TSR Friends consider KOA marketing plan
BY LELAND ACKER STAFF WRITER

As the Friends of the Texas State Railroad mull ways to save the train, one of the constant efforts is to give the train as much publicity as possible.

During their regular meeting on Thursday, the Friends heard one publicity option from Lisa Wade of the Kampgrounds Of America (KOA).

Ms. Wade proposed the friends purchase an advertisement in the local area guide provided to visitors to the Rusk KOA park. Her proposal included both print and internet advertising.

Both Ms. Wade and Robert Crossman, Texas State Railroad superintendent, told the Friends that KOA was not a direct competitor to the state park.

"Our visitors like being able to walk over to the depot from the campground," Mr. Crossman said. "There are times when our park is full and we have to turn campers away."

The Friends were unable to act on Ms. Wade's presentation because there was not a quorum of members present.

Those who were present heard a report on the state railroad from Mr. Crossman.

"The staff is relatively upbeat," he said. "They took a few things from the public meeting (on Friday, Jan. 26). Some of those things are that it seems there is zero interest from the legislature to run the train through the parks and wildlife department, and only a slightly higher interest in running it through a private operator."

Mr. Crossman said the reason the railroad is running trains in January and February is to show private operators that the train is not out of business.

"It keeps the smell of death away," he said.

The Friends of the Texas State Railroad will meet again at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 1 at the Rusk Depot.