Steam & Excursion > Steamtown NHS excursion season over for 2020?

 According to TRAINS Magazine Newswire yesterday, Steamtown NHS excursion operations are cancelled at least through July 4th.  The TRAINS news item goes on to say Steamtown NHS has a news release  that says Steamtown NHS WILL NOT be able to begin operations until 8 to 12 weeks after a new "start up" date is determined--due to Federal Railroad Administration regulations.  I cannot find the latter part on a Steamtown NHS press release site--but that's not unusual for me as I'm not a computer guru!  However, if true, Ross Rowland's comments over on RYPN (I'm not currently able to post there because I screwed up something computer-wise, and can't figure it out!) are true--and other tourist railroads/museums will need "8 to 12 weeks" to prepare for operations once a new "start up" is determined--then, yes, Ross is right that the 2020 season will be a loss for most tourist operations.  My question is:  how long will it take for tourist lines/museums to "gear up" for resuming excursion operations IF (and that's obviously a big IF) virus conditions improve enough to allow resumed operations?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Frederick G. Bailey              

I do not understand this at all.  Can someone please explain why a steam operation needs all those weeks to prepare?  The Strasburg Railroad located near Lancaster, Pennsylvania was operating their steam trains up until the 2nd week of March when they closed down the passenger train operations.  They are still operating their diesel switcher #8618 to move freight over their 4 1/2 mile railroad.  Since they are a major steam repair shop with all kinds of skilled steam personnel and since they keep their locomotives in tip-top shape, what will keep them from operating them as soon as folks are allowed to go out and about once again?
John in White Marsh, Maryland



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/20 07:02 by ClubCar.

Fact is, nothing will turn a wheel until the entire US economy is back on foot, and the longer it takes for any start up will determine if and when. 

Seems to me that we all need to be guided by the health professionals not the poloticians. As recently as last night Dr. Fauci said that " we are at least 5/6 months away from being able to mass test with rapid results". Until we can rapid test people to find out who is infected without showing symptons the virus will continue to have free rein to continue spreading as it wishes to. Therefore, before we can even BEGIN to discuss getting back to some semblance of " normal" we need to be able to rapid test millions and millions so as to isolate the infected, trace who they have contacted in the previous 14 days, isolate them and thus stop the spread. 

   If you study why both the So. Korean and German nations have dramatically lower rates of both spread and fatalities it's clearly due to the fact that they 1. early on issued shelter in place orders nationally ( vs. our federal complete lack of leadership which even today says" leave it up to the governors" ) and thus still 8 of our states ( thank goodnes they are the least populated) have yet to issue social distancing mandates, 2. they were prepared with the necessary tools ( test kits and the labs to rapidly process them) , health care worker protective gear ( masks, ppe, face shields etc. ) and 3. their hospitals were well equipped to serve the relatively few who needed ventilators etc. In other words they had STRONG national leadership from the top vs. our totally ineffective non factual shameful federal horror show.
  
Therefore based upon the need to be able to rapid test millions before we can begin to emerge from our current status it will be at least until this coming August before that even begins. Then, we'll need to establish a protocol of how one gets credentialed to show that they are virus free and also how often we'll need to be re-tested as the winter of 2020-21 begins and the virus picks up its spread potential again. 

   I have counseled those outfits I'm involved with to plan on being completely shut down until August 2021, figuring on 30% of normal seasonal revenues for the balance of 2021, 50 % of normal annual revenues for 2022 and 60% of normal revenues for 2023/24.  

   Plan for the worst......pray for the best. 

    Ross Rowland 

Wow Ross!  Someone talking sense!

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

Ross mentions what Germany did. Per a recent Wall Street Journal article, German manufacturing is reportedly still working at about an 80% level, through a combination of social distancing, task and process reorganization on the factory floor, strong efforts at sanitizing, and other measures. Notably, this does not apparently include automotive manufacturers like Volkswagen and Daimler. Ultimately, it remains to be seen how it will all work out, both medically, and economically. There must still be buyers for the products produced, and at some point when backlog is worked off, and a certain amount of going-forward inventory is produced, there still have to be buyers for the stuff that is made. They are out there, just as they were before COVID-19, but because of the state of their businesses, they may not have the cash flow or credit to buy. But even with a national social distancing policy, for now at least some German manufacturing has continued, as contrasted to just throwing the light switch to "off" and stopping everything.

