Published: June 14, 2009 11:42 pm      

Scenic railroad ridership down

CUMBERLAND — Board members of the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad are looking toward the future and continuing to plan for hard times and a way to become more user-friendly for out-of-town visitors.

At Thursday’s meeting, Frank Fowler, the railroad’s general superintendent, told board members that ticket sales were up for May as opposed to May 2008, but ridership was down. He said that was due to the increase in ticket prices. He also told board members group sales revenue was down.

“Last May we had 3,292 riders versus the 2,763 for May 2009, making us off 529 riders,” Fowler said. “In June we’re expecting to be off about 5 percent in ridership.”

Board member Tim Grambley said ticket sales may be suffering due to the fact a visitor must call in to purchase their tickets.

“In this area we’re competing against whitewater rafting, horseback riding and other activities like that. So when a family is looking online for activities to do in the area, they’re going to want to buy their tickets then when they’re all together discussing the vacation,” he said. “So, by making them wait to call the next day or so, I think we’re losing people.”

Chairman Ray Morriss said if a potential rider is on a Web site that is also advertising 15 other activities in the same area, and tickets can be purchased online for those, then that’s what the person will do.

Morriss said the railroad should begin exploring Web-based purchasing and booking programs.

Board member Jerri Dell also said the railroad should try to piggy-back with the popularity of the Great Allegheny Passage.

“We need to look at ways to capitalize on the bike trail here,” Dell said. “It’s become very popular with the local area residents but also with visitors coming in to Cumberland. It’s something that I think is just going to grow and grow and grow and we should look at ways to incorporate it with the train.”

And though the train does offer a bike car, it is limited to the number of bicycles it can transport. And each additional car the train pulls means the need for more fuel.

“There is an added cost to having additional cars for hauling more bicycles, but it’s something we should look into,” Morriss said. “We need to sit down and seriously take a look at the possibilities we have for having additional bike cars and the cost associated with it.”

The next Western Maryland Scenic Railroad board meeting will be July 9 at 3:30 p.m. in the conference room of the train depot.

Contact Tess Hill at thill@times-news.com.