Why is Trains not covering the Union Pacific Steam Excursion?

[bumunderbridge]

http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/steam/index.shtml

The Union Pacific is running a once in a lifetime public steam excursion on Nov 11th and I dont see Trains Mag covering this or on the forums...Did I miss something?

[MJChittick]

bumunderbridge

http://www.up.com/aboutup/special_trains/steam/index.html

The Union Pacific is running a once in a lifetime public steam excursion on Nov 11th and I dont see Trains Mag covering this or on the forums...Did I miss something?

Link is hot.

[bumunderbridge]

try this---

http://www.uprr.com/newsinfo/media_kit/steam/844/index.shtml

[jrbernier]

  I looked at the corrected URL.  This excursion appears to be a fund raiser for the UP Museum.  UP runs several steam excursions each year for groups and for UP sponsored events.  Other than this is for the 50th anniversary of the Museum, you can ride/chase UP steam excursions every summer.

  Maybe Trains will have a small sidebar on the event in a future issue - maybe not...

Jim

[MJChittick]

Here's the link to the complete article:

http://www.uprr.com/newsinfo/releases/heritage_and_steam/2010/1028_50th-anniversary.shtml

 

[samfp1943]

I have been reading this thread with some mixed emotions.

    The first poster seems to have as the thrust of his argument that somehow TRAINS is not covering this specific UP Steam Heritage trip because it is done in support of UP's own museum, and therefore is open to public support by selling tickets to the public to ride on it, with the proceeds going to suport the UP Museum.

       Many of UP's Steam Trips are strictly 'Inviitation Only'; done to reward employees for services and to show railroad customers how UP operates, in an enjoyable setting. Some have sold public tickets as well, I think the 'Cheyenne Days'(?) trips are done like that.    I've got no problem with any of that as they are UP's  Trains.   Like many others, I've 'chased' their steam trains because I enjoy seeing them operating in this day and time and find it very enjoyable.

      I am sure that at some point TRAINS  will cover the trip in an appropriate manner.  You can bet that there will be many You Tube contributions to see, as well.    If I am mistaken as to the original poster's sentiments, I apologize.   I subscribe to TRAINS  because their coverage of all things trains  is as thorough and interesting as it gets..  

[atsfkid]

I love the UP steam engines.  I was in Cheyenne this summer when 844 left for Denver to get the rodeo riders.  I was in Gorham, IL when 3985 backed around the wye to head back west.  I'll be in Nebraska in November.  The previous post was right, there will be ample coverage of the trip in a manner that will get the pictures and text out to the steam fans in short order.  When I subscribe to Trains, I expect a level of professionalism and perspective that often isn't part of fan trip/fund raiser.  If the magazine wanted to do an in-depth look at the UP's steam program, I'd love to read it.  But, the pictures and description of one trip don't rise to the level of expectation that I have for a magazine article.  I'm sure someone, maybe me, will be more than willing to share our first hand experiences of the upcoming trip.

[Semper Vaporo]

News organizations - Newspapers, Magazines, Radio and TV - are all, in general, "reactive"... i.e.: they report what HAS happened, not what is GOING TO happen.

This has always been the case.

If a news organization were to start to report on coming events then that is "advertising" and they would then charge for the service, especially from a commercial enterprize.

I am sure that U.P. issued a "news release" about the upcoming event, but that would only generate a small paragraph in a minor section of any newspaper, magazine, or Radio/TV program.

If Trains started covering a coming event for a large company, like U.P. for free, then every small company would want similar coverage for whatever they are doing, and then the even smaller places would demand the same...  "Microtown and Teenyburg Railway has added a string of Christmas lights to the front railing of their windup locomotive (Lenoil 1923) and will be running it across the county highway on Christmas Eve for the holidays.  Everyone is invited to come see the festivities.  Accompanying this article is a 23 photo essay of the entire 172-ft long railway and the docks at both ends."

 

[AlWilkes]

You're absolutely right. News organisations report on what has already happened, and not on what  is about to happen. But the reasons for this are less obvious. The news organisations themselves have all the inforamtion about what is about to happen, but choose not to publish it. This is because they  believe that they  have the  prerogative as to what to cover on the day. If a photographer is not gainfully employed, he will be despatched to take pix of the event, which then becomes ''news''. But if he is to be used on some more pressing assignment, then the event ''never takes place''. What would be nice, but never happens, would be a publication of all the event news BEFORE it happens, as supplied by all the organisations/charities/clubs etc.. Then the rest of us, and not the media, could decide where to go, what to watch, and how to amuse ourselves.  - AlWlkes