Facilities and Exhibits Improvement Survey Online Survey Results Public Input Sessions Results
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Facilities and Exhibits Improvement Survey Online Survey Results 940 respondents January 30, 2010 – June 30, 2011 Public Input Sessions Results Seven sessions/118 attendees February 16—March 23, 2010 Prepared by the Virginia Museum of Transportation 303 Norfolk Avenue SW Roanoke, VA 24016 540.342.5670 www.VMT.org September 1, 2011 Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 1 Virginia Museum of Transportation Facilities and Exhibits Improvement Survey Table of Contents Online survey results Demographics of respondents 3 Questions about exhibit content 4 Questions about history and people 6 Questions about commerce and industry 10 Questions about transportation technology 12 Questions about types of exhibits 14 Additional Comments About scope 18 About facilities and Railyard conditions 20 About rail restoration and rail exhibits 21 About nonrail exhibits 25 About events, activities, and features 26 About excursions, rides, and restoring equipment to operating condition 28 General comments 33 Public input session results Attendee statistics; how to collect stories; stories/content 38 Exhibits/how to tell the stories 41 Programs 43 Facility 45 Guest services 46 Other income; other comments 47 Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 2 Virginia Museum of Transportation Facilities and Exhibits Improvement Survey January 30, 2010 – June 30, 2011 Online Survey by Survey Monkey, one response allowed per computer Total Started Survey: 940; Total Completed Survey: 806 (85.7%) Survey Demographics: Male: 90.3% Female 9.7% Under 18: 5.2% 18-29: 13.1% 30-49: 36.2% 50-65: 33.1% Over 65: 12.4% Respondents from thirty-eight states: 47.8% (381): VA 7.0% (56): NC 6.3% (50): OH 4.5% (36): PA 3.8% (30): WV 2.5% (20): MD 2.1% (17): GA, TN 2.0% (16): AL 1.9% (15): FL 1.8% (14): SC 1.6% (13): KY, MI, NY 1.5% (12): IL, NJ, TX 1.1% (9): CA 0.8% (6): MO 0.5% (4): DE, IN, MA, MN, WA 0.4% (3): OR 0.3% (2): AZ, LA, MS, WI 0.1% (1): CO, CN, IA, KS, ME, MT, NE, SD, VT USA 97.6% Other Country 2.4% Australia Canada Denmark Germany New Zealand Northern Ireland U.K. United Kingdom - Scotland Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 3 Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 4 Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 5 Comments: any era the development of rail a mix of all periods transportation and its role in all wars that have taken place settling and developing the US the Great Wagon Road era RRs - western expansion, Post Settling and commerce of the WW II - Interstate highways frontier The Great Depression Revolutionary War WW I Trench railway systems, Revolution and Early Republic and their use on bases back in the (canals & turnpikes) states after the war pre Civil War Virginia-the canals & post 1945 toll roads 1950-1976 American Industrial Revolution 1960's-1980's industrial revolution Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 6 Why did you just pick "Civil Rights America is shaped by Era"? I understand why it could be transportation. History has included, but why JUST that era? unfolded and progressed around Vietnam War transportation the growth and progression of Vietnam war transportation in its many modes 1970's From commodities, materials, Gulf War comforts, to essentials, all are post-Gulf War made available to Americans by Post 9/11 era transportation. modern day Generations, how it affected modern era people’s lives, jobs, family, careers modern era 20th century - change from modern era from 1970 onward agrarian to industrial to service/ Iraq, Afghanistan informational oriented economy today's way of getting things economic development of the moving country and Virginia immediate and long term future developing America (food to along Virginia's I-81 and I-77 market, changes in cities, Corridor industries, etc.) alternative fuel sources of the economic development tied to future transportation, ex. Danville or Lynchburg from 1830 to 1980 dawn of steam to beginning of the development of cities such as diesel era Roanoke, Clifton Forge the golden age of steam development of Roanoke steam era history of the Roanoke Valley steam era the history of the N&W and how it steam days helped open WV coal mines, and steam locomotives build the city of Roanoke N & W and Southern steam locos effect on (destruction of) Native Norfolk and Western Railway American cultures bring back the j-611 Appalachia C&O # 614 influencing American culture railroad transition era (1940's- 1.Modernizing a nation 50's) 2.Developing and applying new transition from steam to diesel technologies 3.Industrial research WWII/Civil Rights as it applies to How it continues to do so transition to diesel from steam railroad related items Railroad post-regulation times post World War II auto boom Muscle Car