Santa
Train Excursions Report
The Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical
Society, in cooperation with the Finger Lakes Scenic Railway,
sponsored Santa train excursions over the former New York
Central “Auburn
Road” railroad line between Shortsville and Clifton
Springs on Saturday, November 26, 2005. Five passenger
train excursions were operated from Shortsville to Clifton
Springs and return over the Finger Lakes Railway using
two diesel locomotives and two passenger coaches. Each
train ride lasted one hour and was a 10-mile round trip.
A total of 720 passengers rode the trains. Four out
of the five round trips were sold out. The average passenger
count per train was 144. Thank you to all the passengers
who rode our train excursions. We appreciate your
patronage!
Paid ads were placed in the Daily Messenger, the Democrat
and Chronicle, and the Genesee Valley Pennysaver. Press
releases were published in the Courier-Gazette, the Daily
Messenger, the Democrat and Chronicle, the Finger Lakes
Times, and on various Internet web sites. R News in Rochester
aired a news story by the “Getaway Guy” on
Friday, November 25.
Thanks to Deb Halderman for handling all of the telephone
inquiries along with retail and mail order sales. A total
of 600 tickets were sold in advance. Tickets were sold
by Country Corner in Phelps, Depot 25 Restaurant in Shortsville,
Electric Train Co. in Victor, Five Seasons Gifts in Canandaigua,
and Petal Pusher Florist in Manchester. Special thanks
to these merchants for their help with ticket sales.
The Society freight station museum was open to passengers
during the excursions. Sales at the gift shop staffed by
Deb Halderman were good. The food concession operated by
the Shortsville Presbyterian Church did a brisk business
before and after each of the five trips. Thanks to Jim
Kerins for bringing his sound system. Thanks to Dan Hodge
for displaying his N scale model train modules.
As always, we received outstanding service and cooperation
from the Finger Lakes Scenic Railway train crew comprised
of Kevin Buckland, Engineer/Conductor; Bruce Habberfield,
Engineer/Conductor; Deb Murphy, Gift Shop; and Kim Maines,
Snack Bar. Thanks to Joe Frasca for being Santa Claus.
Thanks to Sean Miller and Kristin Ward for doing the balloons
on the train.
Thank you to all of the Society members who assisted with
the excursions in one way or another. Thanks to Joe Dickson,
Bev Halderman, and Jack Tuttle for volunteering as parking
lot attendants. Thanks to David Halderman and Roger Halderman
for volunteering as boarding assistants. Thanks to Dave
Fleenor and Bill Young for volunteering as car hosts. I
appreciate the Society’s support of this fund-raising
project.
Ken May, Excursion Coordinator
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