Overview

This Strategic plan clarifies and defines the vision and goals for the C&O Historical Society and examines each functional area both strategically and operationally. The timeframe for the plan is five to seven years for "Big" Vision; three years for Strategic accomplishment; and one year for goals and tactical planning. This draft version serves as a working document for input, research, and verification and will be voted on and adopted fully at the board meeting in January, 2007.

Vision

The Vision of the C&O Historical Society is to create a complete and comprehensive railroad heritage center in Clifton Forge that serves to entertain and educate the public as well as serve our members. The center will be relatively small and focused, but tell the complete story of both the C&O as well as the American railroad experience and bring it to life in a way that no other organization is doing currently.

The Vision of the Society is also continue to do what it does now at a higher level of effectiveness with a focus on creating a healthy, thriving operation, both in terms of service, finances, and membership:

• produce an excellent monthly magazine and publish books
• serve the research needs of its members, both historians and modelers
• produce an excellent annual conference as well as other educational events
• operate the retail operation to both provide financial support and to make available unique and interesting products to our members
• acquire, collect, maintain and preserve and make available the photographs, documents, and other materials of our archives

Essential Elements

The following are essential elements of the vision which serve to guide our everyday decision making, and are present in the seven year vision as well as tactical planning:

State of the art archives

• Complete collection
• Cataloging, preservation, and storage
• Electronic transfer and access

• Railroad Heritage Complex in Clifton Forge
  • Museum
  • Archives Building
  • Interpretive sites and experiences
  • Public access and education

• Collection of C&O equipment
  • Representative
    • Rolling stock
    • Passenger equipment
    • Locomotives, steam and diesel

• Excursion service over Mountain Sub division
• Continue current services and activities a higher level of excellence/efficiency/service
• Serve our members, the public and the heritage of the C&O
• Excellence and accuracy in all we do
• A spirit of sharing and making all we have accessible

Elements of the three year Vision (V3)

• Track in place SCY with main line access
• SCY is open and operating as museum/interpretive site
• Most auxiliary buildings built (passenger depot, cabin, etc.)
• Own one or more Steam Locomotives
• New Archives building
• Equipment collection built
  • Includes 614, 2716,1604, 1309, 377, GP9 in Roanoke
• Ongoing restoration function operating
• Engine house built
• Excursion service running regularly
• Double number of members in the society

Elements of the one year Vision (V1)

• SCY land secure
• Freight station prepared
• Part or full time person working in Archives
• Interim Archives storage space
• Plan for new archives storage building
• Site plan complete for 7 year Vision
• Increase membership 20%
• Shed built for rolling stock and workshop
• 2 auxiliary structures built
• 1 st excursion to Charlottesville
• 4-6 books published
• More color, pages, and modeling in magazine
• Motor car operating
• More engaged membership
• Build a strong corps of volunteers
• Continuous volunteer work
• Achieve and maintain momentum

The Eight Strategic paths

plan is to be created for each of these areas with management/board oversight to insure momentum and completion.

1. Stabilize SCY property situation and develop comprehensive Plan
2. Publications management (includes books, electronic media, and magazine)
3. Archives management
4. Equipment management
5. Membership development (increase membership as well as participation)
6. Resource development
7. Retail management
8. Organizational and operational plan

Practices for the "new" C&OHS

To achieve this vision will take not only working toward and achieving extraordinary goals, but doing things differently day-to-day. Below is a list of new points of view and behaviors that will support this new way of thinking and working.

• Management, not laissez faire (but not dictatorship)
• Tom (and other experts) as teachers/educators, not doers
• Structure and planning, not hip-pocket
• Communication, communication, communication
• Explicit, not implicit
• Involve more people, not just the chosen few
• Spend time in Clifton Forge

Management Plans

These "plans" were created during our planning session. Please note that these are the first attempt, and will have iterations of refinement. Each plan shows the steps which must take place for the achievement of the objective. As project teams and managers continue to work on the plans more details and specifics will be added.

