Passenger Trains > Tourist lines are in danger this year?

Everyone knows what’s going on. People are spooked and are not going to travel much if things continue.
Hard decision to make if your in charge of scheduling a “Day out with Thomas” or similar event that requires large crowds to make money. Do you go ahead an hope or play it safe?


What tourist lines don’t have enough capital to survive a summer with sparse visitation? Museums?

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/20 08:17 by howeld.

howeld Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Everyone knows what’s going on. People are
> spooked and are not going to travel much if things
> continue.
> Hard decision to make if your in charge of
> scheduling a “Day out with Thomas” or similar
> event that requires large crowds to make money.
> Do you go ahead an hope or play it safe?
>
>
> What tourist lines don’t have enough capital to
> survive a summer with sparse visitation?
> Museums?
>
> Posted from iPhone



We'll see if SoCal's Disneyland Railway and monorail end up closed. Both Chinese and Tokyo D-lands have been closed for a while.

If the Olympics get canceled or delayed, that'll be big. And expensive.

The Corona virus will be just a memory in 30 days or so.

Posted from Android

P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Corona virus will be just a memory in 30 days
> or so.
>
> Posted from Android

Are you sure?

China, which is 3 months into its spread is now on the down side of the curve with very few cases reported in the past wee. If we can take that info as good, then by the beginning of June we should be good.

Sharon Evans
Glen Allen, VA

If it lasted that long everyone will starve to death anyway. This is nothing new Lysol and Clorox kills it just like any other germ.

In case anyone wanted to get back to the subject line, yes there is a danger though hopefully not so great as to result in failures.  Advance ticket sales at the North Shore Scenic (Duluth) were running about 20% ahead of last year until three weeks ago when they suddenly flat-lined.  The final impact is going to be dependent on the progress of the virus outbreak.  The prime season for most tourist railroads begins Memorial Day.  That's roughly sixty days from now and I think the picture will be much clearer then.  But here's another impact.  The general collapse of the world economy is going to have a significant impact on many ordinary people's disposable income.  It's possible there could be a small uptick from people who would have gone to DisneyWorld, or taken a cruise, that will now do something less expensive closer to home, but I doubt that would offset the people who simply feel they can't afford a vacation this year.  Additionally, many museums benefit from bequeaths in people's wills, or from gifts, in the form of stock.  That stock is now only worth 2/3 of what it was before the pandemic, and still sinking.

So are tourist lines in danger this year?  Yes, as are many, many businesses both large and small.  This ain't gonna be pretty.

Gordon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/20 18:41 by gbmott.

After your ride, it may be a good time to buy a gift certificate or two for future rides at your local tourist line.

Cash in the register helps them stay in business.

Posted from Android

RNinRVR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> China, which is 3 months into its spread is now on
> the down side of the curve with very few cases
> reported in the past wee. If we can take that info
> as good, then by the beginning of June we should
> be good.

If you are willing to believe any news out of China, I have some beach front property in Arizona to sell to you cheep.

howeld Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Everyone knows what’s going on. People are
> spooked and are not going to travel much if things
> continue.
> Hard decision to make if your in charge of
> scheduling a “Day out with Thomas” or similar
> event that requires large crowds to make money.
> Do you go ahead an hope or play it safe?
>
>
> What tourist lines don’t have enough capital to
> survive a summer with sparse visitation?
> Museums?
>
> Posted from iPhone

A LARGE majority of non-profit museum organizations are going to have HUGE cash flow issues, and some are going to be ruined by the effects of the Coronavirus. And truth be told, many museums had already been in big trouble. Museum organizations - including railroad oriented - rely on admission revenues (which will be down to people not travelling or wanting to be involved in social gatherings), facility rentals (e.g. they rent out extra space for private functions), fundraisers (this relies on people and attendance), and other revenue that are derived from patronage or disposable income that may be hard to come to by!

P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Corona virus will be just a memory in 30 days
> or so.
>
> Posted from Android

I do not think it will be over in 30 days.  Sorry, but it most likely will be late May or June by the earliest as doctors around the world are trying to find a vaccine to cure it.  This takes time and it has not hit everywhere across the globe yet.

John in White Marsh, Maryland



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/20 17:00 by ClubCar.