Article link. The Journal has opened up many COVID-19 articles to non-subscribers; don't know if this one is available or behind a subscriber paywall. Give it a shot -- it is an interesting and thoughtful read: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-coronavirus-is-spreading-but-german-factories-keep-running-11585906240?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=4

MC
Muskegon, Michigan

Later edit, 19:04 EDT: I checked back on this thread later. In light of subsequent discussion below, I guess I'd best make clear that I am not stating support, or lack of support, for Germany's actions. As I pointed out, it remains to be seen as to whether it will work out, medically and economically. My only purpose was to state some additional information that folks might not be aware of, in light of previous comments about Germany's actions in this crisis. -- MC



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/20 16:10 by ironmtn.

co614 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>    If you study why both the So. Korean and
> German nations have dramatically lower rates of
> both spread and fatalities it's clearly due to the
> fact that they 1. early on issued shelter in place
> orders nationally ( vs. our federal complete lack
> of leadership which even today says" leave it up
> to the governors" ) and thus still 8 of our states
> ( thank goodnes they are the least populated) have
> yet to issue social distancing mandates, 2. they
> were prepared with the necessary tools ( test kits
> and the labs to rapidly process them) , health
> care worker protective gear ( masks, ppe, face
> shields etc. ) and 3. their hospitals were well
> equipped to serve the relatively few who needed
> ventilators etc. In other words they had STRONG
> national leadership from the top vs. our totally
> ineffective non factual shameful federal horror
> show.

The problem with such a federal quarantine/stayhome/shelterinplace/restrictedmovement order is that there is a whole class of lawyers (I am sure to be headed by the ACLU) that are just foaming at the mouth salivating hoping for such an order so as to fill their pockets with taxpayer money in fighting such an order.

DISCLAIMER FOR ALL THE NUT CASES HERE ON TO:
I am not saying anything good bad or indifferent about any such order and whether or not there should or should not be one. I am ONLY stating fact about the multitude of lawyers that would come out of the wood work to fight such an order.

jst3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> The problem with such a federal
> quarantine/stayhome/shelterinplace/restrictedmovem
> ent order is that there is a whole class of
> lawyers (I am sure to be headed by the ACLU) that
> are just foaming at the mouth salivating hoping
> for such an order so as to fill their pockets with
> taxpayer money in fighting such an order.
>
> DISCLAIMER FOR ALL THE NUT CASES HERE ON TO:
> I am not saying anything good bad or indifferent
> about any such order and whether or not there
> should or should not be one. I am ONLY stating
> fact about the multitude of lawyers that would
> come out of the wood work to fight such an order.

Before you call Trainorders members "nut cases" [sic], you should at least have the decency to not misrepresent the ACLU's positions on the government's responses to the coronavirus.  If you take a little time view the ACLU website, you will see ACLU position statements on the coronavirus, but nothing like what you are "sure" the ACLU will do.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/20 12:27 by RuleG.

It's like "the wall"... the Covid-19 is already here...you can't stop it, now.  DUH!

The  lawyers are already fully employed with 'opportunities' in The $$two-Trillion  bill,
just signed into law.  Profiteering from all sorts of folks will be abundant.

The 'congressional-intent'  overseer will be a Triump lawyer in the WH,
free from oversight, not under the surveillance of Congress....  the original intent.

There will be no 'controls' relating to administering the distribution....
You will wake up in 6-months and find that the money's all gone...
but, not traceable ---- for compliance to the original intent of Congress.

I'll give you 3 'guesses' as to which family/company gets the biggest share..
And your first two guesses, don't count...

Wes Camp

 

Dr. Fauci just said during a CBS interview that " the curve continues to get worse than we predicted it would, which is a clear indication that lots of people are not practicing social isolation and thus enabling the virus to continue to accelerate its widespread contamination" " Those few states that have not yet issued stay at home orders should do so immediately"  he went on to say. 

    Obviously, this is going to get worse before it gets better and take a lot longer to come out of than the rosy nonsense we're fed by our " leadership" on a daily basis.