era all types of racing Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 7 Comments: how transportation shaped Regional or national productivity historical events, in other words, and prosperity as a function of “what ifs” and how the current transportation methods of transportation shaped how transportation accessibility outcomes of battles and other has added to an individual's events in history wealth Americans’ lives have changed, promoting understanding of the as people would live in a smaller five modes of transport world, would not experience freight operation politics on a national and global freight transportation level, would not experience social transportation workers and economic issues beyond their technological advancements front door without transportation. aiding transportation Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 8 creating modern day jobs future of transportation and society (“green” cars, HOV lanes, CAFE laws, airbags, new fuels, recyclability) how the steam locomotive changed transportation more emphasis on the role of the steam locomotive N. & W and Southern Rwy history N&W steam let the 611 run again bring the j-611 back on the rails the realities of working on the railroad rail preservation efforts by public, private, and corporate entities Nascar effects! racing and car competition lecture series a transportation museum should be free of political correctness hobbies and avocations where the collections are in other museums and cities other nationalities in America Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 9 Comments: I think it’s interesting to note how inventions and innovations transportation shaped how developed because of communities were actually built. Not transportation just the where, but in design, also the role of the James River in whether it was in regard to where Eagle Rock when canals were used streets were laid or which way rail vs. truck transportation of goods houses faced. The current dominate different types of freight transports transport method, whether it be history of trains water, trains, or roads, shaped how the steam era railroads as a each community is designed significant employer of various Virginia towns and communities trades being where they are because of Erie Steam locomotive! horse-drawn coaches, trains, cars bring back the 611 Birmingham to particularly, how transportation has Roanoke changed our region Let the 611 run again how the N&W Roanoke Shops were part of the community? N & W Shops and Roanoke Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 10 Comments: marketing from 1800 - 2000; how how and why N & W designed and transportation provided built their own steam locos opportunities for leisure, economic N&W Steam design gain, etc. THE J Class 611 and THE A Class in an international context 1218 (Europe, South America, Asia, do I have to say it again it’s been etc.) 16 years don’t let history go away simulators like that! the museum should cover the Let the 611 run again history of the N&W and the Virginian, before and after the merger, and how the railroads and their employees have affected one another Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 11 Comments green technology using green fuels for transportation bioenergy potential in Virginia performance technology specifically when trains went from steam to diesel diesel fuel please pretty please! bring it back it deserves to ride the rails that’s what it was built for! Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 12 Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 13 Comments artifacts need to be put into More video is needed at VMT! context; how they evolved and Film of how steam engines are their use. Permanent exhibits are made good but having space for Key newspaper articles and changing exhibits is essential if colorful graphs for films marking you want a museum that can keep the renewal and future of VA the visitor and supporter engaged passenger rail. That would be year after year. dynamite! thoughtful interpretation of an A printed piece I can take with me object's place in history to gather add'l info would like to meet the retired Model railroads conductors, firemen, porters, etc. HO or N Scale Layouts and hear their stories Car Club exhibits featuring going in the cabs of locomotives specialty/custom/sports cars MULTI-MEDIA EXPERIENCE Virginia Museum of Transportation NS Challenge Survey 14 more steam - any Y-6 class in existence anywhere? nw 1151 nw wooden box 3nw hoppers nw caboose the museum should really strive to collect and preserve N&W history, and if possible save locos from Norfolk Southern and reserve them, at least one member of a class. 2 SD40-2s for example, N&W low hood, and an N&W high hood for example, repaint them to N&W colors and what not. also get N&W's Class A 1218 and J 611 running on excursions again, would be great, with passenger trains if possible.