Hey Guys,
I'm an employee of the GSMR, I just started work as a food runner/server on their first class dining cars. Most of us servers try our best to tell our passengers about the line and interesting facts as the train goes along. Being an avid Southern Railway fan I have delved alot in the history of the line and have gathered lots of facts and stories to share with my passengers.
I'd like to put togeather a scrap book of sorts to pass around whenever I'm working to allow my passengers to see photos of the line and other things. I've collected magazine and news articles about the line to put in there.
If anyone has any photographs of the Railway during Southern or Norfolk Southern ownership, as well as photographs from the early days (pre-AHR), that you wouldnt mind sharing with me to put in the book, message me and I'll give you my email address. Anything you may have be they photos, or articles scanned, or anything would be nice.
Note: I am looking especially for steam-era Southern photographs, NS photographs, any photographs of 1702, and photos pre-1999 (especially from the late 80s, or from when trains still ran into Murphy), but any are welcome,
If you have anything, like I said, message me and I'll give you my email address. When I compile the book I will make sure to note your name under or next to what you contribute. Again, it's just something to pass around for the passengers to look at, I won't be selling them. We're out of milepost guides an waiting on the new ones, hence this project.
Thanks Guys,
Nick
Nick! :)
Nick,
While I applaud you intent, I think you are setting yourself up for problems in passing around a scrapbook. One, it will distract from most diner's experience. Think about wrestling around a scrapbook on a moving train while you are trying to eat. Two, stuff is going to get spilled on it, Three, someone will walk off with it. Four, most people on the train really do not care about the history. They are there for the company, or the event. The train is merely the stage. To prove this last point watch where people's attention is. Better than 90% of the time it is inside the car, not outside the train.
Making a scrapbook for yourself makes good sense. Once you have it, ask management if they want to make a one page tri-fold brochure out of the best parts.
Mac McCulloch
Have you ever ridden in the first class on the GSMR?
No, but I rode Spirit of Washington dinner train in Washington State. Passenger behavior is not a train or regional issue. In fact, the more deluxe the service is the more my comments are true but they apply to any dinner train type operation.
Mac
I rode with you folks twice in the last 7 years in your first class and even having the mileage guide I would have enjoyed seeing a scrap book on the line as well as the former flags. It could be that little extra that would make the trip even more personal. I think the problem some may be having is they are thinking of the classic "dinner train". Regrettably, living in California I have little info. that would be of help to you. Also, don't let anybody rain on your parade, I for one think it's a great idea and who knows, it may increase your tip!
I've ridden GSMR many times and have enjoyed it immensely. About 5 years ago I purchased a book in the gift shop that gave a real good history of the Murphy line complete with many photos and milepost by milepost notes of what the rider is viewing. I think it was called Back of Beyond or something similar to that. It should satisfy even the most curious of railfans. The only negative thing about these dinner trains is the way the seats face each other. I really don't care to have some stranger staring me in the face while I am eating! Hope y'all have a busy season-I'll see you in August in an open-air coach that used to be a boxcar.
I have never taken a dinner train, but in all of my experience in traveling by train in the last sixty years, I have seldom had a stranger staring in my face as I eat--I have enjoyed conversation with almost all of my table companions as we ate; only a few were not interested in conversing with me and my wife and resisted attempts to make conversation. Indeed, many of them introduced themselves by their given names.
Are the people who take dinner train trips not interested in conversing with strangers?
Johnny
Not my forte but to each his own.
Well PWRNMNM, thank you for your concern, but you needn't worry. Having worked several trains the past month including a sold out 22 car NRHS trip and the Easter trains, I have not experienced ill or sloppy behavior from the passengers. Besides, I'm basically doing it only to wow my passengers to hopefully get bigger tips lol.
We don't run night dinner trains any longer. First class runs only during the day and you are served lunch. Right now the lunch choices are Prim Rib, Glazed Pork Loin, Chicken Cordon Blue, and a Black and Blue salad.
The book you gents keep mentioned is the milepost guide I mentioned in the opening. They are sold out and we are currently waiting on a shipment of the new, updated guide books.
I would think an employee would know best. If the passengers don't care they will just say so. It's not like he is lecturing them and giving them a test at the end.
Those seem more like dinner quisine than lunch. Why did management do away with the evening dinner trains? I recall them as having very good ridership the three times I was aboard.
On the contrary, this menu has been mt with great approval by all of our riders. Our previous menus which included lunch foods like BBQ and Hamburgers weren't very popular (so I've been told). Since we bill this service as "First Class" we serve them more gourmet style foods. Hamburgers aren't generally something one would associate with a First Class dinner........
As to why they stopped running those, I cannot say. I'm not sure why. I have heard rumors from a fellow employee (and I'm not sure how well founded these are, so please do not quote me), that they may bring them back soon. Of course, I do not know this for sure. It's just a rumor I heard from a fellow co-worker.
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