http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201006160945?page=1&build=cache
Words included are. “may and could”. That say’s it is strictly a PR release so don’t hold your breath.
If anyone could pull it off Ross Rowland has had a history with running mainline steam on major Eastern roads; with several different projects.
The only fly in the ointment might be a change in the internal machinations at CSX? I mention this in response to a recent thread where CSX refused to move the WM Steamer 734 to an event in which they were a sponsor. @ http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/175532.aspx originally posted by Wallyworld.
I would love to see it happen, and hope that it will, but all things being equal risk and lawyers now have their hands on the corporate throttles.
…Well it sure sounds exciting…Hope all involved can pull it off.
Have been to this location and the Amtrak stop is {don’t know if it still serves there now}, and it’s just a stones throw to the Hotel property from that station stop.
Every time I read a press clipping like this, I always wonder what they were smoking when they wrote it. If it ever becomes a reality, would there be enough clientele to keep it going?
A big AMEN to what Valley X wrote.
A four car RDC train I can maybe see: two parlor cars sandwiching a diner-lounge and a “party car” equipped with blackjack tables and slot machines, but nothing pulled by steam. That’s just too off-the-charts expensive to pull off day-in and day-out.
One only needs to look at the history of the American European Express to see how well this would go, and that was without the added expense of a steam locomotive.
As of Sept. 22, I was told by CSX Mr. Rowland has made no formal request to them to operate his train over their railroad from Washington, D.C. to White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. I was told that CSX strictly adheres to its policy of no passenger trains, other than Amtrak, on their railroad, as well as no steam locomotives.
As of Sept. 22, Rowland has not formally approached CSX about running is train from Washington to Greenbrier, according to railroad officials. Time will tell