# How Will the (Model) Railroads Survive the Holiday Rush?



## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

So after tonight, we will be scrambeling at the mercy of Thanksgiving, and the December Holiday rush!!! Passengers riding our rails in the good Lord knows what??? Refers filled with fruit, veggies, turkeys and hams, boxcars and container trains filled with the gifts of the season, we so lovingly give to our friends and family! So, how is everybody going to cope with the holiday rush? We're in the middle of a recession, our pocket books are thin, and our rails are working to the tieplate to get bye? What is everybody's operation plan to cope with the extra traffic? If we don't make it bye and well off, we could be facing railways going the way of the NYO&W, the L&NE, the CGW, and just abour almost all the Interurbans!!! -  -  -  - :smilie_daumenpos: -:smilie_daumenneg: -:dunno: - :gotooprah: - hwell: -  -  -  -  -  -  - :thumbsup: - :thumbsdown: - :laugh:

In the near-imortal last lines of "A Christmas Carol" from Tiny Tim, *"God bless us everyone."* 

:thumbsup::thumbsup:
"Ayeeeee!" Says the Fonz!


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

My plan is moderation and layaway!!

My kids are both getting a couple of the same things to stop fights and after that they both get the same # of toys and the same # of outfits and I am using layaway from my local stores to spread out the hurt on my wallet. I started before halloween and I should finish before the middle of December and on X-mas morning I will have 2 happy kids. 

Massey


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

I meant what is everybody's operating plan for our model railroads, during the busy travel season. How will we cope with our little model passengers traveling to all points unknown, and the freight of holiday feasts and gifts. This is to discuss each of our railroad's holiday operating plans, like real railroad head honchos in the Golden Age of the ribbons of steel!!! All sitting about in board rooms, and at the fancy restruants, when steam thundered bye, and the diesel was just an infant. Model Commers has to march on too!  -


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

Right now the SMRY is still getting up and running so there will not be any increase in traffic. This year anyway.

Massey


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

In the model railroading world, my lil people are gearing up for winter. The idea is to have the track level enough, stable enough, and the power bugs sorted out in time for running passenger trains to the lake for skating, cattle from one yard to another and a train wreck/maintenance combine running around endlessly, just for fun.

In real life, Union Pacific and the western lines seem to be making out like gang-busters, based on their increased rates and smug notices that they have so much freight right now, they don't need to haul yours unless you pay the increases!


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

"so much freight right now..."

I did a short stint in retail management, my son has/had 8 years in. Most big retailers get the major portion of their Christmas order starting the end of August, beginning of Sept. So I'm thinking and hoping that the increase in freight now is a sign of economic recovery.:thumbsup:

My kids are 30 and 28 and Christmas isn't the same as it once was when they were little. G-kids aren't in the near future and that's ok with me. Both have school loans, I'll be happy with a card.

Not turning this political but I see more and more of my friends becoming unemployed and even if not unemployed struggling through no fault of their own.

Bah Humbug.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The economic recovery is going to take years, and we're highly dependent on what happens in Europe and the developing countries. Their fate is tied to ours, and Europe is getting stupid again! Well, specifically Greece this time, but it'll spread.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

I usually get a bit of time off over Christmas so I'll try to spend at least a few days working on the layout. Maybe spend some time building some of the many kits I already own. My youngest wants another Thomas engine, but I haven't figured out what the oldest wants yet. We try to keep the overall cost down for the holidays and incorporate "gifts" that are winter items that needed to be purchased anyway (ski gear, new coats, gloves, etc) I'm hoping for a snowy year as I'm doing my National Ski Patrol at a nearby hill (only 15 miles away) so the kids and I will get tons of time on the slopes.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, if you were back east, the long range forecasts are for a lot more snow. Come on back, I'll let you use the snow blower!


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

*Current Operating Plans - Wahoo!!!*

The Washington North Coast & Pacific Railroad & Navigation Company (my pike), is launching the "South Coast Belle" to our sister r.r. the Grays-Willipa Railway (GWR -a spoof on the old Great Western Railway/God's Wonderful Railway in England! - ). A Streamlined express, based off of the Alantic Coast Line Champion, but reverse on the purple & sliver ratios! The train will also be hauled by Athearn B&M "Super-Pacific" 4-6-2's (now that's class!!!), and will run between Seattle and Aberdeen, WA (tennativly). We are becomming profitable, and out of the gloom of this depression, a bright, 1930's style symbolic dream, of a brighter tomorrow! -  -  -  - :thumbsup:

God bless us all!


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Dotage is doing ceramics. How many of you have seen family members go on THAT binge????:laugh::laugh::laugh:


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

*Stay on Topic!!!*

My mom has done both, and I've done Ceramics, and so... "Danger Will Robbinson! Danger!" The name of the thread, is "How Will the *(MODEL)* Railroads Survive the Holiday Rush?" as in "what are the traffic patterns, ticket prices, and holiday day dinners going to look like?" and "are there any new trains (passenger, freight, mixed) or "extra sections" going to be taken on in the madness??? Keep it clean, keep it nice, and keep it to the *(Model)[B* Railroads! Look back at page one, to see what I mean!!!


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