Steamtown Lackawanna Railfest 2008

The people involved in producing the popular and interesting (planned and unplanned) activities at Steamtown last November are back at it. For 2008, the event takes place Labor Day weekend, Aug 29 - Sep 1. the Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley Chapter, NRHS is celebrating their 35th anniversary this year, and are hosting the banquet at the Hilton on Friday night. I've heard rumblings of an inbound train to the Fest, along with a Moscow excursion for Saturday, but nothing is confirmed yet.

How much would the train ride cost out there? One would have to get a hotel to be there the whole time to wait for the train ride back, i assume too.

All costs would depend on where the train starts. I heard that the train would start at one of the Pocono towns, inbound, and return later that day. Not long enough for you to need a hotel room.

They are talking about running a train in to Steamtown from one of the towns along the DL on the Saturday only. Train (diesel!) would deadhead out in the morning from Steamtown, pick up passengers at the remote location and bring them to Steamtown for 4 or so hours then head back out. Not a big deal but it would save you miles anf gas if you normally come into town via I380.

Just three months to go! How is the planning going?

MX

mxdata wrote:Just three months to go! How is the planning going?

MX

Who knows!!
In terms of steam it will probably be the same as last year, but from what I heard and from a press release I saw, Amtrak, NS, CSX, CP/D&H, and some other regional railroads should be there.

I hope they can pin down the equipment and make the necessary arrangements in enough time this year. I recall they had a problem with CP getting crews for the ferry moves last time. If it had not been for the Levins bringing most of the visiting equipment to town, there wouldn't have been much to see.

MX

mxdata wrote:I hope they can pin down the equipment and make the necessary arrangements in enough time this year. I recall they had a problem with CP getting crews for the ferry moves last time. If it had not been for the Levins bringing most of the visiting equipment to town, there wouldn't have been much to see.

MX

As of now looks like NS will be attending

NS Exhibit Car schedule
http://www.ble.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=22085

Posted from a reliable source on yahoo groups..

Lackawanna Railfest 2008 will be another good time in Scranton, PA this
Labor Day Weekend!!! Right now it looks like NS, CSXT, AMTRAK, NJT, SEPTA,
CP will all be sending display trains. Working on a public excursion from
"somewhere in the greater PA area" to Scranton & return on Sunday using Mr.
Levin's E8a's. Many Historical Societies will be showing their work and
Steamtown is planning a couple of surprises. Many noted railfans, editors,
and experts will be giving lectures through out the event.

Any word on where the E8's will be leaving from? Philly?

Should be fun
This will be the first railfan-related event I will be attending.

NJT

I wonder what they have to display....a bi-level perhaps ?

I was under the impression that Mr. Levin had pretty much answered the question about another E8 excursion in the PRR 120 thread. Are there more developments since then?

MX

mxdata wrote:I was under the impression that Mr. Levin had pretty much answered the question about another E8 excursion in the PRR 120 thread. Are there more developments since then?

MX

MX,

I don't think anybody mentioned anything about the PRR E8's attending Steamtown Railfest this year... Someone just asked if they were... I had thought they were originally going to attend, but now the answer is no. So if you didn't get pictures of them last year, you will have to go to Philly or Altoona... There is a slight chance the Erie E8 MIGHT be there, but that is up in the air at this point too, since it just moved back to Port Jervis and high costs make it prohibitive to move it back to Scranton.

So right now it looks like 2 steam engines and lots of more modern equipment!!

Thanks, that was my understanding too, that Mr. Levin's E-units would not be there this year. The quote from Yahoo groups made it sound like this might have changed and I was wondering if I had missed a posting or two.

I hope they have their railfans, editors, and experts who will be doing lectures all lined up by now. A lot of people aren't going anywhere this summer due to the high cost of gasoline. With this event scheduled at peak travel season and at a time when there are a lot of other events in Scranton, the cost of travel and hotel is likely to be very high.

MX