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Added trip for North Pole Express almost sold out
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Monday, November 24, 2008 9:42 AM EST
OWOSSO - North Pole Express trips were sold out almost two weeks ago.
However, because the waiting list continued to grow, two more excursions were added at the end of the week. One trip was filled from the waiting list as soon as it was scheduled.
“We had 12 pages of names on the waiting list before we added the extra trains,” T.J. Gaffney, executive director of the Steam Railroading Institute, said.
North Pole Express trips are pulled by the Pere Marquette 1225 steam locomotive to Santa's Village, North Pole USA at Saginaw Fairgrounds and back to the SRI.
The first excursion added is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19, and the waiting list was filled with names. The original schedule only included Saturday and Sunday excursions, with the exception of a 4 p.m. trip on Nov. 28, the Friday following Thanksgiving.
A second excursion was also added yesterday, scheduled for 10 a.m. Nov. 28. Gaffney said there is a possibility that the second trip could also be filled from the names still on the waiting list, although he said the 10 a.m. Nov. 28 trip would be posted on the Web site with seats available.
Interest in the North Pole Express trips rose dramatically following publication of a feature about the trips in a AAA Living magazine this fall.
Gaffney said as a result of the feature, the SRI is receiving requests for tickets from both coasts, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin and more. He has also received requests to do radio spots as far as Grand Rapids, Detroit and Traverse City.
Two cabooses are part of each train, each with a capacity of 12 to 15 passengers. All of the cabooses, including those on the first added trip, were sold out by closing-time Friday. Cabooses were still available on the 10 a.m. Nov. 28 trip as of last night.
“Usually we have an empty caboose a day. Sometimes a couple,” Gaffney said. “This is definitely a first for us.”
Gaffney added that the North Pole Express excursions have seen steady growth over the years. He said SRI added nine trips in ‘04, with a couple more in ‘05.
As the years progressed, more trips were added. The extra excursion this year sets a new record for the North Pole Express. Due to requests for tickets, an extra coach car was added earlier to all trips this fall - increasing the total capacity of passengers on trains from 300 to 375. With the two caboose cars on each train, the number of passengers on each trip approaches 400. The added excursions make the number of people, many out of state, who the SRI is bringing into the community this fall to nearly 8,000. There will be 19 North Pole excursions this season, including morning and afternoon trips most days.
Gaffney said the strong sales have been a surprise to SRI officials.
“We budgeted for a three quarters sell-out,” Gaffney said. “We thought this might be the first year we didn't sell out. This is phenomenal. This season will help us pay down some of our debt.”
Gaffney said the sales will also help the Institute prepare for federally mandated boiler work, which needs to be completed on the 1225 in 2010.
“Every little bit helps,” he said.
But the recent increase in calls for tickets proved a challenge for the SRI.
“We had to call in volunteers just to help man the phone lines,” Gaffney said, adding there are three lines coming into the institute. “The calls were coming in one on top of the other.”
Gaffney said the SRI will try to be fair to everyone interested in the North Pole Express.
“Any people on our waiting list that we can't serve this fall will have first shot at North Pole Express tickets next year,” he said.
The North Pole Express season will help SRI prepare for next summer's Train Festival 2009, when over 30,000 people are expected to come into Owosso.
Gaffney said the strong ticket sales will add a needed boost to the Institute.
“Our cost has gone up almost five fold over the past five years,” he said, adding that lubricants for the locomotive and insurance have both increased drastically. “We've only raised our prices once in the past five years. We're trying to make our North Pole trips affordable for the family.”
Gaffney said he expects people coming into the community will be patrons to local restaurants and shops.
“We are very, very excited,” he said.