced in early March (more or less) (there were at least two threads here on TO) ... the short consist was because the train has to be turned to get in and out of Boise. UP used the Orchard wye east of Boise ... limited length.

From my perspective it was a well run and successful steam trip ... I plan to catch it's arrival in Nampa ID tomorrow morning ... then have to break off and head back home

Odyssey,
Evergreen, CO

Here's one image I grabbed Saturday evening near sunset after the 844 arrived in Boise ...

Odyssey
Evergreen, CO

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RailRat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Answer may be obvious to some..
> 1) Just ciriouse if they are purely for PR,
> Business/Online customers or both?

Yes

>
> 2) When did they start doing this?

Mid-2000s, when they could see there was little
or no future to fantrips.

>
> 3) What's the reasons for choosing Boise or
> Portland plus other towns? (PR?/Big Business?)

Yes.

>
> 4) Why does this current trip seem so "Last
> Minute"?, with (I'm assuming) no paying
> passengers(?).and such a short consist compared to
> previous trips up that way?

It was decided quickly, and there are no passengers,
nor were there ever going to be.

>
> Sorry in advance if any questions seem dumb or
> obvious!