WELCOME BACK.
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR FAMILY
,
TAKE THEM TO THE ESSEX STEAM
TRAIN.
RYAN: WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO
TALK TO OUR GOOD FRIEND.
WE WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO
CT-STYLE.
I AM GLAD TO BE HERE.
RYAN: IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE
BEAUTIFUL AND THE PERFECT
OPPORTUNITY TO HEAD ON OVER.
WE HAVE GREAT THINGS GOING
ON.
THE REGULAR TRAIN AND BOAT.
RYAN: WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT
THIS.
WE WENT ON BOARD.
WE DID A WHOLE SEGMENT ON IT.
WE WERE RIGHT UP THERE WITH THE
CONDUCTOR.
YOU HAD THE STEAM ROLLING
AROUND.
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE STEPPING
BACK IN TIME.
YOU ARE BACK IN 1910.
RYAN: THIS TRAIN WAS
VITAL BACK
IN THE DAY.
ALL OF OUR
TRAINS ARE
AUTHENTIC, FROM 1910, 1920.
TERESA: YOU ARE GEARING UP FOR
THE HOLIDAYS?
WE OPENED OUR TICKET SALES.
WE HAD A GREAT KICKOFF.
WE HAD 1100 ORDERS IN 10
MINUTES.
WHEN WE OPENED, WE
HAD 436
INBOUND CALLS.
THERE IS DEMAND FOR THIS
PRODUCT.
RYAN: WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT?
PEOPLE ARE ALREADY ORDERING IN
SEPTEMBER.
WE WORK VERY HARD TO PRODUCE
THE NORTH POLE EXPRESS.
TODAY WE FINISH, WE START
PRODUCTION FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
WE TAKE A CAST OF 100 PEOPLE A
NIGHT.
RYAN: DO YOU EVER GET ANY SLEEP?
IN JANUARY.
TERESA: THERE IS A PROGRAM FOR
TODDLERS.
THIS IS THE SANTA SPECIAL.
BECAUSE OF THE OUTPOURING OF
PEOPLE WANTING THE NORTH POLE
EXPRESS.
WE NEED TO ADD MORE FOR THE
PUBLIC.
LOTS OF GREAT THINGS FOR YOUNGER
KIDS.
LETTERS TO SANTA.
SHOWS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
THE REINDEER BREAKFAST,
BREAKFAST WITH THE REINDEER.
TERESA: TERRIFIC.
IT IS DESIGNED FOR YOUNGER
KIDS.
RYAN: THAT WILL BE PERFECT FOR
YOU AND THE NEW BABY ON THE WAY.
I AM SURE A LOT OF OUR VIEWERS
ARE BASED OUT OF MIDDLETOWN.
YES, OUR AUDIENCE ISN'T
MIDDLETOWN AND HARTFORD.
WE WERE ABLE TO ACQUIRE THE
CRUISES, THE LADY CATHERINE
CRUISES.
IT ALLOWS US TO ENHANCE OUR
PRODUCTS.
RYAN: YOU HAVE MUSIC AND
CATERING ABOARD.
TERESA: WEDDINGS.
COLLEGES COME THERE.
WE HOST ALL TYPES OF EVENTS.
RYAN: THE RIVERBOAT WAS COOL.
WE HAVE THAT ALSO.
THAT IS HOW WE ACQUIRED LADY
CATHERINE CRUISES.
WE HAD IT DEMANDS FOR EVENTS
THAT WERE MUCH LARGER THAN LADY
CATHERINE.
RYAN: HOW OLD IS THAT?
THE BECKY
THATCHER IS THE
THROWBACK TO THE DAYS WHEN
STEAMBOATS WERE ON THE RIVER.
IT WAS OUT FOR 30 YEARS.
THE ESSEX STEAM TRAIN HAS BEEN
AROUND FOR 46 YEARS.
WE ARE HEADING TO OUR 50TH
ANNIVERSARY IN 2021.
LAST
YEAR, WE HAULED MORE THAN
186,000 PASSENGERS.
THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO AND THE
CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY.
YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL BED AND
BREAKFASTS.
IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO SPEND
TIME.
RYAN: YOU DO WORK WITH THE
MIDDLESEX CHAMBER.
THEY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB
SUPPORTING TOUR IS HIM IN --
TOURISM IN CONNECTICUT.
RYAN: IT IS GREAT YOU ARE ABLE
TO OFFER SO MUCH.
WE ALMOST DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH
TIME TO FILM EVERYTHING, BECAUSE
THERE WAS SO MUCH TO DO.
