With less than 48 hours remaining in what has been a very exciting year for rail preservation in West Virginia and throughout the Nation, we look ahead to 2015 with even larger goals, more ambition , and a great team of rail photographers and colleagues. At the beginning of 2014, I envisioned the organizing of at least two photo excursions and/or workshops that highlight West Virginia's rail tourist lines through photography focused excursions that replicate scenes from a fallen era.
Thanks to a great partnership with the Elkins, W.Va. based Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, we successfully coordinated two photo excursions in 2014. In September, we visited Durbin in a single day excursion that featured the railroad's former Moore & Keppel Climax No. 3 in a photo charter along the Greenbrier River. We utilized the 'wye' in Durbin to turn the locomotive for the first time in 12 years. Approximately four weeks later, we found ourselves back in the mountains of West Virginia on Columbus Day weekend, conducting a full day photo excursion in the peak of fall mountain foliage with West Virginia Central's first generation diesels along the Shavers Fork of the Cheat River. Between both excursions, we were joined by approximately 80 photographers from as far away as Colorado and New York.
Our goal for 2015...
"What is your purpose? What services do you provide and how do you stand out?" is undoubtedly the most common question we receive from inquiries on social media and email. Understandably, most who follow or 'like' our social media presence from those outside of railroad photography don't fully grasp the concept of photo excursions or workshops, especially exclusive to rail tourism. Our internet presence is not as strong as it could be, as our advertising efforts are primarily exclusive to email mailing lists and Facebook. As we head into the New Year, we will soon launch an expanded website, in which we'll incorporate this blog into the content of the new site. This has been a slow going initiative, but we are looking forward to launching our site before the April excursion.
Additionally, our vision for 2015 is to continue providing the hospitality we do in each and all of our trips and workshops through all-inclusive meals, hands-on night photography instructional tips, and an atmosphere that allows for two-way communication between staff and guests. My biggest inspiration for rail photo excursions is to introduce photographers from across the East Coast, Midwest, and even the West coast to West Virginia's premiere rail tourist destinations through high quality railroad photography trips that replicate scenes from the 1950s and before. Some of my greatest friends today are from those who I have visited and attended our excursions.To me, it's much more than a photo excursion, it's an all-inclusive experience that includes high quality photography, exclusive railroad access, good food, and good fellowship. We have an excellent staff, a wonderful team of repeated guests, and great colleagues in the rail tourism industry who helps make these trips worthwhile. And for that, we look forward to what the New Year offers with a heart felt thank you to all of those who made 2014 a spectacular year.
Sincerely,
Chase Gunnoe
