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Discussing the future


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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 17 July 2011 - 01:15 AM

One requirement at any Fest, is to get the core regulars together to discuss where the OTOL group will head next. Sure, we're an online forum and sure, things will most certainly develop a bit as time progresses, but it is still fun to talk about where we will ride the rails next. It's sort of like passing the torch to the next host city in the Olympics.

We can discuss the following:
  • Whether to do anything later this summer
  • Whether to do anything later this year
  • Options for next January's Fest, which at this point appears to be another "Request Fest" -- this time in Philadelphia. You can make your requests in person!
  • Options for next July's longer Fest which we have discussed much already on this board. So far there were 3 different alternatives for a Fest involving North Carolina and Virginia (taking in light rail in Charlotte and Norfolk as the main activities). We have also talked about going to Albuquerque to ride RailRunner, which could be headed for extinction eventually.
  • How we could possibly accomplish Salt Lake City, which by next month will have added mileage to its light rail system (plus the original lines)... should we wait until 2015 when the Airport & Draper lines and FrontRunner South will be open as well? How do we deal with the 3:30 AM departure of the eastbound California Zephyr?
Best place to have this discussion would be in New Orleans, probably over a meal. And by waiting until Bill Magee is with us, we can call this one of his favorite terms, a Think Tank. :P


Kevin Korell


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#2 jis

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Posted 17 July 2011 - 07:56 AM

Best place to have this discussion would be in New Orleans, probably over a meal. And by waiting until Bill Magee is with us, we can call this one of his favorite terms, a Think Tank. :P

Gives me a vision of Goldfishes bubbling around in a bowl, some even wearing glasses :P thinking very hard of course!

#3 steve4031

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Posted 17 July 2011 - 07:57 AM

Jis. That's fish food for thought.

#4 KevinKorell

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Posted 26 July 2011 - 02:13 PM

Well we didn't have a Think Tank.... especially not during the dinner at Harrahs New Orleans when I was continuously stuffing my face filling my own tank and getting up to get more. :D But during the week various people had discussions about the options. Confonted with the choice of Charlotte/Norfolk and Albuquerque, the latter seemed to generate more interest. Perhaps that was because it would have to involve more travel on a long distance train, namely the Southwest Chief, where as the eastern option would be day trains (though perhaps the Silver Star would be involved as well in some of the alternatives). Coupled with the fact that we were once again thwarted in doing everything in Chicago, and that there is lots left to do on our list on both CTA and METRA, we could plan an Albuquerque trip with a longer stopover in Chicago. I explored some of the possibilities as I relaxed in the Sightseer Lounge of the Capitol Limited this past Sunday morning, but didn't work out any details. Although weekend service on RailRunner was spared for now, I would still prefer to be there on a weekday when service runs more often. The schedule is more complicated than it looks, and it's difficult to find time for trips in both directions to Belen and Santa Fe. This would involve 2 hotel nights in Albuquerque, and probably 2 hotel nights in Chicago, plus 1-night overnight trips in each direction on the Southwest Chief. For those who join us from the Midwest, Chicago is not as much a stopover point, as it is for the majority who hail from the East, but it still remains to be decided whether the Chicago time would take place during the eastbound or westbound journey. And just as I want ABQ to be on a weekday, the Chicago time has to include a full Sunday afternoon since I would like to include the UP-North line to Kenosha, WI and the Kenosha streetcar as well. Sunday afternoon provides the only feasible dwell time in Kenosha, giving us 2+ hours for the streetcar as well as dinner. So once all the excitement clears from this past Fest I'll try to work out the scenarios for this. Most likely what I have posted now for a Midwest RailFest and a Chief RailFest will cease to exist, and I'll take some aspects from both to build this one. To address the other above concerns, I don't think there will be another meet this year. Last year's August LIRF was necessary because of the impending demise of service on one branch of the LIRR. And quite a few people already have their own personal travel plans for August. Regarding next January, we're clear on Philadelphia being the venue. As to what we do there, it will be another Request Fest so your input will determine what we will ride. I will lay out the possibilities, all the various trolley, rapid transit, and commuter rail options, soon. How much you want to do will determine whether this would be a 2 or 3 day event. We really didn't talk much about Salt Lake City, other than agreeing that an eastbound arrival or departure is impossible, and a westbound arrival is not much better if the train is late. Arriving after the light rail lines close for the night would mean taxi rides to our hotels. Most likely we'd do it on the way to the Bay Area, perhaps even stopping again in Sacramento once there is more to ride there as well.


Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ





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