    Sad and scary but true.

    Ross Rowland 

It helps nothing in cases like this that there is a certain "f*** authority" attitude ingrained in the American culture.  The concept of individualism first is is so much a part of the American identity that getting "we" ahead of "me" is almost impossible.  Much of the time, this isn't that big a big deal.  But this time?  It will sink in when tens of thousands who needn't have died are gone.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

I have witnessed some great efforts by just plain American citizens in making masks and many other things that are necessary and are common sense items.  Maybe we don't need all this "guidance" from poloticians as Ross calls them.

Nor politicans like, Ross?

Let's leave the politics outside the roundhouse door and enjoy the rails. It's truly, not necessary when folks are sick, dying and out of work. None of us have all the answers and it's sad when we think we do. 

Exprail

I agree this is a 'trains' web site.
However, we relate to trains through our emotions.

Trains don't have emotions, humans do...
We relate to each other through our emotions.

It is rewarding to enjoy subjects that, individually, we categorize
by degree of interest and curiosity.  
That's why there are 'categories on T.O.

Steam locomotives generate strong feelings in all 5 of our senses...
The category of "Steam"  attracts folks who have very strong 
relationship skills and capacities.....  

I especially enjoy the questions of the curious ---- about the 'why' and the 'how' 
of steam locomotives.   Those that ask those questions, are seeking deeper understanding....
They are reaching-out, not only with their typing, but also 'sending signals' of their
intense humanity.  

We establish communications using the threads of understanding,
to form 'strong cables' of relationships.... by responding we share caring
for each other as contributors....

The great railroad photographers are excellent at capturing the very animated
steam locos in all aspects of their existence --- from assembly factories, to the main lines,
to the shops, to the dead line,  and sadly to the scrap yards...  

To me,some if the saddest pictures were captured in the scrap lines  of the 1950s.....
where old retired engineer would find their favorite engine --- they'd stand next to it and weep
as if losing their dearest friend.... Emotionally relating to the deeply moving events of the past
events that the two had shared....

So, Ross, and so many others used their deep emotions to spread their 
deep connection with steam and to bring joy to millions of people ---- 
communicating  by 'the dynamism of the steam engine' across the entire nation
of admiring, happy, fellow humans...  
No one has done that better-- when it comes to steam.

Now that our nation faces the greatest loss of life, that saddens people like us
and  Ross, ---- because they love their Country above all else....but our Country is made
up of PEOPLE.

I deeply appreciate all responders on TrainOrders because we are humans communicating.
Ross has every right to express his sadness about the plight our Nation faces in these
trying times.  

The current events are sad because they are about people, families and physicians and nurses.
TrainOrders is where we , the fans, communicate, as people, but communication 
is actually about degrees of emotions.  
These are deeply emotional times --- we've never seen this depth of dispare.
We are fearful since the worst is thundering at us....and we are unable to slow it.

I appreciate Todd's careful monitoring of all the 'boards', on TO.
We do need to keep the discussions 'on the rails',  but these
times of deep emotional sadness,  bring about heartfelt 
communications expressing caring for us, as  sensitive, relating 
humans.  Thank you Todd for doing an excellent job.

Ross's heart is way-bigger than most of ours, he loves immense crowds 
of cheering, happy Americans.  He is very deeply moved by the current
state of affairs.  As we all are.  He is reaching out across TrainOrders to
connect to folks who share his passion and emotions --- as Americans.

Thank, you Todd, for your forbearance .
Thank you,  Ross, for sharing your sadness and your emotional connection
to all of us on the "Steam & Excursion" Board.  
We are reaching back to you!

Wes Camp

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/20 12:53 by wcamp1472.

We' re definitley in a quandry.....Saw a discussion with Steve Forbes and a group of other financial experts saying that the economy will be catastrophic the longer it takes to get it back on line. My son is a manger at FEDX at Newark airport and 3/4 of the workforce called out sick last weekend, Watching all these trailers etc going by on the rails, a log-jam is occurring. I ordered something on line recently and was told not to pick an expedited shipping that they couldn't guarantee it and my order would be received between 5 and 30 days. ( It came in a week).....Like someone said " we've never seen this before"......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/20 09:46 by rev66vette.