Smith Creek Yard Development Plan

1. Prepare draft of Ideal Site plan for SCY Jan 07
   1. Planning meeting Dec 06or Jan 07 in CF
   2. Zoning /permitting/drainage research
2. Secure ownership or extended lease of land Feb 07
   1. Develop contacts with state and/or local officials
   2. Identify contacts within CSX and make contact
3. Prepare Freight Station to be Museum
   1. Assess contents Jan 07
   2. Locate alternative storage site Feb 07
   3. Move current contents Mar 07
4. Stabilize building
   1. Develop plan for building Jan 07
   2. Collect estimates/contract Feb 07
   3. Identify funding Feb 07
   4. Solicit bids and award contract Mar 07
   5. Construction complete Aug 07
5. Assemble exhibits and open Fall 07
6. Install track Aug 07

Note: #3 goes forward regardless of status of any other step

Archives Development Plan

1. Complete Archives Lexicon
2. Develop plan for new archives building
3. Find space for Archives material in Freight House
4. Empty the Freight house
5. Complete Data entry (yellow cards), other data bases, and photos
6. Conclude Electronic Data ownership issues
7. Continuous work on archives
   1. Part/full time assistant
   2. List of archives projects with instructions
   3. Monthly work sessions

• Put tighter controls on the archive material. No one should be allowed to take Archives from the facility for months at a time with no permission or record of what is taken. This includes everyone.

• Maintain Momentum
  • When a volunteer agrees to work on something from home, like Inet data entry, have an Archive Work Session Leader (it doesn't have to be the current coordinator but could be) follow up with that individual. Hold the volunteer's feet to the fire and get the work completed in a timely fashion. Volunteers, like board members, get home and forget the COHS until the next work session.

Equipment Development Plan

Before any plan of acquisitions or restorations is created a careful consideration should be made of what the story we want to tell is and what equipment will be most representative of that story. It was the consensus of the group that the equipment collection would not be a collection of everything we could get our hands on; rather, it would be a focused collection of select important pieces.

Develop wish list

1. Examples
   • Combine 400 (IRM)
   • Hopper Car (DG)
   • 377 Loco and wooden car
2. Prioritize List
3. Assign managers

Assess Condition of presently owned equipment

1. List and prioritize repair restoration work for each piece of equipment
2. Develop repair work teams of fund commercial repair team

Publications Development Plan

• Create Team to plan and mange publications
• Build a build a "production line" for publication products
• Bring the team together to create publication agenda for this year Jan 07
• Support and manage authors to complete works in progress

Books

• Publish 4-6 high-quality books each year
• Explore expanded use of print on demand
• Reprint foundation works
• Books to consider for this year:
  • Pere Marquette Power (Reprint)
  • Alleghany (R)
  • Chessie's Road (R)
  • Steel Cabooses (R)
  • C&O for progress
  • The George Washington
  • Heavyweight Passenger Cars
  • Jesse Stuart on the C&O
  • The C&O in Hinton
  • The C&O in Quinnimont
  • The C&O in Postcards

Web Site

• Gain control of web site and all data storage
• Create ability to update web site ourselves
• Update and refresh entire web site
• Freshen Look of the site−make it more compelling and visually inviting
• New Modeling column monthly posted to site
• New Search Engine (select approach)
• Regular updates (every 2−4 weeks, based on need and activity)
• Searchable archive of all magazine articles available on-line (3 year goal)

Magazine

• Monthly and on-time
• Plan developed at beginning of the year for the whole year including
  • Themes for each issue
  • Articles for each issue
  • Authors for each article
• Editorial team will manage authors to insure on-time completion and quality
• Resumption of "Observations"−member communication tool

CD-ROMs

• Modeling Annual
• Quinnimont Companion
• PM power Companion
• Clifton Forge Companion
• Look at pricing structure and packaging of CD ROMs

Retail and Product Development Plan

Goals

• Create revenue stream to support operations using retail items
  • (Approximately $200,000 gross profit)
• Serve members by providing unique items and models
• Maximize cash flow and minimize inventory

Tactics

• Create Retail Team to:
  • Analyze current products for turnaround and profitability
  • Plan for a year's worth of products designed to create desired revenue
  • Retail team planning meeting in early Feb
  • Plan ready by Feb 30
  • Coordinate with publications team

• Design and complete Catalog by June 1; mail by September 30

• Clear out old non-moving items from inventory
  • Retail manager to identify items
  • Hold clearance sale in February

• Develop Ebay Sales function to consistently sell surplus

Resource Development Plan

Goals

• Raise $750,000 by 1 June 2007 to fund SCY Phase one
• Raise additional $500,000 to begin funding Phase two by end of 07
• Lay ground work to raise 5 million for endowment fund
• Build structure to raise 5 million for total SCY project
• Raise $100,000 from members
• Raise $100,000 from local community
• Develop base of volunteer staff

