convention, Thomas and todays railroads

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

As a former host of two sucessful NWHS conventions, I gotta say, let's 
leave the planning to the host, all this squabbling just makes the planners 
nervous and makes it hard to bring a whole weekend of entertainment 
together for our enjoyment.

We members who have families with young children( and there are several) 
simply stated that we would like to Have Thomas avalable to be viewed so we 
could actually convince our wives to come along with the kids and support 
our hobbies, we wasn't asking for a Day Out With Tomas. For years our 
families would not join us because there is nothing to occupy them, this 
outing gives us aperfect chance to blend our families with our hobbies.

I was offended by Mr. Sellers comments. First of all there is nothing about 
todays modern railroad to keep a childs interest. All the locomotives 
look,sound and are designed the same, the locomotive has lost it's 
personality, what do the kids have to "look up to"? A big black locomotive, 
with tinted windows and air-conditioned cabs, completely isolating the crew 
from view, there is no-one to wave back at the kids now and if they did who 
can see it? the cabooses are all stuffed and mounted in the local parks, 
you are greeted by a flashing light on the rear, wow exciting. Government 
and police agencies are doing their darndest to make sure that we can no 
longer get up-close and personal with the railroads and trains, Communitiy 
learder consintaly remind us that trains are too loud and the block 
crossings for too long and that the railroad is a nuscience.
I work for NS and kids would rather throw rocks at you than wave.

I am sure that when you were a child that you was fascinated by stories of 
Casey Jones, John Henry, and the Wreck Of The Old 97, when I was a child I 
had the stories of Tootle and the Little Engine That Could to fire my 
interest. and todays kids have Thomas and I am damn proud to see my kids 
face light up when they see his smiling face, and to them, that occupies 
them a lot better that a set of wiskers on a catfish.

Gary Price
proud parent of two
Norfolk Southern enployee
former NWHS board member
Thomas supporter and proud of it
Marion, Va