blockline4180 wrote:njt/mnrrbuff wrote:. I also heard that there is talk about those steam excursions running on other Septa Lines this summer.
Really? By Whom? To be honest, I don't think something like that will happen as Septa was very reluctant to go along with this trip even at 10 MPH, but I guess with some "arm twisting" never say never.
That's not true, the train was definitely going faster than 10 mph (not through town, of course. I'm not sure about how fast it was going when I was onboard but it was definitely doing close to track speed on the shuttle run to Lansdale), and SEPTA loved all of the positive PR along with the added benefit of their cut of the money.
After your ride was over, the voiceover on the PA said, "be on the lookout for more excursion opportunities coming this summer!" I talked to the conductor afterwards, along with someone I know who works in the NHRR shops, and they have both said that SEPTA is 100% fine with any excursion as long as it takes place on a weekend, and as long as a PTC-equipped loco is somewhere on the consist (SEPTA #80 was doing the job this time around).
I suppose it could mean a lot of things. Such excursions are definitely supposed to happen on SEPTA territory, but where? Lansdale Founder's day is a possibility, but I'm sure that they meant something else. In theory, the furthest SEPTA would let them go is Glenside, right? As much as I'd love for a steam engine to roll into Philly again, the main line is too heavily trafficked to support such an excursion, even on a Sunday.