Duna Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> howeld Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Everyone knows what’s going on. People are
> > spooked and are not going to travel much if
> things
> > continue.
> > Hard decision to make if your in charge of
> > scheduling a “Day out with Thomas” or
> similar
> > event that requires large crowds to make money.
> > Do you go ahead an hope or play it safe?
> >
> >
> > What tourist lines don’t have enough capital
> to
> > survive a summer with sparse visitation?
> > Museums?
> >
> > Posted from iPhone
>
>
>
> We'll see if SoCal's Disneyland Railway and
> monorail end up closed. Both Chinese and Tokyo
> D-lands have been closed for a while.
>
> If the Olympics get canceled or delayed, that'll
> be big. And expensive.

Disneyland in southern California announced that it is closing completely effective 13 March.

P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Corona virus will be just a memory in 30 days
> or so.
>
> Posted from Android

You are either a troll, or have absolutely no idea of what you are talking about.

jst3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> P Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The Corona virus will be just a memory in 30
> days
> > or so.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> You are either a troll, or have absolutely no idea
> of what you are talking about.

He's just uninformed...

---

chakk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Duna Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > howeld Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Everyone knows what’s going on. People are
> > > spooked and are not going to travel much if
> > things
> > > continue.
> > > Hard decision to make if your in charge of
> > > scheduling a “Day out with Thomas” or
> > similar
> > > event that requires large crowds to make
> money.
> > > Do you go ahead an hope or play it safe?
> > >
> > >
> > > What tourist lines don’t have enough
> capital
> > to
> > > survive a summer with sparse visitation?
> > > Museums?
> > >
> > > Posted from iPhone
> >
> >
> >
> > We'll see if SoCal's Disneyland Railway and
> > monorail end up closed. Both Chinese and Tokyo
> > D-lands have been closed for a while.
> >
> > If the Olympics get canceled or delayed,
> that'll
> > be big. And expensive.
>
> Disneyland in southern California announced that
> it is closing completely effective 13 March.

Only because their hand was forced by the State of California.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> chakk Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Duna Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > howeld Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > Everyone knows what’s going on. People
> are
> > > > spooked and are not going to travel much if
> > > things
> > > > continue.
> > > > Hard decision to make if your in charge of
> > > > scheduling a “Day out with Thomas” or
> > > similar
> > > > event that requires large crowds to make
> > money.
> > > > Do you go ahead an hope or play it safe?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > What tourist lines don’t have enough
> > capital
> > > to
> > > > survive a summer with sparse visitation?
> > > > Museums?
> > > >
> > > > Posted from iPhone
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > We'll see if SoCal's Disneyland Railway and
> > > monorail end up closed. Both Chinese and
> Tokyo
> > > D-lands have been closed for a while.
> > >
> > > If the Olympics get canceled or delayed,
> > that'll
> > > be big. And expensive.
> >
> > Disneyland in southern California announced
> that
> > it is closing completely effective 13 March.
>
> Only because their hand was forced by the State of
> California.

What does the State of California have to do with Disney World in Florida, or the Disney Cruise Line?

Our Sun will extinguish in about five billion years, but life on Earth will be very uncomfortable billions of years before that. Tourist lines to more habitable climes will flourish.
In that context, novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is small potatoes.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/20 21:20 by Lurch_in_ABQ.

The recession of 2008 killed off some marginal tourist railways. This time I think the virus will also affect people willing to volunteer at musuems and tourist lines for various reasons.

jst3751 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> P Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The Corona virus will be just a memory in 30
> days
> > or so.
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> You are either a troll, or have absolutely no idea
> of what you are talking about.

Whoa! I think P is just being optimistic! No one knows what things will be like 30 days from now, bad or good. That's why Wall Street and everyone else has reacted so severly. It would be awesome if things turned for the better that quickly.

Jim

Anything that involves prolonged close contact with strangers is going to be impacted severely, tourist trains I think would be firmly in that category.  I certainly wouldn't want to be riding on one or any bus, plane or train right now especially since we don't know how many are asymptomatically infected.  For instance, Ohio officials just said they estimate 100,000 of their population may already be infected. It's going to be all around us in the coming weeks.

P Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Corona virus will be just a memory in 30 days
> or so.
>
> Posted from Android

You may be a memory in 30 days or so if the virus finds you.