Halloween Events

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

I remember that some years back, a Halloween celebration was tried a couple of times, but had some issues connected with it, and it was given up.  Since so many venues use Halloween as an annual event, I'd be curious to learn why it didn't work out at the WW&F. Any plans to try it again? If not, why?

A good friend of mine does an annual Halloween event on his backyard 1-1/2" scale live steam railroad. He has done it for 10 years now and it gets better every year, with dozens of families attending.  He places scary figures out in the woods near the track. Each has illumination when a relay is tripped by the wheels of a passing train.  The kids love it, and even the adults are impressed.  Refreshments are served and everyone has a lot of fun.  I would think that along with Christmas and Easter, this would be a natural "friend raiser" event for the railroad.

Richard

[Steve Zuppa]

Hi Richard,

You are correct. For years we did a Halloween event. It started out as a simple affair with not much more than a steam train ride in the dark with plastic jack-o-lanterns lit by tea candles along the right of way.Then we ramped it up a bit with our folks as witches by a bubbling cauldron at one of the crossings. We charged short money ($2, I think) and the event grew each year.

Then we were given a TON of Halloween props including masks, coffins, skulls and even a seven foot tall Boris Karloff dressed as Dr. Frankenstein. Well naturally we felt we had to use them and after going it alone for a couple of years, we partnered with the Wiscasset HS to man the props and provide scenes along the ROW. Logistically, this became unwieldy and after a couple of years, we dropped the event, instead focusing on our Fall Festival.

There has been some discussion, both informally and at the Board level, of returning to doing Halloween trains and if we do, we'll be going back to our roots with a simple event like the one we started with (although I do like Larry's idea of the wheel activated relays).While nothing firm has been decided, it's possible that we could do something this year.

Steve

[Steve Zuppa]

See Richard's post.

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

My friend's live steam backyard railroad Halloween event always used small spot lights to illuminate the "monsters" positioned in the woods beside the track. He used storage batteries to light them, but they remained lit all the time which took the "shock" factor out of the experience. Plus the batteries drained quickly and had to be replaced before the evening was over.

So he came up with the idea of installing "trippers" on the rail next to each "monster" figure. When the train ran over the tripper, the light on that figure would come on for 30 seconds and then go out again.  Much more frightening and the battery lasted all night. 

Each year he has added more figures at trackside, and the "scare factor" has increased with the tripper switch system.  You might consider a similar system if you go back to doing the event on the WW&F.

Richard

[Ed Lecuyer]

I would much rather see the WW&F expand the "Fall Festival" event than do Halloween at all.

[Marcel Levesque]

I would also like to see the Fall Festival epanded/refined.  Our last attempts at Halloween were not very good.  If memory serves the museum calandered the halloween trains not to coincide with Boothbay's event.  From what I understand that they put on a very good show.  Agreed that they have had many years to refine their efforts.  Maybe the public waited for the Boothbay event and not ours or there was just not enough people wanting to attend two Halloween events.  Also,I think, the last time we tried the Boothbay event was on the same day as ours.  Someone correct me on that if I am wrong. 

[Ira Schreiber]

Remember that a hot dog with no meat..........

is a Hollow Weenie....................

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

I prefer the Fall Festival to Halloween trips.  The Fall Festival offers more family events such as pony rides, apple bobbing, sack races and hay rides. It gives visitors a fun look at rural Maine life back in the 1920's and 30's.  The FF is great for familys with small children. 

The Halloween trains were ok years ago but now there is competition in Alna with a big event called Treat in the Street.  The event is run by Mike and Amy who own the Alna Store.  Each year, Dock Road is closed and people park along the north side to appear in costume and give out candy from their car.  Kids come from miles around to visit each car or truck parked along the road.  It's a good time to see your neighbors and meet folks from nearby towns.  There's a hay ride that runs up and down the road and there are contests for best costume in each age group, even adults.  The event has gotten real big the last few years.  This would have to be considered if the museum wanted to run Halloween trips.

Stewart

[Wayne Laepple]

Another critical difference between Halloween trains and Fall festival activities is safety. Operating trains after dark has inherent risks, particularly with passengers who may not be familiar with riding trains at night. No such issues with daylight trains.

[Joe Fox]

Richard,

The WW&F event used ro have generators to light scenes along the way. Usually around 4 scenes between sheepscot and Alna Center. It was getting to be very popular. Big enough to where crowds were the size of Victorian Christmas, or close to it. Shortly after it was decided to bring high school students in and they over took it more or less. The event soon became a gore show not very good for little kids and other things they were doing proved not good. In short the event vanished 3 years after the high schoolers were brought in.

When I started helping out in 2006 the event was very popular and people enjoyed what little there was for scarry scenes and people in costumes.

Personally I think the fall festival is off to a good start and has potential. It is already popular and seems to have a lot of regulars.

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

From your description, it sounds like it got out of control when the high school kids were let loose.

Perhaps it could be a combined Fall / Harvest / Halloween event with back-to-basics Halloween displays, not necessarily done after dark.  Just some simple ghosts and goblins, etc. that aren't too scary for the little ones.  It should not have been allowed to become a narrow gauge "Terror Train" thing.

The hay rides, pony rides, and whatever should be enough for families to enjoy, with a few "hobgobblins" in the background to suggest the Halloween season as an adjunct of the harvest season celebration.  Pumpkins in the field at AC and "magic marker" jack-o-lanterns instead of carving, for safety, could lend atmosphere. Contest for "Best Jack-O-Lantern"?

It seems that a little thought could turn this into a success equal to Victorian Christmas, Easter Eggspress, etc., as an annual "friend raiser".

Richard

[Dwight Winkley]

Richard,
Museum did not have the needed members at the Halloween events to be with the High Schoolers and run the trains, parking etc.
dwight

[Joe Fox]

Yes, the students were supposed to come with teacher shaparones which there was a few in the beginning and then the last year only one teacher per night. Not that great. On the other hand, I dont know if the guy still shows up or not but a few years ago there was a guy at Alna Center carving pumpkins during the fall festival. The jack o lantern was an idea but would take too long. The shorter the activities the better.

[Jonathan B. Smith]

Let's just do an enhanced Fall Festival and leave Halloween "dress up" to others.  Halloween is busy enough as it is with many other distractions/schedule conflicts.  I like the idea of keeping to the WW&F message--living history, simple/low tech fun & games, family, etc.  Delaying the event until the 1st weekend of October might be considered--greater fall color, distance from the Common Ground Fair event.
The appeal of the WW&F experience is that it's real, hands on and down home user friendly.  Let's not loose that focus.

[Joe Fox]

J. B. has a point. Many visitors love the current activities at the museum events, and the hand car rides, and model t railcar rides on a few events are the most popular. Many visitors love the hands on experience and the thrill of watching young and old alike pump the hand car. These small things. bring smiles to so many families, that it is those moments that make people want to come back again. If the railroad is really curious about different things leave a questionier out for people to take or leave comments on for how it could be better so to speak. Then any ideas from the public on paper could be brought up to the B.O.D.