Tactics

• Develop list of specific organizations to apply for grants
  • Federal (ISTEA/USDA)
  • State
  • Community Foundations
  • Heritage organizations
  • Railroad Historical grants (NRHS and others)
  • Personal Foundations (RR Young, Eaton Foundations)

• Capital Campaign for members
  • Use Can Do Structure
  • Add new mission
  • Identify key members with significant resources and make specific ask to them
  • "Put us in your will" campaign

• Local Fund Raising Campaign in Clifton Forge
  • Create a sense of local ownership
  • Engage local history teachers and C&O veterans
  • Sell Brandywine wooden profiles
    • Wooden profile of a caboose with story of center and COHS on back--$25−20 goes to the museum
  • 5 gallon water bottles in strategic locations to collect pennies and dimes−the primary intent is to get everyone contributing at every level.

• Communications campaign to members and local community
• Prepare standard grant packet that can be modified to each grant
• Build relationships with key local, state, and railroad officials and corporations
• Develop stronger base of volunteers (see membership development plan)
• Build relationships with key contractors and suppliers

Membership Development Plan

Goals:

• Increase membership 20% by end of calendar year 07 (~2800)
• Increase membership to 4000 active, paying members by end of CY 09.
• Increase membership retention
• Increase member participation
• Develop core group of volunteers (100 by 07, 10% of membership by 09)

Strategies

To develop members we must do four things very well and all at the same time:

• Recruit new members (and bring back previous members)
• Retain current members
• Provide a compelling membership experience
• Grow active members into volunteers

Tactics

Recruit new members

• Institute member recruiting plan with retail staff
• Develop recruiting brochure and distribute to strategic locations
  • Amtrak
  • Potomac Eagle
  • Hobby stores in Chessie Corridor
• Monthly presence in Railroad publications
• Use magazine as recruiting tool−send to area libraries for free (especially colleges and local schools)
• Send members extra magazine to give to a friend
• "Grand Tour" A month long tour of the chessie corridor from Newport News to Chicago with Tom and Gene Huddleston with stops along the way and talks in each city to help recruit members (similar to a rock and roll band tour"−of course, we'll take Amtrak to do it).
• Use annual conference as recruiting tool to local area
• Institute Division Superintendent Program

For each of 8 divisions, have an official appointed superintendent whose role is to recruit members and hold "chapter meetings" to increase participation and camaraderie. In addition, they would insure and active local presence in their division by visiting hobby shops and placing brochures and magazines, attending local trade shows and conferences, giving talks to civic and NRHS chapters, etc.

Bring Back Previous members

• Letter and direct calling campaign to previous members to get them back
• Identify key previous members who have left because they were "upset" and designate a board member to make a personal appeal to bring them back.

Retain Current Members

• Community communications
  • a monthly newsletter (both inserted in magazine and via email)
• Monthly events (such as See & Know C&O)
• Update web site monthly
• Offer all back issues of magazine on web site for free
• Frequent Surveys (can be done at low cost on-line) to find out what articles our members would like to see in the magazine)
• Get members to come to Clifton Forge

Grow members into Volunteers

• Engage members in our visionary plan through communication and activities
• Get each current board member and volunteer to reach out to recruit one other volunteer (invite to come with to Clifton Forge for an event)
• More frequent volunteer activities (1x month minimum)
• Provide hospitality for work sessions (coffee, pastries, etc.)
• Training session for volunteers:
  • Archival techniques (including digital storage)
  • Restoration techniques
  • Docent Training
• Provide low-cost lodging in Clifton Forge
• Special Pass for Amtrak
• Create "Family" feeling through communal activities (dinners lunches, etc.)
• Institute "Alleghany Club" plan

Organizational and Operational Plan

Goals

• Create stable, smooth functioning organization to support all activities
• Stabilize turnover and insure high performing personnel in all roles
• Develop organizational capacity to insure progress on all strategic fronts
• Create a healthy, happy working environment for employees

Tactics

• See Organizational Chart for staff functions and chain of command
• Executive Director responsible to President/Board
• Teams and leaders for each strategic area managed by Executive Director
• Staff positions given management roles, goals and responsibility
• Hire part time staff to help with shipping and inventory
  • Brandy to focus on customer service and member relationships
• Create full time archives/information manager
• Bring magazine production in-house
• Establish 401K plan for staff
• Development plan for each staff member
• Semi annual performance reviews
• Staff must pass C&O knowledge test