Where do YOU want to go? (Excursion)

[jgallaway81]

Jurgen: And I suppose you never made a mistake or failed to live up to your expectations when trying something new?

[RDGFan40]

Jurgen: And I suppose you never made a mistake or failed to live up to your expectations when trying something new?

Ummmmm, nope. Can't say that I have. Anything else?

[RDGFan40]

Jurgen: And I suppose you never made a mistake or failed to live up to your expectations when trying something new?

Yeah, mistake. If it was a mistake all the people that were p/o'd by it wouldn't be. That's the part that the organizers of the last one....DON'T SEEM TO GET.

[RDGTRANSMUSEUM]

Maybe the CRHS should focus on the CONRAIL history and not try to run money loosing trips and collect endless piles of rust like so many other societies have done. Build up your base first,then try other projects. Bob Gottschall, Co founder RCTHS.

[charlie6017]

Let's get back to some PRODUCTIVE conversation, shall we? Thank You!

Charlie

[conrail6055]

Jurgen: And I suppose you never made a mistake or failed to live up to your expectations when trying something new?

Yeah, mistake. If it was a mistake all the people that were p/o'd by it wouldn't be. That's the part that the organizers of the last one....DON'T SEEM TO GET.

Maybe the CRHS should focus on the CONRAIL history and not try to run money loosing trips and collect endless piles of rust like so many other societies have done. Build up your base first,then try other projects. Bob Gottschall, Co founder RCTHS.

RDGFan40 and Mr. Gottschall,

Please do me a favor, drop me an email ([email protected]) with your phone numbers. I'd be more than happy to discuss your bitterness and disdain for our organization and the projects we undertake.

~Kris

[craltoona]

Maybe the CRHS should focus on the CONRAIL history and not try to run money loosing trips and collect endless piles of rust like so many other societies have done. Build up your base first,then try other projects. Bob Gottschall, Co founder RCTHS.

Last I checked, the CRHS owned a caboose that's in good condition (painted), and has a ex-Conrail gondola on the way. That would be 2 pieces of equipment. Hmmm...I wouldn't really call that an "endless pile." Also, their first ever excursion netted them a nice chuck of change; it was not money losing at all. (Unless you have data to the contrary, let's assume your statement here is completely eronious and nonsensical.) In fact, for never having ever run a fan trip and not having a reputation, I'd say selling 800 tickets is pretty impressive. Not a bad fundrasing idea for an organization that doesn't have a huge membership base yet, nor an official home. In fact, out of 800 passengers, only a few of them were dissatisfied with their trip. What about the other 780 or so passengers? They seemed to enjoy their trip. You're never going to please everyone. The best thing about starting up as a young organization is you can learn from the mistakes of other railway museums and avoid them. I can't wait for the next CRHS excursion. I'm sure they will learn from any mistakes they made during their first excursion and make this next trip even bigger and better than ever. Keep it up CRHS; be proud of your accomplishments and never let anyone tell you "you shouldn't do this or that" because "they" know what's best for you. Stay true to your long term goals, listen to your passengers, and respect your membership; you'll be running circles around other groups in short order!

[rswinnerton]

Well Gentlemen, What did we do to offend the Reading?

Mr RDGFan40-
Sorry you were dissatisfied with the trip. You were certainly in the minority. Approxamately 98% of the 822 passengers were quite happy. While we did make some mistakes, the majority had a good time (despite the weather). For those who didn't and took the time to write to us or email us, We did what we could to make it right with them. If you wish to discuss the Conrail Express Trip with me via email, I invite you to email me at ([email protected]).

Mr. Gottschall
I assure you we are quite focused on preserving Conrail History. As a matter of fact, the money earned from the trip is being used to acquire an ex PRR gondola. Hopefully the car should be onsite in the next few weeks. As for your comment about money losing trips, which one would they be? I can only remember one trip (The Express) and we made money on that. Not as much as we would have liked as SEPTA required us to insure the Comet cars for $800,000 EACH, which almost tripeled our insurance premium. Dispite this, we still made money. Please get your facts correct before commenting on other societies' P&L statements. Speaking of getting things correct, where are the "endless piles of rust" that we own? We've got a caboose and a gon, and neither one is a pile of rust. (Ok, the gon looks a bit shabby now, but not for long!) It's interesting to note that our trip ALSO got us enough money to paint the caboose, which we will be undertaking this winter. (This statement alone seems to discredit your entire post!) Should you wish to discuss this further, you also may contact me at ([email protected]).

I'm not really sure what we did to put a bee in your collective bonnets, but if you are unhappy with the successes of our group, I cant really help you. Either of you. We at CRHS are just here doing the best we know how. We're saving Big Blue and making sure that we have equipment and archives preserved for future generations to see and enjoy.

That being said, We have chosen a route for our next trip. The next trip is tentatively scheduled for June of 2012 and will be bigger and better than the Express. The info will be posted here when things are nailed down, and I personally invite the members of the Reading Tech society who rode the Kitchi Gammi Club to contact me at the above email if they are interested in riding again. (They seemed VERY happy!)

GO BIG BLUE! Long Live CONRAIL!
Russ

[RDGTRANSMUSEUM]

My comments were made as I see CHS going down the same road as OTHER societies have gone,NOT case in point about CHS. After spending 9 years on CR in T&E service, i have a vested interest. I sent my number to your society to talk about this futher. Bob Gottschall

[RDG Diesel]

As a current member on the Board of Directors with the RCT&HS and the head of the Motive Power and Rolling Equipment committee for the RCT&HS I would like to say I admire the CRHS. I also welcome any questions they may have during the restoration of their equipment. I am very familiar with restoration projects from fabricating work to mechanical work. Sometimes a fresh opinion on a issue is all that's needed.

I was not one of the Members from the RCT&HS who rode the trip but I heard wonderful things from all of the active members of the MP&RE committee who did. I am fairly positive they and possibly myself will eagerly go on the next trip. Our groups need to stick together and I am fully willing to work with the CRHS with any of their projects or ideas they may have involving RCT&HS equipment either it be photo ops or something else if I can help I will. Conrail is a very important part of the RDG Company and a good percentage of our equipment did go to Conrail, we may even paint some Conrail equipment represented within the RCT&HS in the future seeing how it would be historically accurate and tell part of the story of how the RDG went into Conrail on April 1 1976.

I grew up with Conrail and am happy to see a group trying to preserve it and as stated above will help them where I can.

Tim Weidner

[RDGFan40]

Well Gentlemen, What did we do to offend the Reading?

Mr RDGFan40-
Sorry you were dissatisfied with the trip. You were certainly in the minority. Approxamately 98% of the 822 passengers were quite happy. While we did make some mistakes, the majority had a good time (despite the weather). For those who didn't and took the time to write to us or email us, We did what we could to make it right with them. If you wish to discuss the Conrail Express Trip with me via email, I invite you to email me at ([email protected]).

98% satisfied? Yeah ok.

[Otto Vondrak]

This thread is still open? If you have a grip contact the CRHS directly, please.

[charlie6017]

Actually, I should have closed this sooner---was waiting to see what the final choice was for the next excursion, then was going to lock it. A sarcastic "Thanks a lot" is extended to the immature folks who have nothing to do but gripe about the hard work others have done for these excursions. My apologies go out to those affected by those who apparently can't be civil.

Russ, if you'll kindly send a PM as to what is happening with the next excursion, I will post it on this thread---however, the thread will remain locked.

Good day,
Charlie