Annual Caboose Excursion on WVRR

[ShorterWWValley]

Are Student Brakemen allowed to go on this trip as crew? (Taking Classes Now until the 24th of March)

[BantaRail]

Cmdr_suds:
           Generally a mix of both:
           One or two that look bad on the outside are better on the inside.
           One or two that look good on the outside are sometimes not so on the inside.
           Then a few are good inside and out.
            I have not been to WVRR to check on them, since my Caboose Trip in 2010.

ShorterWWValley;
       As for Student Brakeman that is up to who is in charge of  "student trips".  I do not care.
       I will be pciking the crew (If I do not wait to long.)

Received two payments in today.
Brian Banta
       

[RailfanJ-Ro22]

Do you know the times that the train will be at certain locations or at least when it will depart? Sometimes when my dad and I go to Connersville on Sundays we see a CSX train generally around 11:00 a.m. and if the caboose train would just happen to be under the bridge as that things going over that would be amazing! I need to know the times at least during the week before because I still REALLY want to film this operation for YouTube and I need to plan out my shots.

Unfortunately my dad is my ride which makes it a 50 to 50 chance I'll be there. The reason being is that he works at a radio station and might be at the station running Purdue University Basketball on that day. It all depends on what days Purdue will play during the NCAA Tournament.

By the way, I think you're an incredibly awesome person for organizing this event and you must have a real love for trains, as I! (and everyone else on this site) I can't wait!

[ShorterWWValley]

BantaRail,

Thank you ... I will have talk to Lumpy and find out! Thank you for your input and I'd love to if they allow me too!

K. Shorter

[HoosierVirg]

Are the cabooses as rough on the inside as they look on the outside?

Information from recent newsletter, one of the cabooses, 2232, has just been restored, all the exterior wood has been replaced, windows repaired and all the metal sandblasted and it has been painted. There are six wooden cabooses at the Whitewater, one of the largest collection anywhere. The plans are for two more of the cabooses to be done in 2012 with one of our dedicated volunteers spearheaded the project.  When I was younger I use to paint them along with other volunteers, enjoyed working on them, slept in them from time to time overnight, no flat screen HD televisions or microwaves, LOL,  but were comfortable and weren't in bad shape at all. I have rented them for the family from time to time and they love the trips in them. As said before they are well worth the trip and money.

[BantaRail]

Thanks HoosierVirg for the caboose info......

RailfanJ-Ro2;  I thank you for your comment, its not that I am in love with trains (working on them, it is just a job now), I enjoy seeing folks enjoy themselves.   Also the money goes to WVRR, it is my way helping the RR and having fun. 
Will not be in Connersville for the CSX timing, depart Connersville at 9:00

Am thinking about a chartered "small paddle boat" that holds 75 people on the Kentucky River and run it near NS High Bridge for photos of trains passing over.  A lot of trains run on this line, so photos would be frequent.
Cost would be around $25 ?   

[BantaRail]

Trip is a GO AHEAD.
Only received $570 as of Monday, I will pay the balance due.  Will cancel my own vacation for this year.
Proceeding because a group of four is coming from Wisconsin, which belongs to a bigger group which I hope will come next time. 

[BantaRail]

ALL aboard......Departure 9:00 am downtown Connersville Depot  (NOT the old location)
Will accept passengers to the day of trip.
I will be paying the balance myself, so no cut off time for new passengers.
Cost $30 check or cash  NO credit cards.

Just remember NO kids.

I will be there Saturday.
Brian
   

[BantaRail]

Schedule  (Some Changes) MAY CHANGE day of trip. 
1. 9:00 am Departure from Connersville, backup move north to CSX (B&O) overpass, unload, for photo runby (run under).
2. Tower unload for photo runby. tower upper level will be open. Those NOT taken photos PLEASE stay clear of photo view (tower).
(Not stopping at Twin Arch bridge this time.)
3. Laurel Inn for restrooms and drinks. Please no food orders, time will not allow.
4. Laurel Bridge, photo runby.
5. Metamora Restroom stop.  Please NO shopping.
6. Canal lock. Not runby.  NEW Stop.
7. Run to end of track (that is in service)
8. Leonard's Siding to run power around.  Unload for those to take photos.
9. Laurel Inn for meal.  90 minutes.  If everyone is done early, will depart early.
10. Arrive in Connersville.       

[BantaRail]

Have total of $810, still have room for 13 passengers.

[RailfanJ-Ro22]

Unfortunately there's a 99.9% chance that I will not be able to make it to chase and film this train.

We only have one vehicle and it is needed to assist my sister who could go into labor any day now. I was banking on the fact that they thought she would go earlier in the month. Hopefully you'll be able to do this next year. Do you always go underneath the B&O trestle? That's what I was most looking forward to.

[repair]

wish that I had seen this sooner...would have been fun...I have never been on a train

[lumpy72]

Here is a pic of former C.U.T. #25 as it passes the Duck Creek Aqueduct in Historic Metamora, Indiana today. The Lima-Hamilton 750hp switcher did a wonderful job pulling the five cabooses from one end of the Whitewater Valley RR to the other. Thanks to everyone who joined us.

I believe Brian may have a surprise for next year. I am sure he will keep you posted.

William W. Gray, Publicity Officer
Whitewater Valley Railroad Connersville, Indiana
www.whitewatervalleyrr.org
www.wvrrmuseum.org
 
Celebrating Over 39 Years of Operations, The Whitewater Valley Railroad is an operating railroad museum dedicated to the preservation of a historic branch line railroad, to the restoration of railroad equipment, and to the conduct of educational railroad programs. The WVRR is operated by trained volunteers.

[Cmdr_Suds]

Here is my feable attemps at taking pictures

[RailfanJ-Ro22]

Thank you SO much for this great experience Brian! I had an awesome day. Thank you as well for that RJ Corman poster! The video will be on YouTube very soon. I will post it in this thread and if you still have the contacts of any of the people who rode, you may send the link to them. Hopefully, when all my friends and subscribers on YouTube see the video, your train will gain even more popularity for next year. Also; right as the event ended I heard a CSX train on my scanner so there are some great shots of that tacked to the end as well.

Once again, thanks for everything!

[Cmdr_Suds]

Had a Great time Brian!  Hope to do it again.

[RailfanJ-Ro22]

Here's the video! Once you click play then click in the middle of the video to see it on YouTube and have more options to make it bigger.

NOTE: you might have to come back and pause this one before you view the larger one.

The video is over 30 minutes long so if you don't have much time you should watch it in sections.

ENJOY!

[BantaRail]

Thank you to all that went and thanks RailfanJ for the video.
See you next year.
Brian Banta

[BantaRail]

2013 will be March 24 Sunday  (4th Sunday).
Cost $30.   
Mixed freight will cabooses (9339 in NYC Paint?)
Full details later in the year.
Subject to change...as always.

Checking on two other possible trips.
One in Indiana $50+/-.  One in Kentucky $35 +/-.  Kentucky one not directly on rail, but rail related.   
     
Brian Banta